The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-19

to this stairway was displaced, and a
cold air came through It, Fearing
that some danger menaced you pass
ed down the stairs until, hearing q
noise, I paused to strike a match. You
can best explain the contretempE.
Long and silently Dom Miguel gazed
upon his daughter Then he said, alb
ruptly, Leave the rooml'
She bowed colby, with q hooking
expression in her dark eyes, and with
drew.
As she passed me I noted upon her
cheeks an unwonted flush that rem
dered her strikfngiy beautiful.
Deep in thought de Pintra paced the
floor with nervous strides. Finally he
turned toward me.
What did you see?" he asked.
A ring" I answered. att lay upon
the trap, and the stone was fitted into
one Of the numerous indentations.
He passed his hand over his brow
with a gesture OF despair.
'fThen she saw It ALSO" he muir
INJURED, land my secret is secret no
/ longer"
| I remained silent, looking upon hira
! curiously, but in deep sympathy.
Suddenly he held cut his hand. Upon
1 the little finger was an emerald ring.
/ the stone appearing to be one Of no
/ exceptional value. Indeed, the trinket
was calculated to attract so little atten-
! ton that had barely noticed It before.
although I remembered that my en-
1 ployer always wore it.
This" said he, abruptly sis the key
to the vault
I nodded. The truth had flashed
upon me the moment Madam label
/ had struck the match. And now, look
I ing at it closely. I saw that the stone
| was oddly cut, although the fact was
not likely to impress one who was ig-
norant Of the purpose for which it was
made.
presently paused to say:
''If anything happens to me, my
/ friend, be sure to secure this ring
above all else. Get It to Paola, or to
/ Fonseca, or FiexOto as soon as posi-
/ ble-you know where they may be
found. Should it fall into the hands
[ of the royalists the result would be
| fatal
"But would either of your associates
be able to use the ring, even Il It
passed into their possession p I asked.
There are two hundred indsnta-
/ tons in the door Of the trap" answered
de Pintra, land the stone Of the ring
l is so cut that it fits but one Of these.
| Still if our friends have time to test
each cavity, they are sure to hnd the
right one, and then the stone OF my
/ ring acts as key. Ny real safety, as
no one would discover that my ring
/ unlocked the vault. Now that label
/ has learned the truth must guard
I the ring as I would my Mfe-more. the
"Since you suspect her loyalty, why
do you not send your daughter away %
suggested.
II prefer to keep her under my own
eye. And, strange as her actions Of
! tonight seem, I still hesitate to believe
that my own child would conspire to
ruin me-"
''The secret is not your own. SIR 7
ventured to say
True" he acknowledged, flushing
| deeply, "the secret is not my own. It
/ belongs to the Cause. And its discov-
cry would jeopardfze the revolution
itself. For this reason I shall keen
label with me, where. admitting she
has the inclination to betray us. she
will not have the power"
After this night he did not eztfn-
guish the light when we entered the
vault, evidently having decided to trust
me fully; but he took pains to secure
the trap in the study floor so that no
one could follow Us After WATCHING
him apply the key several times I be-
came confident that I could dnd the
right indentation without trouble
should the occasion ever arise for ne
to unlock the vault unaided.
Days passed by, and Madam label
remained as quiet and reserved az ~
she had indeed abandoned. any further
curiosity concerning the secret ve4I1f-
AS for my feilow-rebel, the Senhorffa
Lesba, I rode and chatted with her II,
the firm conviction that here. AZ least
was one secret connected with the rev
Olution Of which she was ignorant.
(To Be Continued Next sunday.9