The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-03-08

"a ~ - II uleu away dlInSsl IIliie-
What is your nance" came from
the feeble voice in tone of restored
| calmness.
My name is Wallace Meade" Green
| replied. Were / to adopt the custom
OF my father and change my name
| with my place of stopping, l would
/ say that my name is Morton. / am
the son of the man who is known in
I these parts as Senior Norton
/ The members Of the band had not
! understood any of the words Of the
/ conversation save the name which
> Wallace had twice repeated. A muir
muir Of establishment went I'D from
{ them II caused the young prisoner 10
] glance from the face of their chief
I 10 those OF the nearest Of them.
| He saw that they were bending Gu
| rious eyes upon the face of the old
| man. He him.cU looked back into the
, wrinkIed countelance
/ On the forced march i'm company with
| his captoTs, Wallace had decided To de-
/ clare his relation ship with the wealthy
miner at the first opportunity. lie had
! done so for variety of reasons.
| In the first place. he more than half
suspected that these men We're in his
| MS fathers employ. Even II that Were
not the case. the words of the pOSa-
| dero at Durango had convinced him
that Sen7r Morton was man OF promi-
ence and weight In the surrounding dis
tict.
he had also learned that his father
frequently visited Durango. To do so
passes. There was a presumption that
Morton was not mOlested on these
trips
And, if he vas not molested, the
fact indicated tHat ne had sufficient
hold upon the bandits 10 amount TO
immunity from their attacks That
| immunity VI uld be extended To a men,
her Of his family. unless he himself had
m f|FhH amin D.
Ceiying tine warning telegram from Nor
IiSbUrE-
Ia this latter case, he would have or
deyed the young man brought into his
presence before giving permission or
command that Wallace should be put
TO death.
But. whatever reasons he may have
thought out before arriving in the cave.
q new one had flashed into his mind at
hearing the English spoken by the Old
chief. lie believed that the bandit lead
er was no other than Senior Morton
himself
The gasp Of surprise which had gone
mp from the company on his announce
ment Of the name Of Morton strength
ened this belief. But his STUDY Of the
aSe-Worn face gave him no clue TO what
thoughts might be passing In the Old
mans brain
That his words had caused some con-
motion within the ancient breast was
evident from the chiefs silence after
tuem. II was several seconds before
the faint voice spoke.
We shall see IN the morning. am
very tired IL said fcebly.
Then turning 10 the robbers, the old
leader spoke a few words ina the Jar
Son they seemed 20 understand I'm
mediately two OF them came forward
and cut the cords which bound Wal
/ lace's hands and removed the rope from
his waist
The prisoner was led to a little hol-
I Ion g
or TIE men pointed 20 the level floor
( at the spot. Indicating that Wallace
was expected 20 lie there
But another came forward bearing
several cushions which he proceeded 10
arrange into sort Of a bed, covering
the whole with a blanket
Wallace thought that he would have
preferred the bare ground to the pos
I Slble vermiu contained IN the pillows
and blanket. But, the moment his head
/ touched this last. he felt that II was
clean, and ne knew that the cushions
were filed with fresh pine needles
Plenty Of cool. fresh air came TO him
! from the mouth OF the cave. He could
| see that one OF the men had been de
| tailed To watch him. while the rest re-
! tired 70 the rear Soon ne slept az
dreamlessIy as me could have done on
! his bed At home after a game Of ball
and a bath.
Il seemed that he had slept but A
moment when he was aroused 0y two
Of the bandits who were shaking him
gently By signs they made him un-
derStand that ne was To 20 with them
Five more stood In readiness TO de
part IN his company. They lighted
torches as they stood IN the entrance
TO the cave whence. looking up. Wal
lace saw that the stars were vet shin
ing.
Cautiously they helped him around
the difficult passages until they came
to the wide ledge. Then, two by two,
they marched Up the steep path 10 the
crest or the precipicc.
At the top were horses and two more
men awaiting the coming Of his guards
They signed TO him 90 mount one OF
the animals.
Then they rode away with him. He
noted only that. whereas the return
road would have let them 10 turn 70
the right at the top OF the ridge their
behind him. he saw the dim stars of
the Southern cross. and knew that he
was being taken farther UP the valley
from Durango.
His theory % the identity or the old
man with HIS father seemed in danger
of going To pieces He believed now
that no U&s being taken 10 the home
or Senior Morton.
They rode for two or three hours.
until the sun was well up in the sky
Their road had turned from the cliff
and descended for several furIorEs.
when they came 10 a rough palisade |
OF heavy poles
Riding along this some distance they 1
reached gate. Two armed men stood I
guard there. The members Of the rob 1
her band held a short colloquv with I
these guards.
Then one Of them brought Wallace
I