El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-07-01
The Finger of Death
A short Story.

a SRI mas 10 take many risks and
~ if he is caught at the game dur
ing war time. his career as a
rule is then and there closed promptly,
and in most cases IN ignomInious
fashion.
IL was the money aspect Of the bust
ness which appealed to Morris Tyler,
and induced him to engage in the work.
lie was born spy. A good linguist.
and cunning beyond belief He was
never one to essay a dangerous task
Tor the sheer excitement of it. He did
not. like taking risks, though, Of
course. he had to take them occas-
iOnally. but always at these iunctures
he kept in mind the big pay-and ex-
tras- 1t needed these to tune him I'D
to concert pitch.
He was always cautious-and sue
CessfuL Having found il advisable to
quit Europe for a time. ne made his
way to the South American republic OF
Caldera, which at the date Of his ar
IlFaL was Just In the thrOes Of one
Of its periodical revolutions.
He offered his services to the gov
eminent party at a rate of pay some
what In excess Of what he had been
TSeiG elylg in Europe, and president
stance, having heard Of him, and find
ing that he could speak Spanish flu
emily. engaged him at once
But in CaIdera Norris Tyler had to
work under new and unfamiliar con-
oluOns. Hitherto, his spying had been
carried on during times Of peace There
had been no war in Europe since he
mad come to the front Now he found
himself in the thick Of fighting Of
very savage character When the in
surgents took any prisoners. they gave
lnem the option of changing sides or
being shot But when the government
troops captured any rebels. they did
rot permit them any choice. They
were placed in row with their backs
against wall and promptly finished
or by firing party.
nH nv HrnH W~rnrsr H.-
the chief Of the intelligence depart
ment to whom he usually made his
reports.
Some more work for YOU. senior Ty- ]
Ter, observed the colonel cheerfuIlv- Z
and II may be the last service we
Sndll require you to perform. for the
reEolutlon must end soon. Still. much A.,
VIII depend on the Information You
are able to obtain for US"
MOTIFS Tyler nodded, and waited for 4
his chief to go on.
The rebels are massed in some force /
on the MIL OF San StefanO,' pursued the .
colonel where IL seems they are 20
ing TO make a last desperate stand /
1hey mold the old fort up there That
lIuch We know But We do not know 4
the number Of their guns nor how 4
Lney are placed. It is important that l
We nave this Information before we \
storm their position. and we look TO 1
YOU obtain ii for US"
By a curious freak Of fate. there ar
LlFeo at the headquarters Of the Cal .
deran army p hours later q deserter
rom the rebel ranks who was able to 7.
Col NOruba required.
Ihereupon, an order was given for 1
an immediate advance This movement I
taking place 50 much sooner than was
expected, would very likely put Nor
RS Tyler in an EXTREMITY tight corner.
But the life Of one man was of small 4
moment when so much was at stake.
and a SPY Vel, no one bothered much \
2 hon Haar
In the meantime, Tyler had cOntrived :
70 get 20 the top Of the hill of san
SleIano without being observed by the
enemy S OutpOSts or SentrieS He was,
indeed. well within the circles Of out
posts. when he reached an abandoned
Dullolng, which at one time had been
the boiler house Of a sugar plantation
1t seemed safe hiding place from the
security Of which ne could observe
what was going on in the rebels camp
without himself being seen. He crept Z
inside and laid fiat down upOn the
floor About half q mile away he could
see the camp fires glowing in the I
darkness, and nearer still the squat
shape Of the fort showing black against
the night sky.
The night wore on. He was tired I
but ne dared not sleep If he could
only snatch few minutes-just to
rest his eyes
He awo5e with a start. and was
about TO spring to his feet when a ]
harsh voice commanded him to remain
still At the other side Of the chamber
he saw an armed man-One of the
ebel4s.--standing with his rifle at the
sol A spyr' exclaimed the man.
'BuenOl It viii be promotion for me
for having discovered YOU Don't
move. The rifle was raised threat
eningly- IF YOU so much as move a
hand or a foot, I viii put a bullet
through your brain. Yet 7 do not
wish to waste ammunition. A rope Is
good enough for such as YOU
lie spat on the floor to typify his
contempt for all spies. Then he called
TO the nearest sentry, telling him Of
his find" and asking him to brine a
rope. But tho words had barely left
his lips when there was a terrific
crash overhead. a binding flash OF
flame, the splitting of wood, and the
rattle of falling masonry.
A - pound shell from a field gun
had struck the building and reduced
II to a ruin Tt was the first eN~- r-t
by the government artiller- I'm their at
tack on the hill of san Stefano- The
rebels were taken by surprise. became
panic stricken and instead of shaping
up to defend the position, began a has
ty retreat
Luck with me. after ALL he muir
INJURED II am not hurt, and this beam
Is not too heavy for me to lift. I can
raise IL up and crawl
He paused with a sort OF gasp, for
his eyes. rowing round the place had
rested on q cleaning rifle barrel. 1t
was pointed straight at his head and
there was a mans fOrefinger resting
on the trigger. The man was the rebel
who had surprised him He was lying
on his face amidst the WreCkage and
there was blood streaming from a ter
rible wound at the side of his head. a
splinter of the bursting shell had
killed him.
The spy gave a sigh of relief For
n moment he had thought that the
man was alive, and was taking aim at
him. But his relief was of short dura-
ton He did not like that rifle point
ing so steadily at him. even though il I
was only held in a dead mans hand; Z
nd 10 artH