The Benson signal., 1916-08-05
I preston that with an affair Of this
Importance happening here you should


ing the past six months"
. Kynaston flushed warmly. Words of
appreciation are rare in military life,
where the efficient performance of
duty is assumed. Neglect or derelic-
tion is rarity. But the present de-
partment commander believed that
just as commanding officer should be
quick to reprehend, so also he should
not be chary of appreciation. The re-
suit was that his subordinates were
more than willing to work themselves
to shadow to carry out his faintest
hint,
"You see, Kynaston," went on the
staff officer, 1--WE have had several
hints to the effect that attempts were
being made to smuggle money across
the line, so when your telegram came
the general sent me off hot foot. How
many Of these prisoners are there?"
Kynaston told him.
"And three pack-mules. Where did
they come from?"
Kynaston answered briefly, and fol-
lowed his report with an account of
the priests arrival and the discovery
of the valuable emerald that had set
two continents agog three hundred
years before.
$50 you see, sir" he concluded, II
couldn't properly turn the thing over
to the priest, though I believe his claim
is correct and just"
Ever hear Of him before?" asked
Major Updyke sharply.
"Never, sir. Why?"
Nothing. It just occurred to me
that in order to obtain possession of
jewel like that almost anyone would
or could tell an interesting yarn. Have
| you ever been in Trocanto-didn't you
say that's the name of the place the
man says he came from?
"Trocanto, yes-no, I've never been
| there. And I've never heard of it Ell
ther. How about you?"
Same"
"Of course" Kynaston hesitated,
"that actually proves nothing"
The staff officer laughed.
Cali the same" he cried, I'm glad
came down here, If you were really
| so worked on by the old fellow that
YOU thought about giving the stone to
hIE.& You'd have found yourself in a
pretty rie1s!S T. you'd let him have it,
and then a claim had been made by
your prisoners that you'd taken the
| stone. 1t would have cost you your
commission, or at least"
Like to see the stone, sir?"
"Of course I should, but I'd like even
better to have a drink and something
| to eat"
Kynaston produced his last bottle,
and, bidding his Striker" improvise a
supper, sat chatting with his visitor
till the meal was ready. When Major
Updyke was through and had rolled a
cigarette, the youngster sent trum-
| priest and to ask him to come to the
tent
The old padre, hearing the summons,
came slowly from his hot little tent
and picked his way painfully across
the stones of the trail.
| 81 heard thee asking for me, my son.
| I am here"
"This is the priest was telling you
Of, SIR"
Major Updyke shook hands with the
old man, who peered at him from un-
der bent brows with the peculiarly in
tent look of the blind. The padre
seated himself for moment upon a
great rock, clasping his hands loosely
across his knees.
| Presently, in answer to question,
the old man began to talk, and for an
hour the staff officer sat, an interested
| listener, while the old man made his
appeal for the restoration to his shrine
| of the priceless jewel that KynastOn
had taken the day before.
"But the proof, man, the proof! Thou
must understand, padre, that American
law, upon whose justice we pride our
selves, requires proof. How canst
thou prove that this stone is indeed
the stone that thou hast described?
What is that Kynaston? 1t sounds
like firing breaking out in the south
east"
It did sound like rifle firing. The
low, thunderous, reverberating crackle
that they knew SO we'll brought every
man out of the encampment as stick
/ in the tee-hole of hive brings out
the bees. Kynaston and Major Up.
dyke ran to the top of the low hill back
Of the camp; here they had a good gen.
eral view of the land.
ut must be another party, sir, in
trouble again. Wait till l get my
glasses; we can see more with them"
| So for long half hour they sat and
watched The sound of the firing
grew fainter and fainter, and finally
died away, only to leak out again and
again as the two officers were about to
| leave the hill
GlsaalsHa[8aIsIslsglsNs
R Men make their little plans and
k talk about wIl-power making ts
| II Way-and then destiny, or. fate, a
Il