The Detroit times., 1915-11-30

repeated SOFTLY bowling them out,
"adios"
And adios IL was
CHAPTER L.
Hidden Peril.
Look" said Hernandez. catching
Inez by the wrist, the party has
arrived
tie handed his binoculars 10 lnez
Castro. She looked. They are just
landing" she said. sit is all up.
rhey will go to the father OF the
mission and will make their claim"
They were seated en- an emf
nence two miles back in the desert
behind hillock OF sand, over which
they peered
What difference does the grant
max, 4" she exclaimed. "why take
,he risk OF getting il? Already that
old priest suspects something.
What | do not know. But he sus-
poets. Why not take the bit in our
teeth Ind make FOR Lost Island
get there at once? Why not?"
hernandez shook his head, "We
necd~eyery advantage" he said. IF
We have evidence within our hands.
she Will hPve none. without the
grant--without all the evidence, we
will not be believed. With II we
viii be taken a, our face value Let
us Get all We can Let US leave her
without proof-she will be helpless
then"
Hernandez kicked Ponto with his
foot Ponto sat up rubbing his
eyes
Porto" said Hernandez. the
party has arrived
"They will go 10 the mission and
spoil II all" said Ponto.
mo. returned Hernandez, thank
our lucky stars tho mission is
good two miles ont OF the village
They will first put mp al hotel
later they will start out for the
mission II is then. on the way
there. we must intercept them
you must Ponto You and tho
Brute. This time he will do his
duty or III fay his hide. Wake
him up. You have no time to
lose"
hernandez vas quite right An
nette llington, even more eager
than had been her enemies. could
hardly wait the moment when She
might stand before the fathers OF
the Santa Maria mission and claim
her own-and do even more. make
inquiry about her father.
Ponto woke the Brute with "A
vicious application of the whip
lash, and the Brute rose, heavy with
sleep. and stretched his mighty
limbs.
Spare him not. Ponto." said Her.
nandez ~ he disobeys this time.
cui his hide into strips give YOU
leave"
Trust me for that, cried Ponto.
his eyes cleaning wickedly, come
on YOU beast
AZ half run Pon.o and the
Brute started across the desert,
lodging here AMI there behind little
hillocks OF sand. Finally the vii.
lagc VAS cut of from their sight
Now vc can run" Ponto cried,
make haste"
No sooner had he apCken than his
foot slirped-he sank irto the
ground up IN his waist.
Help" he cried, "a quicksand-
help"
The Brute pulled him back to
'erra frma. But II was not a
qucksand. as POnto soor found cut.
II was a trap--a trap for jaguars
and mountain lions.
Forto shivercd. Then he replaced
the dried brush and grass and
earth.
Nimbly he climbed into one oi
the overhanging trees. Then he
slid down nodding to himself with
satisfaction
"Shc must pass within a hundred
Yards OF this place 10 reach the mis-.
eion he exclaimed. "Beast, We wait
here until she comes"
He drew ont his revolver and saw
that II was loadel He banded
thick stick 10 the Brute. Then he
beat the Brute viciously across the
head
"You do as say--or I'll have
your blood" he cried
Down in the village. AZ the little
old<hotel. Annette ordered ont two
horses.
II can't wait" she told her foster
nother, Mrs. Hardin. There's no
use talking 10 me. I've got to go.
Come on. Joe"
Put Joe couldn't come on. lie
tried to. But his 5teed had mind
OF his own. Three times he threw
Joe of. and the last time with n
heavy jolt that gave Joe a good eX
cuse To keep our Of danger.
Not on your life" said Joe. limp
ing toward the hotel bar, You can
so II alone"
u prefer to-" laughed Annette.
Meals mother tried TO dissnade
hor-and called out the proprietor
OF the little old hotel
Annette nodded to him. safe.
isn't u?" she asked
He nodded or a surety, in the
a t.