"KING" HIGGINS

Wairarapa Daily Times, 7 September 1937, Page 7

"KING" HIGGINS

BY CAPT. FRANK SHAW,

CHAPTER XVI (Concluded). Apart from occasional sporadic outbursts down in the city’s purlieus, the attempted revolution was over; and already the forces of law and order were active in clearing up the mess when Dick Higgins started to cross the Plaza Grande on his way to breakfast at the Casa Falleiro. As usual Dick stopped to contemplate the statue of the Admiral. “There’s another chapter been written in the Higgins Saga overnight, Timothy,” he said. “I must put it down.” To him there came small Miguel Puentes, pallid, but incorrigible; he balanced a bundle of laundry on his head. “Excellency,” he said, “there has been another revolution.” “You don’t say so,” laughed Dickie. The rain had stopped though the clouds still hung low. He felt exhilarated even through his natural tiredness. “I slept throughout the trouble,” said Miguel, as innocent of first causes as it was possible to be. “But, Excellency, there will be another fiesta, and > >

“Your health is uoav good?” askec Dickie gravely. “It would be a pit] if you should miss another fiesta.” H< fished out a dirty note, but it Avas oJ a magnitude to open Miguel’s eyes tc their Avidest. “Ah! I will buy a bigger crackei than eA r er,” ho exulted. “That othei one Avas not so bad; but —Avell, go with God, Excellency!” He suddenly set down his bundle and turned an astonishing cart-Avheel; then, gravely resuming his load, padded aAA r ay. No one would ever knoAV just how this urchin had altered Hiyatala’s destiny. Dickie proceeded to the Casa Falleiro. Don Enrico Avas in the patio: heavy eyed and apt to be liverish; but genuinely glad to see the Consul. “Yes, yes, there Avere discomforts, one admits,” he stated, referring to his adventures inland. “But all’s Avell that ends well, your Excellency. I am told Dolores oavcs her life to.you.” “Not quite that. But I’d like her to OAve her happiness to me, one fine day. Is she better? It Avill interest you to knoAV that the earthquake has re-

A-enled a neAv vein of gold —the mines Avill pay a better dividend than ever.” “Dios, the aplomb of the English! It is Avhispered by a bird that el Consul Inglese had a finger in this pie. We must go up and see the President at the earliest opportunity. But it is a pity that the Avould-be Dictator has escaped arrest; he Avould have decorated a flagstaff very handsomely. The President has issued orders that be must be found and brought to account. No one took him really seriously, I think —no one in office, that is. Do you knoAV anything?” “Well, I’d rather tell AA’hat I knoAV to the family as a Avhole, especially Dolores,” said Dickie. “Good. She shall be present,” said Don Enrico, Avith a snap of his jaAVs. “Feminist or no feminist; she lias done sufficient mischief. When you marry tier, Richard, knock this emancipation nonsense out of the chit.”

"The Higginses have always been on the side of freedom/’ Dickie laughed. ‘ ‘ Tliat’s why I hated the thought of a Dictator in liiyatala. ” Dolores, limp and pale, sat down to breakfast at eleven o’clock. Deports were that the Police and National Guard, once more loyal to the accepted order, were making good strides with the clearing-up of the city. "It is not as if a revolution were as rare as all ' that,’’ said Don Enrico oracularly. "And the casualties have been very small, considering—fewer than if this Lafallette had become Dictator and declared war on the-world.’’ "If Ferdinando had been here, there would have been a different story,’’ said Dolores, rather fiercely for one in disgrace. "But he failed —he failed!’’ said her father, wiping his mouth in the Spanish fashion. "He seems to have run away at the critical moment.’’ "He did not run away!” exclaim d Dolores. "No; not exactly,” admitted Dickie, looking somewhat shamefaced. "Not that he was the tin god he set up to be; he was just another filibuster, out for his own hand, with Ilackett capi-tal-behind him. I made a few inquiries here and there, and all the evidence goes to show that he intended to annex this country and give concessions right and left to the Ilackett gang.”

"In which case liiyatala would have been set back 50 years,” said Don Enrico solemnly. "But what happened to this estimable Dictator?”

