Tombstone epitaph., 1916-08-06
CHAPTER vil-con.irued.

iy up and down the little room Ap- parcntly it was not enough that he should sacrifice his life itself; his very reputation. too. was to be torn to shreds.
 Hour after hour passed. He had a little tobacco, but one cannot enjoy smoking in the dark. So he sat and thought and thought till the tiny stars came out like forget-me-nots in the wonderful Mexican sky. and the camp woke to renewed life in the coolness.
 Presently ne was aroused by ihe sound of someone fumbling at the chain that fastened the door on the outside. The door drew open. In the shadow he heard a voice.
 "Ohe Mic capitan,"
 It was the voice of the oficsr who had met him.
 "Si-si! What is it?'
 If you will come with me it will perhaps benefit you
 Kynaston fumbled in his bootleg to see if that fat automatic pistol still lay close to his leg. Fortunately. he had not been examined for concealed weapons: the Mexicans had taken for granted that a man surrendering him self would not be fool enough to bring 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- terior Kynaston saw. seated beside the rebel commander. 8 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.
 'I have brought you here. Senor Cringo. to ask you some questions. This good man tells me that you are an Americana officer. Is 1t true?"
 Ask him. if he is your source of information" said Kynaston in a dis guised voice. He could see the priest lean forward in an eager attempt to identify him.
 There has been @ story come to us'-the general was in deadly earn est-'that we mean to look into. There was a stone of incalculable value in the South that we meant to use to buy arms and ammunition to help our cause. We got 1t; then our forces were attacked by three times their number of the accursed federaiistas. 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, Senor Gringo. that. fail- ing to obtain from you news Of the stones whereabouts. the court-martial shall do Its duty in the morning Am I clear?"
 Aye! As clear as your own lava and doubtless as discerning"
 This time at hearing Kynaston's voice the nid priest leaned back in his seat.
 Tt is the man. he said quietly. ~It 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 It. for if it is not turned over to us you shall surely die"
 Kynaston turned hotly toward the priest.
 Thou hast eaten ny bread and aalt," he said passionately. Thou hast slept in my camp Thou knowest right well that did not take the stone; thou knovest right well that thou myself art the thief, and that I hal parties out searching for thee by mesa and by river What hast thou to gain. padre. by lying away my Hfs7"
 The old priest turned gray under E.s 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 it. as he says. for so long? The Bind priest of Trocanto. of course. Who else has so great a desire for it? I could not have taken it. as my com mandante-major-can prove, for was with him from the moment that he came into my camp till the bundle was unwrapped. and the stone was iJund missing"
 Was no one else in your tent then?" Isked the general
 Thou knowest there was. senor." The voice of the blind priest rose to almost breaking tension. Thou knowest there were the two ladies' where are they. sayr"
 Where are they? Is this camp . pgace to ask such . question? Wouldst thou expect eo find women-decent voosn-ss s1ch . camp of iadrones"