The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-23

SELF would not De 1901 enough 10 DrlnB
arms into hostile camp.
Kynaston stepped out. The officer
with two guards crowded their way
with their prisoner through the fast
gathering crowd to the house where
the general lived. BY the light of the
two gluttering candles stuck in empty
bottles that illuminated the dirty in
terror Kynaston saw, seated beside the
rebel commander, figure that he rec
ognized at once-the blind priest Of
Trocanto, the guardian of the shrine!
The general was the first to break
the silence.
II have brought you here, Senior
Gringo. to ask you some questions.
This good man tells me that you are
an Americana officer. Is 1t true?"
ASK him. II he is your source Of
information" said Kynaston In dis
guised voice. He could see the priest
lean forward in an eager attempt to
identify him.
There has been q story come to
us"-the general was in deadly earn
est-"that we mean to look into. There
was q stone of incalculable value In
the South that we meant to use to buy
arms and ammunition to help our
cause. We got It; then our forces
were attacked by three times their
number Of the accursed federalistas,
and so the stone was taken. It was
then that, pursued by our men, the
thieves fed across the line and took
refuge on American soil, carrying with
them the stone that meant so much to
the righteous cause.
THAT stone was taken charge of
by the American officer. The next
day the stone and the officer had dis
appeared, and now the good father
tells me that you are the man. tell
you plainly, Senior Gringo, that, fail
ing to obtain from you news of the
stones whereabouts, the court-martial
shall do its duty in the morning. Am
! clear?"
Aye! AS clear as your own laws
and doubtless as discerning"
This time at hearing Kynaston's
voice the old priest leaned back in his
seat.
ut is the man." he said quietly.
1T is the officer who took the stone"
"A bargain-then the stone against
your life! The stone that means two
hundred thousand pesos against your
life! It can profit you nothing to keep
1t, for II 1t is not turned over to us
you shall surely die"
Kynaston turned hotly toward the
priest.
Thou hast eaten my bread and
salt" he said passionately. Thou
hast slept in my camp. Thou knowest
right well that l did not take the
stone; thou knowest right well that
thou thyself art the thief, and that I
had parties out searching for thee by
mesa and by river. What hast thou
to gain, padre, by lying away my
life?"
The old priest turned gray under
his dark skin.
| my son, this is not fair. Thou
sayest that thou didst not take 1t.
Who then did?'
Who? Who but the man who has
sought 1t, as he says, for SO long? The
blind priest of Trocanto. of course.
Who else has 80 great desire for it?
/ could not have taken 1t, as my com
mandante-major-c prove, for
was with him from the moment that
he came into my camp till the bundle
was unwrapped, and the stone was
found missing"
WAS no one else in your tent then ?"
asked the general.
Thou knowest there was, senior "
The voice of the blind priest rose to
almost breaking tension. Thou
knowest there were the two ladies'
where are they, say?"
Where are they? Is this camp q
place to ask such question? Wouldst
thou expect to find women-decent
women-in such q camp of ladrones?
Then, senor," said the general
there can be but one person who
hAAN"o 0OOoS ShO obOhOs OhO vi
the ladies must have seen the stone
when it was in your tent. or else
which is, of course, unbelievable
one of them has taken it"
"No-no!"
The voice suddenly rose to q shrek;
the Mexican captain raised his hand
to guard his leader from the blow that
he thought was coming. Kynaston
dropped his hand.
| Someone in your camp must know
the matter. Doubtless II any man en-
tered your tent while the ladies were
in your camp they have seen him. A
note to Senior Upton that l will send
by an officer will discover the mat
ter. You can tell him with perfect
truth that II the Jewel is not restored
your life win pay the forfeit"
Wherever 1t is found? Do yoJ
mean, general. II for instance I should
be able to prevail upon this blind