The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-19
CHAPTER w.
Across the Line.

NSlVSo ktO 6tU1s
A long silence fell. Kynaston was
the first to break 1t.
Sergeant" he said quickly, send
two men to round up that old priest.
He cannot have got very far, for he
Is blind and could not see his road.
Stay after him till you get him and
then bring him back here to me.
Il want few words with him."
he added grimly.
Isn't this q sweet mess?" he said,
turning to Major Updyke
The older officer nodded.
"Kynaston," he said presently,
take my advice and send wire at
once to department headquarters re-
porting the loss of the stone. It's too
valuable a thing to leave to chance.
Don't you see that when those prison
ers Of yours discover that it has been
lost IL eyll put up an awful howl?
Then If any investigation is made, it'll
only show that you had the stone in
your possession, and that you declined
to turn it over to the priest. The pa
ROAo a SopiIUl Vi yOu IL
achieve a very undesirable notoriety.
Report the matter at once. If you'll
write out wire I'll send it for you.
When will you be back?"
"In three hours at most, sir, think.
/ can't thank you enough, sir, for
thu interest you have taken. Here's
the message. sir"
He scrubbed a curt message and
swung into saddle.
"Good-by, major! I'll be back in a
little while. Adios, sir. Right by
twos! Trot. march! Route order!"
And the little squad of excited cav
alrymen moved quickly Off up the
road.
After Kynaston left him Major
Updyke sat deep in thought for some
time. He was finally reused by SOL
dier's rapping gently on the tent-pole.
Gomez" called the major, and the
man stepped inside
Sir" he said, the officer who COM
manded the prisoners has asked me
to ask the major II he can see him."
/ Certainly. Go and tell the SER
geant of the guard to send him up
here under guard"
The soldier left
Now" thought Major Updyke, 81
wonder what new devilment is
afoot?"
A moment later the Mexican cap
tain Of infantry entered the tent and
introduced himself as Ell Captain
Ygnacio Torres.
81 have asked for the honor of an
interview, senior, because l am sure
that the Americans do not desire to
lend themselves to a piece OF injus-
tice. refer, senior, to the taking of
our stores. The arms, of course, /
understand are to be held until the
cessation of hostilities. as is required
by international law, but the other
things-the money and our personal
belongings-are not these respected
as in war;"
what personal belongings do you
mean, sir?"
81 mean, sir, that there was on one
of these pack-mules a very valuable
jewel that we took from the rebels in
fight They had stolen it from the
Shrine of Our Lady of Oividados.
down in Trocanto to the south, and
we're bringing it north to purchase
arms with. We fought with them
and took the plumber, and l wish now
to enter formal claim for IT,"
who was the blind priest who
came into camp yesterday and
Gained it?" asked Major Updyke.
"A blind priest, senior? / know
only that a man came and claimed
the stone-the Bell mean.
am told that he came hard into
camp upon the arrival Of the pris-
oners. | know that he claims the
stone as a part of the property Of his
shrine down in Yucatan; but, senior,
that is a claim that might well be
made BY any man who has seen or