The Dermott news., 1916-07-20

emerald bell. They want # and have promised their prisoner. Lieutenant Kynaston. that if they get the jewel he will be freed. They send mes sengcr with the proposition to the American mine house.
 Mir Upton did so. The man came forward unhesitatingly and delivered his message
 Ask him who he is, prompted the old man
 The soldier came forward. explain ing haltingly in Spanish that he was the bearer of a note. Mir. Wilkes bent forward excitedly.
 Give em dose of their own medi cinel" he said bitingly .Eyry min ute that you can delay their proceedin's is so much gain. Ask him what he come fer. but don't take his note see?"
 Mir. Upton did not see" but he did as he was bid, Presently the man with some difficulty explained that he had come as bearer of a note to open nego- jilt lASlA AA ' Ol NAAANAA AAt N1AN AACN understand. He held out the note MT Upton was about to take 1t when a word dropped by Dorothy made Wilkes jump as if line of biting white ants had crawled up his leg
 Wouldn't 1t be fine" said the girl eff we could only make a couple of their officers prisoners and then e1- change them for Mir Kynaston,
 Wilkes patted her shoulder.
 And they tell me that woman ain't fit to vote" he said scathingly. Don't take his note. Upton Not on no con sideration. What excuse Oh. l don't know, Upton. Yes, do. too.
 Tell 'em that you are caballero of blood and that 1t stands not with yer honor to receive messages at the hand of a common soldier. He must have come on an important message Tell him that you will not receive the note except al the hand of an officer see?"
 Yes. see. And then whata'
 Why. then he'll go on down the hill. TneIli let him come because they've 1ds$ passed him out through their lines An when he goes down I'll follow him with Manuel here, an when We reach the line of eottonwoods we can hide in 'em till daylight When they send an officer up to see you at daylight We can grab cm as they come back
 Of course they'll holler about bcin' under a white flag but they won't he no such thing cause they'll drop their white flag as soon as they are out of range comin baek-see?"
 Taken aback at the refusal 10 re- ceive the note. the soldado stumbled off down the hill. his lantern bobbine along among the mesGuit-brush like a lightning bug in summer No sooner had his shadow melted away in the dusk than MT Wilkes and Manuel, the Mexican "horse-wrangler," left the house. rhv followed the soldier stealthily down taa slope 10 tho line of cottonwoods which stood out, a low lying blot. against the dusk of the val ley.
 We'll wait here. Manuel" said the old ex-deputy sheriff tersely. We'll wait here till the next outnt sees fit to ask Upton to DOW WOW; it ought to be just about daylight Wake mo ua when the light first shows"
 The hours of the night passed with leaden feet. The eyes of the watchers were strained with looking for the dawn to break over the eastern ranges. Alter putting his papers in order all night long. Upton found relief-or at least surcease from worry by work ing over his machine. tinkering here and there till he had built up a species of iron-clad automobile that would have sickened the soul of the maker.
 He was called from his work by the insistent voice of Dorothy calling him to breakfast While he was eating, q sandwich in one hand his rifle in the other. a hail from autside the houso brought him to his Ioophole. Three men stood within easy rifle range of the house. a dirty white cloh pro- claiming them to be messengers from the rebels.
 Hastily he laid his rife against the house, and motioning the MeNicans to lay aside their arms. he signaled them to come forward. Then. with eau tion to Nolan and Lewis to shoot on the first sign of treachery. he strode forward to meet them.
 There was no discussion. The senior officer Colonel Mayez, simply handed him a bulky envelope. which Upton thrust into his shirt, and, saluting stiffly. faced about and walked quick. ly down toward the trees in the hol- low. Upton stood watching them and the movement among the trees where Wilkes and Manuel lay concealed.
 A shot from coyer-and a very long range shot it warned him that all dealings with him were over until he was ready to give his reply to the note, So, signing, he turned quickly back into the house, opening the note as he Aid on Tho ,ffn,,;ru frop, tha na,,,