Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1902-02-20

O.et.on. with taat. readiness charac.
terisuc OF the enterprising American,
at once made duplicate copy of the
same.
Then they talked over the wonderful
matter in a most serious way, arrang.
Ing their plans even down to the most
minute details.
The crisis was coming none too soon.
JACK concluded, for unless something
happened to get him out of the country
there must presently be an explosion.
lie had feared it of late, for Dona
Juanita was beaming love upon him
every time they met, and from more
than one quarter he found black looks
bent upon him by the jealousminded
young gallants of San Juan.
Many a conqueror of kingdoms has
met his fate finally through the yenge.
iul hand OF woman whose love he
has treated lightly.
Overton cursed the hour when he
nrst saw this dark-eyed houri Turing
her two rivals to meet in deadly com.
pat so that the public ball might wind
up In Its usual blaze of glory.
Here then came old Barrajo. lust in
the nick OF time. it seemed, with a
grand project which, If successful.
would open up an avenue of escape.
thus Overton was doubly anxious to
make start, having so much at stake.
Inc general declared two DAYS would
be quite sufficient to make all his prep. |
arations, for he believed in being ade. !
quately armed and equipped for any
emergency.
IL was a moonlight night when they
set out, and as usual San Jose was
given up to music and merry making
Our two fortune hunters waited un.
III near the noon of night, when the
not time in the old town had in a
measure subsidized, and then, suitably
disguised so as to conceal their exaIt.
ed personality from curious eyes, quit.
ted the capital, where the electric
hghts still glowed and announced the
presence of modern institutions.
When the two men left San Jose and
plunged into the interior they did not
KNOW their movements had been close.
" watched, and that immediate pur
suit was given, yet such was the case.
Evidently others there were who sus.
'ected BARRACKS wonderful plans for
ortunes faYors and meant to take a
'id In the same quarter. Perhaps IL
would grow interesting before the end
vas reached, especially since the two I,
ldVenturers carried plenty of arms !
ma were grimly resolved to fight for 5
ne prize II 1t came to that point. '
BarraJo soon left the main trail. and {
hey were now traversing what had S
nee been a path through the primeval '
crest but was so overgrown with
winging vines that the keen machete
the general was kept swinging most :,
the time in order to hack out a 7
assage n
which would naturally make it an a
asy matter for those who followed to IL
eep upon their trail.
Our two adventures Travelled all Is
ay' and at sunset camped for very e. e
ecessary rest and refreshment. After y, ~
nasty meal, only carrying their arms Il,
nd a pick and shovel between them.
be used in emergencies, they ad.
anced in the direction BarraJo mad
arked out ID
HIS reasoning was sound.
If Jack doubted it at first, he was L.
'esently convinced that the general w
Id built wisely
"Madre de Dios! Look, Senior jack" w
ddenly exclaimed the dictator start.
6 back, and pointing to some object
yond.
The white moonlight sifted through ST..
e tangled masses of tropical verdure we
owe. and at that particular moment an
II full upon what appeared to be &C
imam form, bent partly over in a de- ga,
tional attitude, and facing the rising hel
bon. LIZ
Jack was startled at first but. see c
no motion to the figure, which was ~
rtly covered by the wild under. > .
owth, he realized that it was a rude t oul
tue, carved to represent a survivor. ers
Iper and placed there hundreds of : 90
ars ago by those who fed from the Che
anish reign of terror to the north. mn mn
They approached closer, and mar. Yves
ed to find this image apparently of AT
yer. con
Ito Be Continued) e