The Freedom Call. (Freedom, Okla.), Vol. 10, No. 25, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 30, 1933 Page: 2 of 8
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TnE FREEDOM CALL FREEDOM OKLAHOMA
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Copyright by Peter B TCyni
BEGINNING THE STORY FOR NEW READERS
Roberta Antrim beautiful Eastern society girl who lives with her uncle William B Latham known as "Crooked
Du' because of his amusing slyness receives a telegram from Jaime Miguel Higuenes owner of the Rancho Valle
Verde in Texas informing het her Uncle Tom Antrim has died a violent death At the advice of Glenn Hackett who
Is in love with her Roberta plans to go to Texas to protect her Interests since she Is her uncle's sole heir to thou-
sands of sheep which Antrim had impudently driven to graze on land controlled by Don Jaime Don Jaime unrnar
ried and romantic half Spanish and half Irish is attracted to Roberta's picture in a magazine Antrim is warned to
take his sheep off Don Jaime's ranch at once Antrim ambushes Don Jaime The young ranch owner is wounded and
Tom Antrim killed On his body are found Instructions to notify Miss Roberta Antrim in the event of his death An-
other Higuenes' telegram tells Roberta her uncle was kil led by Jim Higgins (Don Jaime's anglicized name) Latham
tells her his fortune is in danger and she decides to go to Texas to get Antrim's estate to save it Don Jaime invites
Mrs Ganby his nurse and her crippled son Robbie to stay at his ranch with the idea of preserving the proprieties if
Roberta as he hopes visits the ranch "Crooked Bill" lets tile niece believe be has lost his fortune furthering a
scheme he hopes 'will forward Hackett's courtship Hackett despite misgivings "plays up" to Uncle Bill's scheme
for influencing Roberta in his favor Don Jaime actuated chiefly by his romantle interest in the pictured Roberta
allows the Antrim sheep to continue to graze on his ranch
CHAPTER V—Continued
—7—
"1 know you're not dear Uncle Bid
tou're a perfectly good old sport I
have just had a long telegram from
my lawyer in Los Algodones Texas
Ile informs me that the affairs of
Uncle Tom's estate are in excellent
shape and that he died leaving even
more sheep than was at first suspect-
ed There are about ten thousand
Jambs that will soon be ready for mar-
ket and which should bring ten dollars
a head and there are upwards of a
hundred thousand pounds of excellent
wool worth thirty cents a pound—
Why it would seem that Uncle Toms
estate will run close to half a million
dollars We should worry and grow
wrinkles and gray hair darling"
The butler announced dinner—and
between the fish and the roast as per
agreement Glenn Hackett com-
menced to question Crooked Bill ad-
roitly as to the exact nature of his
operations in the market Roberta
noted a grim little smile playing across
Hackett's Puritanical face from time
to time so presently with her cus-
tomary impulsiveness she asked him
to share the joke with them
"It's on your Uncle Bill" he replied
"It is my duty to inform yeu Bobby
that your Uncle Bill is an antedilu-
vian Idiot who can't see the woods for
the trees If he could he'd see a path
out of this mess he's In—a path as
wide as the boardwalk at Atlantic
City Let us eat drink and be merry
for tomorrow Uncle Bill will no longer
be a financial corpse He will have
commenced his resurrection"
"How are you going to save Uncle
Bill?" Roberta demanded
&Ili" AAttiPL La clULM‘LatrUte
Hackett proceeded to outline to her
- patiently and in words of one syllable
his plan for the salvation of Crooked
Dill
"I understand perfectly Glenn" Ro-
berta said when at last he finished
"You're a wonderful wonderful
friend"
"The plan is vetoed" Crooked Bill
declared virtuously "Friendship will
bear up under anything except the
Indorsement of notes or the swift
heavy touch"
"But Uncle Bill—"
Uncle Bill raised his leonine head
and his cold steel-gray eyes flickered
murderous lights at her "There will
be no further discassion of this tin-
pleasant subject" he Informed her
coldly
When Crooked Bill looked and spoke
In that t(Ine of voice Roberta knew
from experience that obedience was in-
cumbent upon her Her eyes filled
with tears in a tremulous voice she
begged to be excused and withdrew
Crooked Bilrs wild eyebrows went
Up as the girl left the room "She's
as big a crook as I am" he declared
proudly "She isn't at all distressed
She's just pulling the old stuff—not
on me this time but on you my boy She
expects you to follow her out and com-
fort her Do not disappoint her For-
ward!" "Are you quite certain she wouldn't
prefer to be left alone Mr Latham?
