The Coolidge examiner., 1933-01-20
CHAPTER vi

Oh HouseDodt party among the
Thousand Islands, and departed for
Los Algodones.
Where shall / address you.
BobbyI" Crooked Bill queried. AT
the Mansion house, in Los Algo-
dones?'
mo, dear. Address me in care of
Don Jaime Miguel Higuenes.
"What?' Crooked Bill started as
if bee stung. "You going to put up
at the Higuenes hacienda? Why
why, the mans bachelor"
How do you know?'
I've been making inquiries about
him"
well, his housekeeper, a Mrs.
Candy, has written me, inviting me
TO be his guest. Don Jaime was i'll
at the time and couldn't write me
personally, but he did write, at the
bottom of Mrs. Ganby's letter. Off
cial: ]. NJ. H. Mrs. Ganby says
they have a lovely place and that
4 Al bC hihNI AiAbit NOlilipl dA
the Rancho Vale Verde than at any
hotel in the country"
Crooked Bill was assailed by the
feeling that, in some inexplicable
way, his well-laid plans were
doomed to go aft agley. you'll
write me frequently and tell me all
about 1t, won't you, honey?"
Roberta promised and kissed him
| good-by.
Five days later she and Mignon.
her maid, with three huge trunks
and five pieces of hand baggage,
were deposited on a lonely, sun
warped platform at the little flag
station of Vale Verde.
A quarter of a mile out on the
plain, In compact mass, huge
herd of white-faced cattle were
milling slowly and believing con-
tinuously.
'Why, there must be thousands
Of them!" Roberta gasped. and
was grateful that the station plat
form, which was at least five feet
off the ground, appeared to offer
reasonable sanctuary from attack.
From around the corner of the
station a man appeared, hat In
hand. Miss Antrim?" he querled.
"Yes, indeed" said Roberta
gratefully, and waited for him to
name himself.
I'm Bill Dlngle, your Uncle
Toms general manager. | got your
letter tellin' me you'd arrive today
and instructin' me to meet you at
the Higuenes rancho tomorrow"
Yes" Roberta murmured. won
dering II she ought to introduce
Mignon to Mr.. Dingle. who was
cycling the maid as a fresh COW In
pasture eyes a dog.
$50 l thought I'd meet you here,
miss, and explain TO you how come
II won't be possible for me to meet
You there" Mr.. Dingle went on.
his embarrassment increasing at
every word. Its about twenty
mile straight east from here TO
your Uncle Toms ranch. which is
your ranch now, / reckon, and
figgered maybe it'd be better for
all hands If you put up there In
, stead of at the Higuenes rancho.
reckon you and this other lady'd
be as safe and comfortable there
as anywhere"
THAT is very kind of you, Mr..
Dingle." Roberta hesitated, then.
in her usual frank manner, plunged.
why is it impossible for you to
meet me at the Higuenes rancho.
Mr.. DingleF'
Mr.. Dingle scuffed a foot along
the station platform and his embar-
rassment increased visibly. "Well.
ma'am, In this country, when a fell
ler's enemy warns him not to set
foot on his ranch again until he's
sent for, unless he wants to be made
colander out of, it's reasonable
to figger the warnin's meant"
"Who warned you?"
don Jaime Higuenes."
Indeed. Why, l had no idea Don
Jaime Higuenes was such a blood
thirsty man! Is the trouble be-
tween you something that cannot
be rectified? | should be happy to
act as peacemaker. Mr.. Dingle."
Bill Dingle, remembering his of
/ fenses, was honest enough to de-
clare that the trouble could not be
rectified and added something about
the easiest way out of trouble be-
Ing to go around It. Then he was
silent for quite while. meanwhile
scuffing his toe and gazing a bit
helplessly around the horizon.
Finally he said: 81 reckon you
didn't think as much of your Uncle
Tom as he used to let on you did.
Don't you feel no resentment agin
the man that murdered him?"
Not the slightest. From all that
we can learn, officially. Uncle Tom
was not murdered. 1t seems he am
bushed Jim Higgins and shot him
three times. Then Higgins got un-
der cover and stalked Uncle Tom
and killed him. 7 am informed that