Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-15
CHATTER XXI-Continued.

with Landguard. in command. an apex.
| the prisoners with their guards inside.
but separated.
| They had scarcely covered short mile
when. looking backwards. they saw the
pursuit stream past that angle of the
| forest which had hidden them Land
| guard lay down behind an ant heap and
| trained his Ze.ss glasses on the mob OF
| horsemen.
| Il thought at first that they were
comm after U.S. he said to Fiji. but
they've turned along the slope The fire
| has crept as FAIRS the road already-it
will soon burn out. Well dig along again.
Miss Florian I'm hankerin' to get back
| to papa
| He gr.nned most genially. and Eff for
all her fatigue could not but laugh both
with and at him.
| Another half hour of laborious prog
ress brought them very near their OBJ
| jective. and there a disconcertlng Incl
dent occurred.
| An elderly gentleman. pink faced and
white of whisker. jumped from behind a
boulder as they skir,ed it, leveling at
them the rife he had hold of.
Fiji suppressed with difficulty the cry
upon her lips as her attendant cavalier
stopped short and looked most quiZzically
dI tfllS strange enemy.
Now. Pops" he said. in a reproving
voice. this amt the time of year for
shootin' son-in-laws! Better be careful
or you'll end up by BLOWN a bullet into
somebody.
This is my father-in-law, Mr. Corbyn.
Miss FlOrian.
The stranger bowed and blushed. MY
eyes are failing me- he said. I've been
on the lookout for you for the last hour.
Where are the others? What news is
there. Dick?
Great news. Pops. We've got the two
ladies safe, and we've bagged Ybarra,
and
Where's Phil?" demanded the older
man. unable to restrain his gnaw.ng
anxiety. ~ IT,
His lordship halted. and at blast
from his silver whistle a dozen heads
popped up in the neighborhood, all look
ing in his direction.
Where's Phil?" said he. and pointed to
two Of the nearest. That looks pretty
like Phil Corbyn. doesn't 1t. Pops?'
He grinned delightedly again at Fiji as
his father-in-law hurried off at a great
pace.
Poor old Pops!" said he. and they
went on together the others following.
Corbyn stopped in establishment at sight
of the elderly gentleman bearing down
on him with outstretched hand. He had
thought that his sister and Landguard
had been alone on their yacht. that his
father was at his Office iii San Franc SEQ.
and the surprise that his brother-in-law
had planned for him almost took his
breath away.
Dad" he said jerkily
Phil cried his father. and they
clasped hands. There were no more words
needed to effect full and complete recon-
ciliation. Neither was given to unn"ces-
sary speech. Each knew the other too
well to ask any further assurance that
the feud which had sundered them for so
long was dead and buried. forgiven. for
gotten on both sides. Corbyn was over
joyed that 1t should be So the older man
dumbly thankful that 1t was not yet too
late to retrieve the grievous mistakes of
he past. He had dealt very harshly with
his only son. He must find some means
to make that up to him now.
He turned to Beatr.z, on Corbyn's arm.
and she flushed rosily. Was ever maiden
fated to meet critical inspection in less
fit garb. What would he think Of her.
Could she have known 1t. he was think
ing that. had he been in Pills place. he
could not have done differently. And
wishing that the boys dead mother could
but have set eyes on the two of them as
| they stood there before him-one fair and
sweet beyond all telling. with downcast
eyes. which yet. when they had first met
his. had told him everything that he de-
sired to know: the other tanned and
haggard after the hardships he had I'M
QpTSOHe LOT HeT sake, Dut very straight
and upright. looking him squarely in the
face he would the whole world son
whom any father might have been proud
of.
Dad said that dutiful young man.
one arm protectingly about the shrink
ing girl. Dad. this is Beatriz.
His tone told all there was to tell. and
Mr.. Corbyn chuekied delightedy to think
of the good news he had brought them
both. But that would keep. and mean
no OH
the shy glance of gratitude she gave him
ere they went on again together In haste
to rejoin the others completed her con-
quest. From that time forward he next
to his bold son was her stanchest ally.
| She had perforce to avail herself of the
| arm each offered her. and it was thus
| that they came into camp, greatly to the
satisfaction of Fiji and Landguard. who
had both been somewhat anxious as to
the outcome of their encounter.
Dick cried the old gentleman. with
vast contentment as they drew near. I'm
indebted to you. my boy, for daughter
as we'll as son.
Il thought you would be, Pops said
! his son-in-law sapiently. and changed
| the conversation without delay.
| you've fixed US up famous fort here, =
| he observed, as they all passed round
the base of rough hillock only to be
assembled from behind.
1T should be possible to hold it against
great Odds said Mr.. Corbyn modestly.
He had been left there on the pretext
that he must hold the base for them
| while the main body made it's wild dash
| into the forest. and Landguard had sug-
gested that he should occupy the height
they were now ascending. Six men. two
mules and machine gun formed his gar
rison. and with that force he had eff
fected great things. Loose stones had
been banked up to afford cover. sites
sorted for the gun. shelter built for the
mules. The place was not, of course.
| impregmable. but. fortified thus, would
not be taken easily.
| Hope we shan't have to test the
theory Landguard replied. laughingly.
so far We haven't had to fire shot.
and the less gunnn' we get mixed UP i'll
the better for me when 1 have to get on
tell 'em how 1t happened that l came to
be invading a friendly country with an
| armed force at my back. 1t might be a
| hangin' matter for me. Pops"
| At which misstatement his father-in-law
merely smiled. He knew that Richard.
! Lord Laadguard, was given to speaking
! fguratively, and at that moment the rest
of the fighting force marched in. their
prisoners with them.
| A council of war was held soon as
| I.andguard had seen the men settled and
| dispositions had been made for the de-
| Tense Of their stronghold In case of at
tack. Corbyn repeated what he had al
| ready told each in part about the plight
| of his comrades at the hacienda. and 1t
| was settled that they must stake what
| they had so far won on the rescue of the
survivors at the Golden Horseshoe. hold
| ing Ybarra hostage for the girls safety.
| 1t was no moment for half measures.
/ Time pressed and come what might they
| could not desert Meggs and his men.