She's all upset"
"Listen to me son I know my
onions The girl's play-acting Yam-
ose I"
Glenn Hackett "vamosed" Within
five minutes he returned with Roberta
on his arm
"Hum r Crooked Bill reflected
"And she spent at least a minute
making up her face! Four minutes to
put over her loving plot against me
The little crook!" He beamed upon
her "I'm so sorry I spoke crossly to
Thy little 'girl" be announced with
hypocritical unction
Bobby kissed him fondly and gave
him a little hug
Crooked Bill was not one to gum
tp his own finely laid plans and
presently with a full realization of
the truth of the old adage that three
Is a crowd he withdrew to his room
leaving Glenn Hackett to make what
progress he could with the rebellions
Roberta
But Crooked Bill did not retire He
smoked until ten o'clock at which
hour he knew Glenn Hackett a crea-
ture of habit would depart for the
city So Crooked Bill went down the
back stairs crossed the lawn and
waited for Ilackett at the entrance to
Hilicrest "Did it work?" he de-
manded "Overtime" Hackett responded
-"Was she nice to you after I left?"
"Well—er—ah—Platonic"
"Aggh !" Crooked Bill growled deep
in his throat like an aged tiger "Go
home you jellyfish You'd be a bach-
elor in the South Sea islands—and on
an island where they practice polyan-
dry!" Thoroughly disgusted he returned
to the house He had a presentiment
that Fate was in a manner-of speak-
ing stacking the cards against him
Next morning Crooked Bill caught
an early train to the city explaining
that the sooner he swept up the frag-
ments of his scattered fortunes the
better for All concerned
Roberta motored In a little later
and went at once to Glenn Hackett's
office where he prepared and she
signed a formal assignment of all of
her right title and interest In and
to her Uncle Tom's estate to Hackett
for and- in consideration of certain
moneys to be advanced to her by
Hackett -
"Now then Roberta" Hackett said
when the document was signed "you
understand that this Is a business deal
from first to last Not a speck of
sentiment in it so far as I am con-
cerned While you have given me
security for the funds I am to ad-
vance it may be that I will be called
upon to advance a sum in excess of
the total value of your Uncle Tom's
estate Consequently It Is of the ut-
most importance that the estate should
be administered wisely and conserved
I have looked up your lawyer at Los
Algodones- Don Prudencio Alviso
and he appears to have an excellent
record for probity but is a poor-business
man If I—"
"Ile assures me Don Jaime Miguel
Higuenes is most reliable and is doing
all that anybody can do to conserve
the estate" Roberta hastened to As-
sure Hackett - -
"I know But the thought occurs
to me: Why is Don Jaime Miguel
Higuenes taking all this trouble?
What do you mean to him? Ile is a
cattleman so why should he bother
with your sheep? My dear Bobby I
am highly suspicious of that fellow"
Bobby's lip drooped She had not
thought of Don Jaime in that light be-
fore and her common sense warned
her that there might be more than a
modicum of truth In ITackett's sus-
picions Ile saw the doubt be had
planted burgeoning and hastened to
aid its growth
"As I told you before it is impos-
sible for me to go to Texas to look
after your affairs Bobby Your un-
fortunate uncle dare not leave New
York at this time either His cred-
itors might think he was endeavoring
to flee the country Consequently I
think it is of the utmost importance
that you go to Los Algodones imme-
diately and Investigate everything
thoroughly" '
"But Glenn I don't know a thing
about business and I'm afraid it's too
big an order"
"I disagree with you You have a
feminine intuition of the highest de-
gree of development If you go there
get acquainted with your lawyer and
Don Jaime and' after a few weeks
discover that you have absolutely no
mental reservations regarding either
or both I shall think it quite safe to
leave your affairs in their hands for
the present' at least"
This adroit speech flattered Roberta
since It was corroborating a belief she
had always entertained L e that she
could look through Men as if they
were glass Her respect for Hackett's
Intelligence and ability increased at
once "I'll go to Los Algodones Just
as soon as I can get ready" she de-
clared "That's fine Roberta" He escorted
her to the elevator and upon return)
ing to his office pressed a buzzer three
times Whereupon his secretary ush-
ered in to him from an adjoining town
no less a person than Crooked Bill
"Well have you sold her the idea
that she should go to Los Aigodones?"
