The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1933-03-02

sion will cause him to bestir him.
self"
/ Roberta laughed again-softly,
suddenly, for again she had swift
vision of Glenn Hackett and COM
pared the activities of his law office
with the somnolent status of Don
Prudencio's legal mill.
| II feel like Alice in Wonderland"
she declared suddenly.
] speaking of bees and birds and
sealing-wax, and cabbages and
kings" said Don Jaime, 81 am sim
cerely delighted to have sold Prudy
to you. He's so slow. so deliberate !;
know he'll just lengthen out your
visit to the Rancho Vale Verde I'M
til you get to like the country. Just
now you think my country's bare
and lonely and desolate. butt will
grow on you. To one accustomed to
! wide horizons there is born. in Tex
as, a feeling that one is lost. But
presently one discovers that out Of
all this loneliness and vastness a
surprising number of good-natured
and contented people come; they're
friendly and they do not talk too
much, although they do talk to the
point. I'll miss my guess a mile
If you find yourself without seri-
GUS interest in Texas. Mees-I
mean NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS."
Hes secretly excited and dis
turbed." Roberta thought. PRO.
nonncing T. as e. | wish dinner
were oSer."
Providentially. 1t was not long
course dinner, such as Roberta had
expected would be served and which
she had looked forward to with
dread. A soup. a salad. roast. two
vegetables. light dessert and black
coffee. That was all.
"He runs his household like SEN
sible man, at any rate" the girl re-
flected.
She watched humming bird fit
ting from flower to flower. saw a
quail come forth and bear away a
crust tossed him by Don Jaime.
Then, as the shadows heightened,
the hooking birds. replete with food
and happy. perched in lime tree
and paid for their meal In melody.
Roberta had never heard a Spanish
mocker before and was delighted
with the beauty and variety Of their
extensive repertoire.
"You are fond Of musicT Don
Jaime Queried.
Roberta nodded and he tossed q
quick order in Spanish to one of his
dusky maids.
From behind the climbing passion
vines on the gallery across the patio
a guitar was strummed: Roberta
heard the mellow notes of a harp
as unseen fingers ran the scale.
Then girls voice-withnnt much
volume. but wondrously sweet and
sympathetic--commenced to sing
ia Golhndrina"
"When am unhappy" Don Jaime
explained. 'they sing that sad song
to me and make me unhappier."
"Why don't you have them sing
something joyful?"
"My dear Miss Antrim. no Hig-
gins ever wants to be made happy
when he's unhappy. It's like enjoy
ing poor health We must feed orr
racial melancholy"
"You incorrigible Celt! Are these
professional entertainers brought
out from Los AlgOdonps?''
"No. they're part of the ranch as
sets. The harp has heen In our
family since the first Higgins emf.
grated to Madrid. Hello. huh. yon
getting sleepy? Tired after your
long ride today eh?'
climbed up into Don Jaime's lap:
his Thin little arm was around the
brown. powerful neck his head
cuddled under the big square chin.
] Don Jaime held him close with mis-
left arm. and Roberta noticed that
| with his right hand he gently mas
saged the atrophied muscles of the
| boys left leg.
The purple shadows crepf over
| the patio. the music sobbed and
mourned behind the passion vines.
Presently Don Jaime shook Rob
bic gently. Come. son." he said
softly. "Say your prayers-in Span
ish. as have taught yon. Maestro
padre"
The sleepy voice spoke halting-
~ the unfamiliar words the man
prompting from time to time. When
the prayer was finished he rose and.
with the hoy in his arms. stopped
over Mrs. t'anhy that she might kiss
her son good night Then he passed
around the table TO Roherta's chair.
"Inn0cencP and hPlplessness." R0
berta heard him mnrmur who
cOult not love IL" He stopped over
her and lowered the hoy until the
childish lips brushed her cheek !:
| then he bore fhe lad off To he'd.
The two women exchanged
| chances. the mothers eyes were
moist. "Thhf is the Latin i'm him.