The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-24


their officers prisoners and then ex.
change them for Mr.. Kynaston!"
Wilkes patted her shoulder.
"And they tell me that woman amt
fit to vote" he said scathingly. Don't
take his note, Upton! Not on no con-
sideration. What excuse Oh. don't
know, Upton. Yes, do, too.
Tell 'em that you are q caballero
Of blood and that 1t stands not with
yer honor to receive messages at the
hand of a common soldier. He must
have come on an important message.
Tell him that you will not receive the
note except at the hand of an officer
sect"
yes, see. And then what?"
why, then he'll go on down the
hill. They'll let him come because
they've Just passed him out through
their lines. An when he goes down
I'll follow him with Manuel here, an
when we reach the line Of cottonwoods
we can hide in em till daylight When
they send an officer up to see you at
daylight we can grab 'em as they come
back.
"Of course they'll boiler about bein'
under a white flag, but they won't be
no such thing, cause they'll drop their
white flag as soon as they are out of
range comm back-see?"
Taken aback at the refusal to re-
ceive the note, the soldado stumbled
off down the hill, his lantern bobbing
along among the mesquit-brush like
lightning bug in summer. No sooner
had his shadow melted away in the
dusk than Mr.. Wilkes and Manuel, the
Mexican "horse-wrangler," left the
house. They followed the soldier
stealthily down the slope to the line of
cottonwoods, which stood out. a low
lying blot, against the dusk of the val
ley.
Well wait here, Manuel" said the
old ex-deputy sheriff tersely. Wen
wait here till the next outfit sees fit
to ask Upton to pow WOW; it ought to
be just about daylight. Wake me up
when the light first shows"
The hours Of the night passed with
leaden feet. The eyes of the watchers
were strained with looking for the
dawn to break over the eastern ranges.
After putting his papers in order all
night long, Upton found relief-or at
least surcease from worry-by work
ing over his machine, tinkering here
and there till he had built up a species
of iron-clad automobile that would
have sickened the soul of the maker
He was called from his work by the
insistent voice of Dorothy calling him
to breakfast While he was eating, a
sandwich in one hand, his rifle in the
other, a hail from autside the house
brought him to his loophole Three
men stood within easy rifle range of
the house, dirty white cloth pro-
claiming them to be messengers from
the rebels.
Hastily he laid his rife against the
house, and motioning the Mexicans to
lay aside their arms, he signaled them
to come forward. Then, with a eau
ton to Nolan and Lewis to shoot on
the first sign of treachery, he strobe
forward to meet them.
There was no discussion. The senior
officer, Colonel Mayer, simply handed
him a bulky envelope. which Upton
thrust into his shirt, and, saluting
stiffiy, faced about and walked quick
ly down toward the trees in the hol-
low. Upton stood watching them and
the movement among the trees where
wilkes and Manuel lay concealed.
A shot from cover-and a very long
range shot 1t was-warned him that all
dealings. with him we're over until he
was ready to give his reply to the note.
So, signing, he turned quickly back
into the house, opening the note as he
did so. The clipping from the news
paper took first attention. Again. and
yet again he stared at the headlines, as
II they were unbelievable
Walking like man IN a trance. he
strobe across the great main room. He
opened the ONCE door and entered-to
face Dorothy, seated in q chair. pile
OF ore samples in her lap as she held
them one by one to her eyes. Galena,
copper sulphates, gold and silver-she
passed them overgvith q casual look.
A piece of brilliant azurite caught her
fancy; she leaned forward to pick It
up.
Upton grasped her roughly by the
shoulder.
What are you doing in here7" he
demanded CURLY. 1t was the first
harsh word she had ever received from
her father.
oh! Let go, father; you are hurt
ing me. l saw the door was open and
came in"
The door is still open. You can go
out-go!"
Tears came to her eyes. for the girl
loved her father very dearly. She gath
cred up the samples that she had taken
from the safe and replaced them care
fully In the lowest compartment. AS
she rose to her feet her hand knocked
from the shelf in the safe little paste
board box that fell to the floor, and,
striking on . corner. rolled out into