he demanded of the lawyer
"I have She promised me she
would go as soon as she could get
ready"
Crooked Bill rübbed his hands pleas-
urably Hackett handed him the as-
signment which Roberta had just
given 'him and Crooked Bill set fire to
It and dropped it into Hackett's metal
waste basket
"Have you confidence in this Jaime
Higuenes Mr Latham?" Hackett
queried
"How do I know? He's a perfe'et
stranger to me However his father
and grandfather were both muy cabal-
lero to the nth degree and never cared
enough about money to get it by
crooked or unfair means And I'm a
great believer in heredity I have a
strong suspicion that Don Jaime is
equipped with a-complete set of Hi-
' bernian inner works and I have never
known a highly courageous man who
was a weak man The crooks of this
world are recruited from the weak
lings my boy However why should
I worry about a smear of sheep? I
don't care two hoots in a hollow if
they all starve to death I'm solely
Interested in promoting for Roberta a
Journey to Los Algodones in order
that she may see the other side of
the picture Don Jaime is unmarried
(I've discovered that) and if he fails
to fall in love with Roberta he's lit for
treason stratagems and spoils If she
doesn't quarrel with him about that
they're bound to fill out over business
because no man ever managed a wom-
an's business affairs without discover-
ing in the long run that he had per-
formed a thoroughly thankless task"
"I wish I didn't have to mix in her
affairs I dislike deception—even In-
nocent deception Mr Latham"
"You ungrateful pup! Why I've
placed Bobby under a tremendous ob-
ligation to you and made it possible
for you two to share a delightful
secret in common—all of which is
equivalent to scattering six inches of
tanbark on the hard macadamized
road of true love By pretending to
lose my fortune I drive off about 80
per cent of your competitors and shoo
Bobby out of her set in which she
might find other competitors for you
As a promoter I think I'm just about
the bee's knees myself"
"But you're giving Don Jaime a free
'
"And why not? He's short and fat
weighing about two hundred pounds
If he isn't the scientists are al14tong
about heredity"
"I have known' tall graceful and
extremely charming Irishmen Mr
Latham I"
"But the Spanish blood predom-
inates in Higuenes- At least it did in
his father They were originally As-
turianos and Asturianos are all medium-sized
and stocky But to return
to Don Jaime In all probability he
takes a bath after the fall round-up
and has never seen a bathtub except
In a hoteL He will have a luxuriant
Niagara falls type of black mustache
and use perfume He will talk with
a strong Spanish accent and four-
fifths of his life is undoubtedly spent
In his shirt-sleeves He's just a
husky Border cowman I tell you Do
you see Bobby falling for a man like
that?"
"No-o-or
"You're a suspicious Yankee Glenn
Your motto is: 'Trust everybody but
cut the cards' Well I must
be toddling along I think I'll take
on a line of United Drugs I've had a
tip that they've been quietly absorb-
ing about twenty-five hundred chain
drug stores Meanwhile you keep
picking on Roberta to get her out of
town and in order to soothe your
New England conscience I'm going to
spread about a hundred thousand
margining a line of United Drugs for
you If the deal shows a profit by the
time you marry Roberta it will be
CHAPTER VI
yours If it shows a loss—send me
a reasonable bill for professional
services"
"As a pinch-hitter for Cupid I think
you're a total ruin" Glenn Hackett de-
clared "How come?" -
"I'm satisfied that Roberta isn't In
love with me"
"So am I But I'm also satisfied
that she thinks a thousand per cent
more of you than of any man living
and if you remain indifferent to her—
even let her see you out with another
girl occasionally—you'll have to marry
her in self-defense" Ile shook his
stick at Hackett "Remember your
battle-cry is 'On to Texas!'"
