The Benson signal., 1916-09-23
CHAPTER Vlll-Continued.

Of7AF Gh vIli-NONItUuEO.
ii
The Mexicans believe Upton has the
emerald bell. They want it and have
promised their prisoner, Lieutenant
Kynaston, that IT they get the jewel
he will be freed. They send a mes
senger with the proposition to the
American mine house.
Mr.. 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. Mr.. Wilkes bent
forward excitedly.
Give 'em dose of their own medi-
cine!" he said bitingly. "Ev'ry 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?"
Mr.. 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 note to open nego-
tiations the nature Of which he did not
understand He held out the note.
Mr. Upton was about to take it when
a word dropped by Dorothy made
Wilkes jump as If line Of biting
white ants had crawled up his leg.
Wouldn't it be fine" said the girl,
''if we could only make a couple Of
their officers prisoners and then ex-
change them for Mr.. KynastOn!"
Wilkes patted her shoulder.
"And they tell me that woman amt
fit to vote," he said scathingly. Don't
take his note, Upton! Not on no con-
sideration. What excuse Oh, don't
know. Upton. Yes. do, too.
"Tell 'em that you are a caballero
of blood and that it 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 at the hand Of an officer
see?"
Yes, see. And then what?"
why, then he'll go on down the
hill. They'll let him come because
they've just 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 cottonwoods
we can hide in 'em till daylight. When
they send an officer up to see you at
daylight we can grab 'em as they come
back.
"Of course they'll holler about bein'
under a white flag, but they won't be
no such thing cause they'll drop their
white flag as soon as they are out OF
range comm back-see?"
Taken aback at the refusal to re-
ceive the note, the soldado stumbled
off down the hill, his lantern bobbing
along among the mesquit-brush like q
lightning bug in summer. No sooner
had his shadow melted away in the
dusk than Mr.. Wilkes and Manuel, the
Mexican "horse-wrangler," left the
house. They followed the soldier
stealthily down the slope to the line Of
cottonwoods which stood out, a low
lying blot, against the dusk of the val
ley.
Wen wait here, Manuel" said the
old ex-deputy sheriff tersely. We'll
wait here till the next outfit sees fit
to ask Upton to pow WOW; it ought to
be just about daylight Wake me up
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.
After 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 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, a
sandwich in one hand, his rifle in the
other, a hail from autside the house
brought him to his loophole. Three
men stood within easy rifle range OF
the house, a dirty white cloth pro-
claiming them to be messengers from
the rebels.
Hastily he laid his rifle against the
house and motioning the Mexicans 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 strobe
forward to meet them.
There was no discussion. The senior
officer, Colonel Mayer, simply handed
him a bulky envelope, which Upton
thrust into his shirt, and, saluting
stif1y, 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 cover-and very long
range shot it was-warned him that al
dealings with him were over until he
was ready to give his reply to the note