The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-04-14
CHAPTER IV-Continued


THAT'S his gringo alias, Mrs. Candy.
The first Higuenes to be heard of in
Spain was called James Michael Hig-
gins. But the Spaniards gave ii a
Spanish twist. With the passage of
time James Michael Higgins, the big
Mick, developed into Jaime Miguel
Higuenes. When did that happen,
Don Jaime?
when the first ]. NJ. married red
headed Spanish woman who insisted
on spelling the name as it was pro-
nOunced. My ancestor was a good
natured man; having taken on Spain
and the Spaniards, he did not object.
Anything for the sake of family peace.
So the tribe of Higuenes was born. The
family migrated to Mexico early in
the Nineteenth century, anu my great
grandfather married the daughter of
an Irishman who owned this rancho.
That brought the Celtic strain up a
little. My grandfather added to it by
marrying a girl who was half Irish,
and when he looked at his offspring
he was glad he'd done it. He noticed
the cross had increased the height,
breadth, general appearance, industry
and temper of the Higuenes tribe. We
looked much more like Black Irish
than MeXicans now, and were prob
ably, little more than half Celt. But
we had Spanish customs and a Span
fish outlook on life and Spanish was
our mother tongue. Also we had no
reason to be other than proud of our
Spanish blood, so we never mixed it
with Indian. When we moved to
Texas my grandfather fought under
the Stars and Bars. He sent my IA
Their to the Virginia Military institute
and father married a Carol of Vir-
ginia and begot me-"
You have never been married?" the
nurse asked.
Never"
Aren't you going to be?"
81 fear not. The loneliness here-the
coyote chorus on the buttes-all mill
tate against it, Mrs. Candy"
"The right girl" said Mrs. Candy,
wouldn't mind it in the least. Go
forth and search for her, Don jaime"
Impossible" the master of Vale
Verde replied lazily. II have sheep on
my hands"
"If l can credit the gossip l heard
in Los Algodones, you killed the own
er of those sheep trying to get rid of
them"
Don Jaime nodded.
well, why don't you get rid of
them, them"
1.-The foreman, Bill Dingle, is still
living and in charge of those sheep.
He's bad man and better shot than
old Antrim. Besides, If l get those
sheep off my range now, where will
they go? Why, to somebody else's
range, of course, and then there'd DE
trouble and we might lose Bill Dingle."
$50 you're putting up with those
sheep on your range merely because
this Antrim girl is her uncle's heir"
That's the proposition"
why, is she friend of yours?"
''No, I've never met her. But then
no Higuenes has ever quarreled with
q lady"
81 fail to see how you are going to
escape quarrel with her, Don Jaime.
You killed her uncle"
Don Jaime WINGED. perhaps she
will believe that had no alternative;
that, not until after / had killed him,
did know he was her uncle. In
fact, didn't know l had killed any,
body until Ken rode down the draw
and Informed me of my luck"
well. the fact that you are being
so excessively nice to her since may
mitigate the affair, although one can
never predict the attitude a woman
will take. A woman is usually guided
by her heart, not her head, Don
Jaime"
Don Jaime appraised the old nurse
with kindly interest. 81 take it, Mrs.
Candy, that you are old enough to be
guided by your head. You told me
you are widow. Have you any chill
dren?"
"One-a boy of fifteen. He has been
quite crippled since his twelfth birth
day. Infantile paralysis"
Don Jaime considered this. Sup
pose you had a comfortable home
where you could be with your boy al
ways-no necessity to hustle hither
and yon nursing people? | should
have a hostess here. For some time |
have felt that Flavio's wife Is too
well, elemental, for the Job. This
hacienda should know a gentlewom
ans management-at nurses wages
There are always some puppies around
here, and the boy could play with
them. He could raise rabbits and
pigeons, 1 dare say, and If he can sit
a horse I'll stake him to pretty little
Sonora pony and Mexican youth to
look after him. / suppose you could
carry on with his schooling-you know.
1t does get lonesome here sometimes
"Oh, Don Jaime! You mean It'll"
He nodded. I'D like to be able to
invite nice people to visit me, Mrs.
Candy. / should like to have my
friends from the surrounding country
come to dinner oftener, but I'm never
satisfied with the appearance of my
board, the menu or the service. / have
no time to train maids and house
BECT