"Well, as a matter of fact, lie’s out on the high seas at the present moment,” explained King Higgins. "He’s actually aboard the Tarragona, bound for Eastern ports; and he’ll be away a long, long time.” "Aboard the Tarragona?” exclaimed Dolores, half-rising from her chair.

"He was shanghaied,” said Dickie gravely. "For the good of his soul. Captain Barker, of the Tarragona, agreed with me that it was best for everyone concerned. But I had a wireless message this morning to say that he is in good health. Barker sent a few men ashore to Lafallette’s headquarters and picked him up without any

fuss. ’ ’ "You did this!” flamed Dolores. "To the man I love!”

"It seemed the best thing to do, considering everything,” returned King Higgins. "No use leaving dynamite lying around loose in a place you happen to lie fond of. I hoped that it would prevent any chance of an outbreak; but it seems I was wrong.” "You may steal him, but you will never make me forget to love him,”

COPYRIGHT. PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

ROMANCE MOVES TO MUSIC. CAREER OF MARRIAGE. Sheila Huntley might liaA r e tossed a coin to decide Avhether she would marry HoAvard Ashley. Of course, she didn’t decide by that method, but the choice Avas so evenly balanced that she could not make up her mind. Howard Ashley had no rival, at least not in human form. His competitor for Sheila’s favour Avas music. She Avas so deeply in love Avith music that she Avas prepared to put a musical career before every other consideration. Sheila Avas a born musician. But there Avas not much satisfaction playing to herself. She Avanted to give the Avorld the benefit of her gift; but the Avorld was isloav to recognise her genius. Thus, one afternoon she sat down to decide betAveen HoAvard and her career. There could not be both.

The decision was just taken when the telephone rings. She is asked if she can deputise for a leading violinist in a broadcast performance that evening. Such is the incident with which opens Mr Arthur Hardy’s fine story "My Lady Melody” which is to be the "Daily Times” new .serial. The story begin to-morrow, and readers who wish to savour to the full the delights of this romantic story with a musical setting should make sure of beginning with the very first chapter.

said Dolores. “Well, maybe not. But this Avircless - I got to-day might help CA-en in that.” 3 He dreAV the flimsy note from his 1 pocket and handed it over. 3 “Ferdinando —Don Ferdinando has i implored to be landed at St. Augusta to i —to—rejoin his AA'ife!” flamed Do--3 lores. 1 “Well, one of his Avh r es, anyliOAV. . Though I didn’t even knoAV he Avas married, except that he struck me as the . sort of man avlio AA’ould be —pretty ex- . tensively. ’ ’ ’ “He vowed I was the only woman . he had ever loved!” said a suddenly . tearful Dolores. Then her expression hardened. i “Is this true?” she challenged Dickie, avlio shrugged almost as expressly as a true-born Hiyatalan. ; “Captain Barker wasn’t prompted by me,” he said. Suddenly Don Enrico cast doAvn his napkin and laughed uproariously. “What need has this country of a Dictator Avhen it already has a King?” he roared. “King Higgins—Hiyatala’s greatest man.” “No, its humblest,” corrected Dickie. A cool, refreshing breeze began to blow through the aAvninged patio. “Ah, there’s the 'Doctor’ started again,” said Dickie. “Are you too tired to go for a ride, Dolores; it might be better than sitting idle?” She fought Avith emotion for a moment, then odded. “But I have a quarrel with you,” ishe explained. “A good beginning for married life,” laughed Dickie. “I just want to draft out a report to my Chief at home; and then I’ll have the ponies round in no time.” He said to Sebastian, in his OAvn office: “Take this doAvn: 'There has been another sporadic outbreak of revolutionary fever, but the situation is uoav well in hand; and it is my opinion that prospects for British trade Avere never better than uoav.’ Got that, Sebastian ? ” “Si, Senor!” hissed Sebastian softly. To himself he added: “Ahvays mad, these English; but it is a superb madness.” “And iioav for the ponies,” said Dickie. He looked out at old Timothy ’s statue. j “Wish me luck, old boy,” lie said. (The End.) I