The Holly chieftain., 1916-08-11

The remainder of them arc breakin'
camp now"
They were. and the noise of 1t
swung mp to the wonderful Mexican
stars
We've got to keep to the straight
trail till we pass the house yonder.
After that you can drive anywhere.
There isn't an arroyo for ten miles.
They'll shoot when they see us. SO
don't light your lights What II It.
Miss Dorothy?"
"The priest-the old priest!" she
cried. 1--WE cannot leave him; he is
blind!"
Hes come from Yucatan blind.
reckin he can go back"
But without arguing the matter fur.
Their the girl silently turned back to
the house.
Half angrily. still protesting. Wilkes
and Kynaston followed.
The shed where the automobile had
been stored was at the rear.
As they approached the open door
Of the shed they saw him. squatting
cross-legged on the Moor.
His blind eyes were turned to the
open mesas and to the keen wind that
whipped in from the great expanse Of
the free range In his hands. toying
with It in his lap, he held the wonder
Bell.
The green stone, with that curious
property that some jewels possess,
gave OF the light absorbed during day
time. Now 1t was winking and twin
king with an evil light as the padre
cupped 1t in his brown palms.
Il know it is here" he said slowly.
land yet cannot see it. I shall never
see it, yet will the old shrine be the
richer for my wanderings. ! know 1t
is green. and I can feel it's long, pear
shaped tongue that the sea gave it"
He shook It; the pearl tongue gave
out one clear note.
"Will you not come with us, padre? 2:
Dorothy spoke very gently, as one
speaks to child.
whittier. then?"
ITO our own land, where there Is
no war, no trouble, no murder, no op-
preston"
Eyes; it is to that land travel when
the good God gives surcease from
labor. Till then"
A whiplike crack from the darkness
Jared across the silences of the night
"a long, whiplike crack, followed by
q loud, clear note, accompanied by .
sharp explosion. The old man fell
prone upon his back, amid hundred
twinkling fragments of the Bell.
Wilkes dashed out Of the shed.
"A Mauser!" he snapped. Some
greaser trying for last shot smashed
the Bell and killed the old man! Come
on! Let's get out Of here quick!"
start the motor!" called Kynaston.
"I1l be with you in 1iffy."
He stopped to gather up the frag.
ments Of the Bel1-the precious frag.
ments which would substantiate his
story at the coming investigation and
which would clear him Of the charge
Of having stolen the relic.
A moment later, ~ he ran around
to the front Of the house again, the
machine was ready. purring, painting,
and jarring under its engine.
Throw in your clutch!" cried
Wilkes. We're all here and we're all
ready"
Kynaston leaped to his place. showed
down the pedal, threw his clutch into
the low and pulled it back to second.
The machine took the curve below the
house, shooting forward like q projec
tile on the trail that showed steel
brown In the dusk.
TITS touch and co." muttered the old
man. Nolan. keep the ladies down.
His gray beard blew back over his
shoulder; in the wind his eyes mar
rowed to pin-points.
Throw her wide open. soni" he
commanded.
Kynaston's foot pressed the gasoline
control and the car shot forward faster
and faster. Past the first line Of scat
tered fires they went, greeted by yella
and an occasional shot. Past the lines
where the troops were forming, toward
the house whittier Kynaston had beer
taken, a prisoner; the house in which
Upton had been murdered.
Keep her goin' and throw her al
wide open as you can!" said Wilkes.
Il can hardly hold her as 1t is!'
painted Kynaston. "She's pulling like
runaway locomotive on down
grade"
It was true. They had left the trail
and were heading northwest across