The Washington herald., 1912-01-30
CHAPTER Xxx.

Clenched his fists, and snarled defiance.
NO, Nefer'" he rOared. stepping for
ward and glaring at the little leader.
''Dake dem ofer my dead body-n you
cam"
Gomez EstcraI smiled compassionately.
Il do not wish TO be roo strenuous, d"
said he Still l think We can obtain
the letters without having to commit
any massacres."
The Close-ranked horsemen opened up
a lane and Ramon Solano leaning on
the shoulder of a small, stocky, red-head-
ed boy. limped up to the little chieftain.
Brockett, with a whoOp Of delight, fell
upon the Cuban, who hugged him de-
liEhtedly for a brief instant, and then
turned smiling to Gomez Esteral.
why not let Baron ZOllern keep his
papers," spoke Solano. The real letters,
SenOr Esteral. are here"
Gomez Esteral took the battered old
ball gingerly. as II suspecting a bomb
plot or a practical joke. Brockett, sens
ing the comedy of the scene, laughed
unrestrainedly for a moment. and then,
taking the ball from the puzzled leader,
ripped open the seams. The yarn was
torn away, the papers came in view, and
Brockett, still laughing. handed the
Crumpled missives TO Gomez EsteraL
''Madre de Dois"' cried Juan Torrejon.
but that was cunning work! The craft
of fox! The generalship Of Napoleon
But what. young friend. would you have
done il you had not possessed this baIl?''
Both boys Joined in a peal OF merri-
ment. That. Senior Captain" Brockett
answered, would have been the least OF
our troubles. We would have borrowed
a new ball from YOU
TOrrejon smote his thigh with open
palm. 'Carramba.' he shouted, "and I
would have given it, beyond a doubt!
Then I would have been ten times more
the monkey and what you Gringoes call
the goat Gomez EsteraL 1 am your
prisoner. Do with me what you WILL
do not care. After beholding a good Joke
such as this, can meet any fate, well
satisfied"
Gomez Esterai spoke gravely, thought
fully. There is much here to perpIex
and bewilder me. I will retire and rea-
son out the full meaning Of these letters.
Rest YOU here, senores, all of YOU. I will
return in perhaps an hour" And the
little men. attended by two or three of
his horsemen, disappeared amid the
Chsparral.
Baron Zollern drew the worthless en-
velopes from his pocket, tore them open
and stared at the blank sheets they had
contained Then, with a gesture of utter
disgust and sardonic contempt. he Of
fered them to Mr.. Yazimoto. The Japa-
nese struck them from the Germans
hand, sank down upon the sod, and
sObbed like little child. Baron ZolIern
drew himself up proudly, calamity.
For me" he spoke, I'D iss all ofer.
may not go back to Berlin now. Young
chentIemen, I gongrachulade you. You
haf outvitted me from start 10 finch,
und you haf dricked me at de Iasd. VII
YOU shake hands NIT me?"
Rrockett and SolanO stood with barred
heads as they clasped the barons hand.
A great soul had broken before them, and
patriot had come to the bitter ending
OF his dreams. They clasped the Ger
mans hands-and all was silence save the
sobbing of the little japanese, unnerved
and overwhelmed
I'd vos not a fair contest" the baron
said, patting the boys on the shoulder.
''Dere vas you two-und againsd YOU
twenty spies und skilled hunters Of men.
Sometimes, Herr Yazimoto und / worked
tOgeder. Sometimes We worked abart
Nit all de resources at our command, We
kebt ubOn de drail-two men can hardly
WOOL twenty. We did all We could-und
Vet you beat us. beat us at efery blace,
und in efery city. At lasd, here in Mex
leo, beliefcd We had you-und you gate
us de checkmate at de lasd turn OF de
road! Boys, again I congratulate you.
You viii be great some day., Baron
Zollern, crushed und beaten, say II
uowI''
He didn't count de numbers right, |
dere," piped up the small red-headed |
youngster who had escorted Ramon So |
lanO 10 the scene. "Where'd de hull Nc |
Kane. I'd like to know?"
What I'd like to know" queried |
Brockett. lis how you happened to get |
down here. anyway? Who turned 4you
lOose?"
Turned loose nottin'." answered Mike
McKane. Didn't I tell youse guys I |
was goin' on dis trip? Well. 1 made |
good. Lissen tub me. be: Youse two |
left a track so wide yuh coulda driven /
an ortermobile over II. When youse left |
Washin'to 1 was right in de neighbor- |
hood. If youse wanter know, you'd a |
hadda heap o. trouble gettin' clear from /
dat street fight wit de bulls but for |
me. pointed 'em up an alley. an dey |
went up it like a lottR boobs. After dat, |
1t was plumb easy fer me TO keep in |
touch wit youse. One or two times,
youse did a double act, like a guy tryin' |
to t'row de shadows OF when his wife /
has hired de Pinks ter watch i'm, but /
1 kinda fggered out Just where you'd /
likely light-an' I didn't miss out once.
Did dem letters have youse a-guessin' ?" I
Well rather" cried Brockett. whats 1
the explanation"
Explanations dead soft" grinned the
messenger boy. ''Yuh see, old Chief /
wilkins an Gen. Cole has always
thought I had de goods in me for a
Sherlock Holmes. So when youse was
all framed up fer de trip dey calls me !