The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-11-18
Suppose I refuse to submit to you

Suppose refuse to submit to you
extortionT'
Then" said the bandit, and Morton
shrank from the cruelty which sudden
~ leaped into his eyes, 81 should be
regretfully compelled to deprive you
OF your ears"
"You-you would cut or my ears?"
screamed Morton. his face blanching.
''Only with the greatest regret, /
assure you" said the outlaw suavely.
81 think can raise the money"
said the latter hoarseIy, his face the
color of ashes. ST will give you an or
der on my bankers In San Francisco"
81 shall be delighted to take your
cheque, Mr.. Morton" responded Car
rillo, courteously, land 1 trust that
you will remain here as my guest IN
til IT is cashed-"
"And what is to be the amount Of
my ransOm?" asked Olga.
''That, my dear lady," replied Car
riIlO. 'fs a question that have not yet
decided. Perhaps he added meaning
", you will continue to honor me
with your presence. 1t is a simple life
that lead here in the mountains, but
it has its compenSations. VIII you
consider it?'
81 will think it over" said Olga,
family, for she knew, from the look in
CarrillO's eyes, that he had not the
slightest intention OF releasing her.
And now, with your permission, 1
Will get some rest. am very tired
by all means" said the outlaw
cOurteously, rising and escorting her
to the entrance Of the cave. Later in
the afternoon will give myself the
pleasure Of calling upon you, by which
time, 1 trust, you will have come to
decision. Very unpleasant things
sometimes happen he added, signifi-
cantly, ito those who refuse my re-
quests"
ST will think it over" said Olga
cOldly, and disappeared within the
cave. Her captor, keen-eyed though he
was, had failed to observe that, be-
fore leaving the table, she had Sc
creted in her dress the steel knife
with which she had been eating.
And now, Mr.. Morton" said Car
rillO, as he resumed his seat, there are
pen, ink and paper. The messenger is
waiting. The amount we agreed on
was ten thousand, believe"
As Olga rS-entered the cave her eve
was caught by the books strewn upon
the table. Idly curious as to the liter
airy tastes Of CarrilIO, she glanced at
them with lanquid interest. There
were a score Of novels of the senSa-
tionaI order, much the worse for use;
a book Of Spanish verse; volume on
engraving (she recalled that Carrillo
had been a counterfeiter before his
flight to the mountainS) and a small,
leather-bOund book entitled robin
sons Philosophy" There was some
thing about the title that was vague
~ familiar. As she opened the book
she drew her breath in sharply. For,
in faded writing on the title page,
was the name Ralph Burke" 1t was
the lost book the very volume
Of which she and Morton had so long
been in search And, by one of those
miraculous condolences which causes
fiction to hang its head in shame, she
had come upon it in the cave of the
bandit who had captured her! Fever
ishly she turned its leaves until she
came to page sixty-One. There was
nothing on it But wait, Looking
closer she detected, printed in minute
characters between the two lower
lines of type, a half-a-dozen words
so small and family written that they
would escape the notice of one who
was not looking for them. Metal
lurgy," she diciphered, ''SiXty-one-eY-
cry seventh word -
She stared stupidity at the message
became clear. It could mean but one
thing: the formula was not contained
in the Philosophy, as she and Morton
had taken for granted, but in a work
on metallurgy- very one, no doubt,
which she and Morton had left in
Patterns cabin on the ledge, and from
which, she now remembered. the title
page had been torn. The search for
the formula was by no means ended.
Throwing herself on the bed Olga
carefully considered her position and
her chances for escape. She now felt
confident that she held the key to the
mystery in her hand-but it was
worthless to her unless she could re-
gain her freedom. Producing the knife
she had surreptitiOusly taken from
the table, she commenced Industrious
" to whet it upon the rocky wall of
the cave. After an hours work she
Strengthened her aching back and re-
garded her work admiringly. She had
converted the steel table knife into a
dagger with almost a razor edge.
It was sunset when Olga was awak-
ened from a sleep of exhaustion by
the unheralded entrance of CarrilIo.
The few hours of rest had restored
her naturally high color; she had loos-
ened her hair, which fell to her waist
in a cascade of glossy black, and her
blouse, which was open at the neck,
displayed a bewitching glimpse OF her
marble neck and shoulders.
Carrillo, by no means obliviOus to
her charms, crossed the room and
seated himself on the edge Of the bed
beside her.
Hello, have you been reading
thiS2'' he manfred OirEin1 nm fba VOL