The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-04-21

want Roberta to go to Texas to look
after that estate. She has a jolt COM
ing to her when she gets there, and
I'm the little boy that knows it. Twen-
ty-five years ago l was in the cattle
business myself, In Las Cruces coun.
ty, Texas / owned the Rancho Yer
dugo and sold out to chap named
Bill Hobart. l know this Higuenes
family. | don't know Don Jaime
Miguel Higuenes, but / did know his
father, and a grand piece of work he
was. Spanish with broad streak Of
Irish or Irish with a broad streak of
Spanish, forget which. remember
the old man had an infant son named
Jaime, so this chap who killed Tom
Antrim must be that boy"
"Higuenes says man named Jim
Higgins killed Antrim. Roberta told
me over the telephone"
Jaime is Spanish for James, read
lily corrupted to Jimmy, AM Higuenes
is Spanish for Higgins. Don Jaime
went over to Antrim's camp to order
him and mis- sheep off the Higuenes
range. Antrim, the skunk, figured on
numbering the boy without risk to
himself. Fortunately third man was
present at that conference just before
the killing-a ranger named Kenneth
Hobart-son of old Bill Hobart to
whom sold the Rancho Verdugo.
Higuenes borrowed the rangers rifle
unknown to Antrim-and although
Antrim shot Higuenes three times,
eventually Higuenes got out of range
Then he stalked Antrim and killed
him. have had report on the mat
ter from the coroner at Los Ago
dones."
"Very interesting, Mr.. Latham"
"Best news I've had in fifty years,
Glenn. But what challenges my in
terest Is this. Antrim Is dead,
Higuenes lives and Is not seriously
injured, yet Antrim's sheep, with the
tacit consent of Higuenes, continue to
trespass. Meanwhile Higuenes Is do
ing all he can to protect Roberta,
whom he has never met-and all at
considerable loss and inconvenience
to himself, because those sheep are
running his range. Sheep foul range
up, and cattle will not Craze where a
sheep has grazed. Also, sheep de-
stroys the range Eats the grass down
to the roots and then some. Now,
why is Higuenes doing this?"
Search me, sir"
10 Ill
Roberta will discover it, of course
Well, | want Roberta to go down
there all bet up with the mental pic
ture she has painted of this romantic
Higuenes She'll find brand of man
she never met before All | hope is
impetuosity, because If he does he'll
be put in his place. Roberta win not
be rushed by. any man. All the men
she'll meet there will be so different
she'll be disillusioned. She'll begin to
appreciate man who bathes and
shaves daily, who dresses in good
taste, who knows something besides
cattle and sheep and local politics,
who lives in regular house and
moves in cultured society. She'll see
the other side of the picture-and it
will be good for her immortal soul"
"There may be great deal In what
you say, Mr.. Latham, and perhaps
your cute financial plans win work
out exactly as you expect. but I'm here
to tell you they will not, and for one
verv notent reason I'm not so blamed
certain that | want Roberta"
Crooked Bill stared at the young
man In undisguised horror and amaze
ment.
ppm afraid of her." Hackett re-
sumed in his slow. methodieal way.
shes too blamed modern and I'm too
J old-fashioned I'll not change and she