—
Roberta shopped for two weeks
spent another two weeks on a house-
boat party among the Thousand
Islands and departed for Los Algo-
dones
"Where shall I address you Bobby?"
Crooked Bill queried "At the Man-
sion house in Los Algodonesr
"No dear Address me in care of
Don Jaime Miguel Higuenes"
"What?" Ctooked Bill started as if
bee stung "You going to pot up at
the-Higuenes hacienda? Why—why
the man's a bachelor"
"flow do you know?"
"I'v6 been making iquirles about
him" -
"Well his housekeeper a Mrs' Gan-
by has written me inviting me to be
his guest Don Jaime was ill at the
time and couldn't write me personally
but he did write at the bottom of
Mrs Ganby's letter 'Official: J M IL'
Mrs Canby says they have a lovely
place and that I'll be much more com-
fortable at the Rancho Valle Verde
than at any hotel in that countg"
- 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 frequent-
ly and tell me all about it 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 depos-
ited on a lonely sun-warped platform
at the little flag station of Valle
Verde
"So this" said Roberta looking
around ger after the train had re-
sumed its journey "is Texas Good
gracious Mignon what is that noise?"
"It sounds like a zoo at feeding
time" said Mignon apprehensively
and looked behind her "Oh it's cat-
tle" she added relieved -
A quarter of a mile out on the
plain in a compact mass a huge herd
of white-faced cattle were milling
slowly and bellowing continuously
"Why there must be thousands of
them!" Roberta gasped and was grate-
ful that the station platform which
was at least five feet off the ground
appeared to offer reasonable sanctuary
from attack
From around the corner of the sta-
tion a man appeared hat in hand
"Miss Antrim?" he queried
"Yes indeed" said Roberta grate-
fully and waited for him to name
himself
"I'm Bill Dingle your Uncle Tom's
general manager I got your letter
tellin me you'd arrive today and in
structin' me to meet you at the
Higuenes rancho tomorrow"
"Yes" Roberta murmured wonder-
ing if she ought to introduce Mignon
to Mr Dingle who was eyeing the
maid as a fresh cow In a pasture eyes
a dog
"So I thought I'd meet you here
miss and explain to you how come
It won't be possible for me to meet
you there" Mr Dingle went on his
embarrassment increasing at every
word "It's about twenty mile straight
east from here to your Uncle Tom's
ranch which is your ranch now I
reckon and I figgered maybe it'd be
better for all hands if you put up
there instead of at the Iliguenes
rancho I reckon you and this other
lady'd be as safe and comfortable
there as anywhere"
"That is very kind of you Mr Din-
gle" Roberta hesitated then in her
usual frank manner plunged "Why
is it Impossible for you to meet me
at the Iliguenes rancho Mr Dingle?"
