The Nome nugget., 1934-09-15

distinguished guest.
 The first affair, 6 formal dinner, was scheduled for the Tuesday evening following the Sunday of MigueTs arrival. Of course, the Gus Williams were invited and displayed as much de- light and interest in the handsome young Mexican as any one else.
 The dinner was~a gay affair, and when, following the dessert, the gathering adjourned to the library for coffee, every one was in . gay and congenial mood. i
 It was summer, but a chill wind blew outside the house and rain lashed against the windows.
 Lacey ignited the fire in the library's open grate, and the. guests found 1t cozy and comfortable sit ting there slipping their coffee.
 It suddenly occurred to some one that here was an ideal and proper setting for the telling of one of Lacey's stories.
 At first Lacey. surreptitiously glancing at Cousin Gus, was in- clined to refuse. but when Miguel joined the urging. he laughingly condescended to oblige.
 Lacey's story on this night nat urally concerned one of the number less adventures which he had expe- rienced with the guest of honor.
 And before the tale was scarcely launched, Miguel's face began to glow with pleasure and deep in- terest.
 You could tell by the expression in his eyes that he was delighted with Lacey's selection, and was fol- lowing every incident of the adven- ture quite as much as If he were telling 1t himself. X The story concerned an incident in which he and Miguel had barely escaped with whole hides after out witting . half dozen desperadoes during . raid on a remote ranch house In the fastnesses of the Sonora hills.
 The two young adventurers had taken 1t upon themselves to lend a helping hand to the rancher and his family.
 Lacey reached the point in his story in which Miguel had success fully and single-handedly put to earth a pair of the blood-thirsty bandits, when Gus Williams inter rupted with, T don't believe 1t"
 Lacey stopped talking.
 A fiutter of laughter went around the circle of listeners.
 Miguels black eyes left the face of the speaker and darted across the room to where sat Gus in . comfortable armchair.
 Gus grinned and nodded affably.
 Lacey gulped, cleared his throat and picked up the thread of his nar- rative. Some of the enthusiasm had left his voice. but he did . creditable job of explaining how, after Miguel had successfully dis posed of his two assailants, he turned and raced across the court yard, arriving at the ranch house door just in time to fell a third des- perado as that worthy was about to blow Lacey's brains out with . carbine.
 At this juncture in the story Lacey paused for breath, and in the dead silence of that brief interval, Gus Williams said: T don't believe it."
 The dead silence was prolonged.
 And this time the futter of laugh ter was only whisper. Muguels eyes once, more sought out the man in the comfortable armchair.
 And this time the eyes were smoldering with an emotion that seethed and boiled inside the mans breast.
 Lacey foresaw what was about to happen and tried to prevent 1t.
 But he moved too late.
 Miguel leaped out of his chair, crossed the room in two quick strides and before any one knew ex- actly what was taking place had slapped Gus singing blow across the mouth.
 
 After that he stood back, folded his arms, regarded Gus with utter contempt and scorn in his eyes, and said:
 "So? Ze Senor no believe, chi We'll, my frien'. let me tell you eet ees ze truth. Eet cannot be said that Miguel de Gomez ees ze cow ard. demand satisfaction, my frien'."
 At the conclusion of this lit- tie speech there was great, long, drawn-out sigh. Lacey glanced around the circle of faces, saw the expressions written thereon and suddenly realized that every one present had derived . certain sat isfaction from seeing Gus get slapped across the mouth, for say ing T don't believe it." Which, it. self, was . great relief to Lacey,