The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-06-02
CHAPTER X-Continued

He liked this young mans gay frank
ness and humOr although ii disturbed
him. Here Che reflected) was exactly
the sort of male biped to appeal to his
niece.
Il hear Antrim's niece, who is his
heir. is a guest at your ranch, Mr..
Higuenes," he said cautiously. SIS she
anything like her uncle?"
"Tom Antrim was her misfortune.
not her fault. Miss Antrim is. without
doubt, the most delightful. fascinating.
provoking, adroit, belligerent, sports
man-like and honest young lady 1t has
ever been my fortune to meet"
you're in love with her." Crooked
Bill charged. 1t was his habit to at
tack without warning, for h. knew the
value of surprise and grasping the
initiative
Don Jaime shrugged. "What else
would one expect?"
well, do you stand a Chinaman's
chances" ...
"Alas, moi | killed her uncle"
"Yet she's your guest"
Clis SAC AColLHCu L NJ OIhCl al
tentative. However, under the cir
cumstances / have thought it the part
of wisdom to remain the good friend.
/ am afraid of that young woman. |
fear she would not be an ideal wife
for Higuenes."
you're an ass, young man." Crooked
Bill cried sharply, all of his love and
loyalty to his niece instantly out
ragged. eff she's all that you have just
told me she is, she's prize and you're
a lobster hot to go in and win her,"
Il have some PRIDE" Don Jaime
murmured sadly. 81 could not risk a
refusal. 1t would kill me. Moreover,
there is another man-some fellow in
New York" He sat down to permit
the juleps to chill.
"Ohl" Crooked Bill was relieved
He wa discovering things, and dis
coveries were not unpleasant
$50 you're going to buy the Antrim
sheep?" Don Jaime resumed.
'I've bought them-subject to the
approval of tn. heir and the probate
court"
"I'm very much afraid neither one
will approve, Mr.. Blodgett. Unfor-
tunately, want those sheep. They've
been feeding for two months on grass
that's rightfully mine and they've done
so much damage to my range might
as well keep them there and make
a profit out of them-for Miss An
trim. She tells me her uncle. who was
very rich, has gone broke in the mar
ket, and she's hooked the sheep and
the ranch to help him out"
'By George, she is a sport, isn't
she?"
eff permit you to buy those sheep
where do you intend to Craze them?"
Don't intend to Craze them. I'm
going to cell them Immediately"
"Locally?"
Perhaps"
''That makes 1t a little binding. I
wouldn't like TO see you sell those sheep
locally. While | can stand them on
my range, for Miss Antrim's sake, my
forbearance would cease If they be-
longed to anybody else and continued
to trespass on my range"
SIS it your ranger"
mo, it's state land, but control the
water. SO | fear I'll have to outbid
you on those sheep, Mr.. Blodgett."
"Pve got my heart set on them, son,
and when that happens l usually get
what | go after"
Don Jaime concluded it was time to
strike. "You went after my dad once
and you didn't get him. He got you
lin the heel-you cunning old four
fiusher. And I'm here to tell you that
the old greaser spirit isn't frozen in
the veins of Patricio's son, Mr.. Will
liam B. Latham!"
"H-Ps fret" Crooked Bill appeared
about to collapse in his chair.
81 haven't figured out what you're
up to, Mr.. Crooked Bill, but it's de-
vious, and Mr.. Glenn Hackett is help
ing you out. You're framing some
thing on me, and think you merely
want TO get those sheep out of the
way so your niece can be ordered
home, leaving little Jaime Miguel Hig-
uenes bereft. Not so, Bolivia. Those
Eheep stay and Roberta stays. Your
niece is an outrageous coquette, If you
must know it-and l bet you do-so
it's my job to bust that young woman
and marry her and I'd like to see the
photograph of the antediluvian uncle
that can throw cold chisel into my
cogs and get away with it."
Crooked Bill thought swiftly of all
the things he would have to explain
If Roberta ever learned what he had
been up to, and his thoughts saddened
him. Can you fix 1t with the Judge
to disapprove the sale?"
Certainly. I'll offer ten cents a
head more for those sheep than you
have. can't spare that amount of
ready cash to put into sheep just now.
so you'll loan me the money. secured
by chattel mortgage on the sheep"
But Crooked Bill had been crowded
far enough. .rll see you in hi first"
Where do you expect TO land your
self If Bobby hears what you've been
up to? Uncle Bill, Jim Higgins is
talking to you now"
"Don't you call me Uncle Bill. On
you, you're fmpertinent."
'How you do violate the rules of
hospitality! Well, please answer my
question"
You've got me foul. Don Pruden-
clio Alviso evidently didn't receive any
instructions from you regarding those
sheep. so the deals gone through"
Don Jaime sighed. Il wanted 1t to
20 through-until discovered the
identity of the buyer. But ! wasn't