Tombstone epitaph., 1916-08-20

eraio jewel Tor kynaston's return, but hesitates to risk his life by going to the Mexican camp. At this point Dor othy takes a hand in the negotiations. Dorothy rose. pale-faced, her eyes alight with blue fire. like two tur- Quoises flamebacked.
 Indeed. I shall take 10 further risk fin this matter. You will go. father; you do owe it to him. shall go with you. and we shall take the Bell"
 Wilkes stared at her. uncertain whether he had heard alright.
 "You-you-you go! Not by a long shot, Miss Dorothy! Why. it'd be sheer murder-no less! Have you both lost your minds?"
 The girls lips were well-nigh color less; but Wilkes, who knew men, knew when he saw the tense lines in her face that she had passed the dividing line between common sense and i'm pulse.
 But howr" he asked. How can you take the Bell"
 ''So that no one can detect it? Have no fear-Wait
 She disappeared with the Bell into her own room. A moment later she returned, her face flushed with excite ment. her eyes luminous. standing. a veritable picture, in the golden square of sunlight that lay upon the floor.
 "Come!" she said imperiously to her father. Come! We have no time to lose. You will keep these two men in safety till we return"
 Wilkes gave up, muttering his dis content as he turned away, shaking his gray head.
 "Ain't you got no sense, Upton Don't you know that what you plan is plumb madness? I've got great mind to pull a gun on you an not let you SO one step"
 For answer Dorothy shook her head. She would not betray her father be- fore them all. What she knew must forever remain hid.
 'No." she said again quickly; he went for US and we owe it to him. Whatever shall be eaid of us, no man shall say that we Uptons do not pay our debts. l have tue Bell where none can ever find it. Come, father!"
 Like . man in . dream, Upton fol lowed her out the doo,. The rest of the party morosely eyed the two as they walked down the hill. the girl golden-haired. trim-habited; the stur, dy, square-shouldered figure of the miner plodding heavily at her side, Silently they passed down the slope; still speeches. they crossed the ariojo beyond the alamos-the cottonwoods where Wilkes and Manuel had made their capture that morning.
 As they approached the lines of the besiegers they were greeted with a yell from the outpost. Twenty men surged forward to seize them, but were swept back by an officer. who sprang forward, machete in one hand, his low-swung sombrero in the other
 Back. perros!" they heard him cry 'Tt is Senor Upton himself who desires speech with el general. Is 1t not so mi amigo?"
 Upton nodded carelessly.
 About the cook-fires one or two women moved lazily. The whole camp was asleep in the sunlight as Upton and Dorothy entered the house
 For a second the two stood at gaze the glare of the sun still blindins them. But when their eyes had become accustomed to the cool. darkened in terior Dorothy gasped and Uptor swore softly. There before them, his arms tied at the elbows behind his back. stood Kynaston under charge o1 . guard of four men. Behind table sat the blind priest, smiling quietly and the squat-fgured, bull-necked gen eral. who was in . furious rage.
 And you dare to tell me that you do not know where it is, when tho padre here says that he is sure yot know its whereabouts?
 Just then Upton stepped forward.
 T have the Bell" he said quietly If you let Kynaston go. as you prom ise, you get it; otherwise not"
 "Ha-ha." The general uttered n ssty laugh. I'll hold you till I gel ft anyway" He waved his hand care isssiy in the direction of the yount American
 ~Take him out and shoot him., h' ordered in an offhand way.
 ~You bloody villain, You wors' than dog-you wretched, yellow cur You horse thief. robber. villain. ban d!t. murderer! You conscienceless oerjured blackmailer. You dirty double-crossing cheat, Snide! Crook Crafter. Tin-horn!
 Upton was blazing. raving mad angry. Despite the blood he had los from the gunshot wound. his face wal fiery red. The veins stood out. knot ted. on his head: his hands were gro ping furiously about his empty hol ster.
 ~Is your word nothing?" he raved sHere you promised to free Kynastol M gave you the Emerald Bell; conn Gswn to arysngs the details; you seiz'