The Coolidge examiner., 1933-02-24


your fancies. Uncle William. Let
me know the minute the deal with
Dingle is closed, because imnedi-
ately thereafter I'm going to guard
every water-hOle. and those sheep
of yours will die of thirst before
Dingle can move them off that
range"
81 think I'll sell you those
sheep" Crooked Bill faltered.
You're regalning your senses.
I'll buy them from yOu-at two dol
lars a head less than you paid for
them. I'll teach you to take joke.
mister. You horned in on my
private affairs and now you've got
to fee the fiddler. And I'll not pay
cash. either. Five per cent inter
est on a chattel mortgage. How
ever. you'll be safe with a chattel
mortgage of mine"
IF | sell to you will you give
me your word of honor never to
tell Roberta a word about this?"
I'm willing to make that stipu-
lation a part of the contract. Let's
shake hands on it,"
They shook hands. You're a
smart devil" said Crooked Bill adj
miringly. I'm sort of sorry | con-
spired against you, but | had my
reasons. wanted Glenn Hackett.
my attorney. to be my nephew-in-
law. He's a gentleman"
$50 am l."
You're a wild Irish bandit. You
Just get by. and one Of these days
you'll not Somebody will tunnel
you yet"
They had dinner, after which
they strolled over to Don Pruden-
clio Alviso's office and closed the
sale of the sheep. "And now"
Crooked Bill demanded, when the
deal was cOnsummated. "Tll forgive
you a whole lot. Jim Higgins. II
you'll tell me how come you got on
to me-"
So Don Jaime told him. "Serves
me right" the old gentleman de-
clared. 81 played my hand poorly.
Well, I'm out of the sheep business.
it seems, so about all that's left for
me to do now is to go back to New
York"
"Oh, say not so, Uncle Bill. Just
go back to the hotel. climb into your
regular clothes and come along out
to the ranch with me. You'll sur
prise Roberta. She'll think | sent
for you. just to give her pleasant
surprise. and she'll be very grateful.
Thus | shall boom my stock bit
with her. Besides. want you to
see Vale Verde. want to show
you the room you'll occupy six
months of the year. Then. when
visit you at DObbs Ferry you can
reciprocate and show me the room
I'll occupy there six months of the
year-provIded marry Roberta
"You are going to ask herr"
AT the proper time"
Thanks for the proffer Of your
hospitality, son. but I'll not accept
IT, You see. I'm going TO put the
skids under you and II inst wouldn't
be right TO harbor such intentions
while under your roof"
$50 you're going to make Roberta
come home. are you?"
THAT'S the program"
SCOT good excuse"
THE best in the world. I'VE made
another killing In the market, the
sheep have been sold TO advantage.
and she hasn't an excuse IN the
world for hanging around Vale
Verde waiting for yom to screw
your courage up to the point of pro
posing"
Don Jaime sighed. well. I'm not
exactly shackled to those sheep.
have good men 10 care for them. |
suppose there's a hotel of sorts in
Dobbs Ferry where ! can put up
while paying court to Roberta" he
announced plaintively. "She'll in
vite me to the house. of course and
you'll have to stand for 1t, because
you can never give good and suffi.
cieni reason for objectinG to me
Yon know. deep in your wicked old
heart. Uncle Bill. that I'm quite
fellow. Before ! ask Roberta to
marry me mean TO he certain she's
going TO like Texas well enough to
live in IL. want 70 know that life
will not he dull for her on Vale
Verde. | want her 70 know the
job I'm doing and why I'm doing 1t.
| want her 10 realize thar IL she
marrles me she's got TO he an asset.
not liability. Consequently, I
want her to stay another month. at
least. and learn things"
"She'd never he happy with you.
You're TOO fierce and tough. in your
friendly. humorous way. which IS
just your camouflage. You're dan.
gerous man."
Look here, Uncle Bin. has II oc-
Cured to you that an Higuenes is
stepping out of his class to mate
with an Antrim?" All the fierce
hot pride of his Spanish ancestors