Mr Dingle scuffed a foot along the
station platform and his embarrass-
ment increased visibly "Well ma'am
in this country when a teller's enemy
warns him not to set foot on his ranch
again until he's sent for unless he
wants to be made a colander nut of
it's reasonable to flgger the warnin's
meant"
"Who warned your
Don Jaime Iliguenes" - -
"Indeed Why I bad no Idea Don
Jaime Higuenes was such ' a blood-
thirsty man I Is the trouble between
you something that cannot be recti-
fied? I should be happy to act as
peacemaker Mr Dingle"
Bill Dingle remembering his of-
fenses was honest enough to declare
that the trouble could not be recti ed
and added something about the ea4est
way out of trouble being to go aro cl
It Then he was silent for cAilit a
while meanwhile scuffing his toe and
gazing a bit helplessly around the hori-
zon Finally he said "I 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 The sheriff of this
county wrote that Uncle Tom made
the mistake of taking in too much ter-
ritory which is a fatal error and tan-
tamount to suicide It seems he am-
bushed Jim Higgins and shot him
three times Then Higgins got under
cover and stalked Uncle Tom and
killed him I am informed that he
didn't know the identity of his assail-
ant until be saw the body"
'That's the story but it ain't true
This killer ordered your Uncle Tom
to quit grazin' his sheep on the free
range or he'd kill him A warnin's a
warnin' in this country an' if a feller
don't choose to obey it he's justified
is arguin' the matter in the smoke the
firsttime him an' the warnin' person
meet up Ypur uncle didn't see no
valid reason why he should have his
liberty restricted by a private citizen
He considered his life in danger so
when they met up on the range it was
a case of who could get into action
quickest It was a case of an old
man agin a young matt an' the young
man won as usual But your Uncle
Tom never tried to kill nobody He
just naturally defended his own life
an' failed to do a good job An' of
course a sheepman ain't in good
standin' in a cattle country Personal-
ly Pm only a hired man but I got my'
private opinions an' I'm here to say
it just naturally don't look right for-
you to be the guest of—"
Mr Dingle raised his glance from ril
the station platform and gazed across
toward the approaching herd of cattle
He appeared alert poised for flight
whatever had been in his mind to say Ailt
remained unsaid and be was pro-
roundly interested in a horseman who
was galloping around the flank of the
herd evidently with the Intention of
passing on In front of it
"l reckon I'll be moseyin' along
ma'am" said Mr Dingle "We can
discuss our business when you come
to the Antrim ranch"
The horseman had cleared the herd
and was coining on at an easy gallop
behind him a boy on a small pinto
pony labored to keepup v
"There's the man that killed your
Uncle Tom" Mr Dingle almost hissed
"I reckon I don't care to meet that
hombre until I can choose the time
and place myself" And without stand-
ing upon the order of his going Mr
Dingle went—in a flying leap off the
station platform He lit running and
continued on to a disreputable old -
automobile in an incredibly short
space of time he was on his way'
home
The horseman observing Mr Dim
gie's departure spurredhis mount tit
a furious gallop apparently it was his
intention to Intercept the latter as be
fled down the dusty roa4 that ran
parallel with the tracks -
"He's going to shoot" Mignon
screamed "Oh the brute r
Six pistol shots rang out and Ro-
berta saw little puffs of dust leap up
beside Dingle's right rear tire A
pause of about two seconds—then six
more shots and six more puffs of dust
beside the same tire Then the hqrse-
man pulled up turned and jogged
quietly up to the station He dis-
mounted a little stiffly dropped the
reins over his horse's head 'and 'ad-
vanced limping to the station plat-
form upon which he climbed laborious-
ly and disappeared into the station
"This is exactly like the movies"
Mignon quavered "It's wonderful
So thrilling! Oh I'm so glad you
brought me with you Miss Roberta!'
"When that man emerges you'll ex-
perience some more thrills" Roberta
warned her maid "I'm going to tell
him some things about himself he has
not in all probability been told be- -
fore"
-gr t
"Do be careful Miss Roberta He's
so desperate—"
"I'll reduce him to pulp Pm not
afraid of his guns I intend to protect
my foreman That is the duty of art
employer We can testify to his effortl--
to kill Mr Dingle I shall have him
arrested and tried for attempt to com-
mit murder The bloodthirsty wretch !"
The station door swung open and
Don Jaime Higuenes limped out stood
as erect as his damaged underpinning
would permit bowed from the hips
and all but swept the station platform
with his sombrero Then he straight-
ened and said: "Mees—I mean Miss
Antrim—I am devastated to think—"
(To us CONTINCIZD) '
r
-
-
QilfiflilD
k
- -- - By Peter B Elyne
Copyright ti Peter B lCyn& :
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Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Hinton, Ruth. The Freedom Call. (Freedom, Okla.), Vol. 10, No. 25, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 30, 1933, newspaper, March 30, 1933; Freedom, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc2107807/m1/2/: accessed July 5, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.