Williams news., 1916-08-03
sai's' tfia Ta3fa .:S.)I.Isg.
HE WILLIAMS NEWS

lie 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 :'" /. T want few words with him." he added grimly.
 Isn't this a sweet mess?" he said, turning to Major Updyke. ~~ ., The older officer nodded. .. :'".Kynaston,''' he l. said presently. take my advice and send a 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 CTS of yours discover that it has been lost they'll 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 pers'H make capital of it, and you'll 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 I can't thank you enough, sir, fer the interest you have. taken. Here's the message. sir"
 He scribbIed a curt message and swung into saddle. :y,.".Good-by, major! I'll be back in a little while. Adios, sir. Right by twos! Trot, march Y Route order!" And the little squad of excited cav alrymen moved quickly off up the road. ! After Kynaston left rhim Major Updyke sat deep in thought for some time. He was finally reused by a sol dier'si rapping gently on the tent-pole.
 '.Come!" called the major, and the man stepped inside. .
 "Sir," he said, "the officer who con- manded the prisoners has asked me to ask the major if he can see hin" "
 Certainly. Go and tell the ser. geant of the guard to send him up here under guard" su .---e
 The soldier left.
 "Now," thought Major Updyke, '1 wonder what wlsdevilment is afoot?"' -ar--. E
 
 tain of infantry entered the tent and introduced himself ! as Ell Capitan Ygnacio Torres.
 q have asked for the honor of an intervie@I 'senoB because I am sure that the Americans do not desire to lend themselves to a piece of injus- tice.1 Prefer senor, to the taking of eur, stores. : The arms, of course, I understand are ito be; held until the cessation of hostilities, as is required by international law, but the other things-the money, and our personal belongings+are.:n not these respected as in war 2, a,''; .s-,;, |, ':,-
 What personal belongings do you mean, sir?',' ....; 3.
 q 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 1t from the Shrine of Our Lady of Olvidados, down in Trocanto'7 to the south, and were bringing it north to purchase arms with We fought with them and took the plunder, and I wish now to enter formal claim for it."
 U ..Who awas Ithe blind priest who came T into camp. F yesterday and claimed it?' asked Major Updyke. 51s"A blind priest, esenor? I know only that man- came and claimed the sastone44the Bell, I mean. s; am told that he came hard into camp upon the arrival of the pris- oners.---f know that he claims the stone as a part of the property of his that is a claim that might well be made by any man who has seen or heard of the jewel. Has he seen it?'
 Not since its arrival here, cer. tainly."
 Gan he describe it?''
 Major Updyke laughed. 'It is hard ly to be expected, senor, that a blind man can so accurately describe such a thing as to convince anyone. He has certainly heard someone else de- scribe it, at least"
 "I ask" insisted the Mexican, that he be questioned in my presence as to how and where and why the stone came into our possession. It is true that the stone was footed from the south by the rebels. It is also true that we defeated them in. open fight and that they fled. leaving their pack. mules. -.-
 These mules we captured, and afterward were compelled to abandon when the rebels had received re-en- forcements and drove us across the border.e Then, senor, your lieutenant held us as prisoners of war and took our baggage. M <
 T ask this, senor. because one of my men has told that he saw the blind priest leave the camp short time ago. I know him well enough to know that if he has left good bed and good meals he must have had sound reason. May I see the stone, senor, to be assured of it's safety ?'' :. Major Updyke hesitated. A refusal