The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-01-14

| seeing Annettes plight, "quick-re-
storatives-succor for this young girl
Hernandez took advantage of the
confusion-though he himself was con
fused beyond all peradventure, Lis.
ten," he said to Inez, leave her with
the Brute-go at once. I'll do the
rest"
Unnoticed, Inez and the Brute
obeyed. They left the room, hurried
across the courtyard and disappeared.
Hernandez watched them go. His
coolness returned. Swiftly, with one
bound, he was upon Brother Anselmo
and had seized the iron box in his iron
grasp.
In an instant he was across the
room.
But Brother Anselmo had done
something more than pray and sleep
in his quiet existence. He was an ac-
tive, well trained individual. With
loud cry he leaped across the inter
vening space, and bounded upon the
shoulders of Hernandez.
Help, help, brothers." he command
ed.
There was help aplenty. Hernandez
fought like a mailman but the broth
ers clung to him like leeches. Slowly,
however, he worked his way toward
the nearest exit-and then with a
mighty wrench, he threw off all his as.
sailants including Brother Anselmo,
and darted, with a mighty leap out
through the doorway.
He bounded into the arms of Neal
Hardin and his squad.
Neal saw at a glance what had hap
pened. He seized Hernandez wrist
the wrist of the hand and arm that
held the iron box, and twisted it sud
denly, painfully. Hernandez dropped
the box-but jerked away from Neal
sprang to a window and disappeared
Behind him he heard the steady
plup-plup of many footsteps - the
steady lope of marines that eats up
the long miles in less time than it
takes to tell it.
Damn them" said Hernandez, TN
beat them to it yet
Behind him the footsteps stopped.
There was a report-a ping. Herman.
dez had reached the edge of the green
oasis. He screamed with pain. 1t
was as though a red hot iron had
scared him. He had been hit in the
arm.
Damn you," he screamed in pain,
'Ill beat you to it, yet
With almost unseeing eyes he tore
across the small green space-and
then he stumbled, and slid, slid, slid
into what seemed bottomless pit.
He just escaped a stake-a bloody |
one. And he fell-or rather slumped- |
upon something soft and yielding
With another oath he rose to his feet |
and peered about him. Then he drew |
back in terror
There lay Ponto-his mate-dead
Hernandez screamed in terror-he |
was only human. This thing was hor-
rible A shadow startled him He
ooked upward. The Brute was peering
lown-he was doing more--he slowly
slid down into the pit and caught Her.
landez in his grasp. Then, somehow.
Using his broad shoulders and his (
arms and knees he worked his way
back again to terra firma, and drew
ernandez-groaning with the pain OF
lis wound-up after him. Then with
he nimbleness Of deer, the Brute
after singing Hernandez upon his
oack-trOtted off into the safety of the
beyond.
Back at the monastery, Annette IL
ngton opened her eyes and looked In
% the face of Brother Anselmo.
81 am Annette Ilington," she ex-
81 am the heiress of the
lost Isle Of Cinnabar"
Brother Anselmo turned to Ensign
Neal Hardin.
Does she speak truth?" he queried.
"She does" said Neal, "and my gov
will back her to the limit.
She is what she says she is. We all
will vouch for that"
"Ah," mused Brother Anselmo.
what a wonderful thing is prayer
What wonderful thing is sleep"
He stopped Il have prayed" he
vent on. slowly, puzzled, but not yet
AVE | solved the mystery of the eyes
# that big man--the eyes"
He stopped again. For the eyes Of
Annette Ilington were riveted upon
i'm.