The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Desert Fiddler, by William H. Hamby

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

Title: The Desert Fiddler

Author: William H. Hamby

Release Date: July 3, 2008 [EBook #25960]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DESERT FIDDLER ***

Produced by Al Haines

[Frontispiece: Charles Ray as Bob Rogeen,
and Barbara Bedford as Imogene Chandler.]

THE DESERT FIDDLER

BY

WILLIAM H. HAMBY

PHOTOPLAY TITLE

PERCY

ILLUSTRATED WITH SCENES
FROM THE PHOTOPLAY
A THOS. H. INCE PRODUCTION
RELEASED BY PATHE PICTURES

NEW YORK

GROSSET & DUNLAP

PUBLISHERS

COPYRIGHT, 1919, BY

CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY

COPYRIGHT, 1921, BY

DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES

AT

THE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS, GARDEN CITY, N. Y.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Charles Ray as Bob Rogeen, and
Barbara Bedford as Imogene Chandler . . . _Frontispiece_

Jenkins and Lolita awed by Percy's fiddling.

Lolita tries her wiles on Percy.

Reedy Jenkins makes a proposition to Imogene.

A mutual discovery--they both cared.

Holy Joe shanghaies Imogene's ranchmen and discovers
Percy--a willing ally.

"Make it plain to the Chandler girl that this is her
last chance to sell before I ruin her crop."

"Shut off the water? Why all the cotton in the valley
will be withered in a day."

THE DESERT FIDDLER

CHAPTER I

Bob Rogeen slept in the east wing of the squat adobe house. About
midnight there was a vigorous and persistent shaking of the screen door.

"Yes?" he called, sleepily.

"They have just telephoned in from the Red Butte Ranch"--it was Dayton,
his employer, at the door--"the engine on that tractor has balked.
They want a man out there by daylight to fix it."

Bob put up his arms and stretched, and replied yawningly:

"Well, I guess I'm the fixer."

"I guess you are," agreed the implement dealer. "You know the way,
don't you? Better ride the gray; and don't forget to take your gun."
The boss crossed the _patio_ to his own wing of the house.

The young fellow sat up and kicked along u