The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1933-03-09
cuApTER vII-continued

poberta did not answer. she was
.binkipg of a remark that Crooked
pill had once made in her pres
onco "When children ana dogs
1--we q man a woman is usually saIe
.,,th him. She wondered now II
r,Ienn Hackett loved children ana
zoos and decided presently that ne
would love his own children, if and
wben he had them, but that ne
would not be interested in dogs or
human beings beneath him in the
social scale. IT,,
aHe Is a strange man, Mrs. Gam
hvn che said at last. 81 have never
mot his kind before. How long have
rou known him, Mrs. Candy"
"since three days after he killed
vour uncle. am trained nurse
and came down here to tend his
wounds. although he would have re-
covered without my aid, for he Is as
healthy as horse. Later he asked
me TO be his hOusekeeper. but since
he does not appear to regard me as
q servant, | imagine | am a sort of
Maid hostess. think he had hope
that you might visit the ranch some
day. and of course you would never
have been invited unless he hail a
duenna here. He is very punctili-
GUS in matters of social prOpriety.
"And RObbie?"
"When he discovered had a
little crippled son he sent his gen.
eral manager to FL I'aso to bring
the boy here. He knew I'd want him
with me. of course.
II understand. Innocence ana
helplessness. OF course his heart
went out to Robbie"
Further condolences were inter-
rupted by the return of the host.
He called something in Spanish TO
the singer and she came and hand
ed him her guitar. received the
thanks of her audience and depart
ed covered with embarrassment.
"Now, them" quoth Don jaime.
"we'll have a little old Anglo Saxon
sminstrelsy from the boss himself.
He smOte fine strings with a firm,
assured hand and in perfectly
thunderous basso begun. The Yel-
low Rose of Texas" To his great
delight Roberta joined in the song.
He cooked one lazy eye al her in
quiringly: at a half-rest in the mu-
sic he demanded:
allow Gomez"
"Uncle Bill" she replied. and he
nodded comprehension Yes. of
course Uncle Bill would know that
one. But Don Jaime played now
while Roberta sang.
The song ended and Don Jaime
looked up. ileeting CLEAN of sad
ness. of resignation in the lazy eyes.
"For moment had forgotten |
had killed your Uncle Tomr' he
murmured.
"Oh. please. Mr.. Higuenes-'
AOh. please. Jaime" he corrected.
Il had forgotten. too. Jaime"
Now that y0n have made up
your mind not TO dislike ME or the
task of trying foelike me. have a
confession to make
"I'll try to hear up under it.
A few days after ! shot it out
with yOur uncle. his man. Bill
Dingle and five others came over
here with the intention of doing me
great hndily Misunderstanding ME TO
one of the crosspieces in thai.
heavy frellis in the crane arhor
yon'ier. as a matter of fact. can
flired Dingle and his idiots and con
hned them in my private bastile
mere for thirty days. Before turn
ing them loose had my foreman
fog them ALL"
'H. Jaime ..esz
That's the sort of bad egg I am.
sen"rifa THAT'S why I was wear.
ing two guns today BY the way.
can you sing Gounod's Ave Ma
riag"
Why. yesr she answered a little
breathlessly.
I'm grand. wonderful! Let's GO
iiiSiie and practice il with n piann
accompaniment, want Won to sing
AZ mass tomorrow for nv peon,a
| VIII, OF course know You
VIII foor devils They'll love II
SO But first send vnrr kilograms
'ne once in Los Alsodones viii
soon he closing"