The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-01-12

Brothers, cried BrOlueT Aheei0'
seeing Annette's plight, "quick-re-
toratives-succor for this young girl
Hernandez took advantage of the
confusion-though he himself was con-
fused beyond all peradventure. LIS
ten," he said to Inez, leave her WIN
the Brute-go at once. III 90 tne
rest"
Unnoticed, Inez and the Brute
obeyed. They left the room, hurrleu
across the courtyard and disappeared
Hernandez watched them go. HIS
GOODNESS returned. Swiftly, with one
bound, he was upon Brother Anselmo
and had seized the iron box in his iron
grasp.
In an instant he was across the
room.
But Brother Anselmo had done
something more than pray and sleep
In his quiet existence. He was an ac'
tive, we'll trained individual. With
loud cry he leaped across the inter-
yening space, and bounded upon the
shoulders of Hernandez.
Help, help, brothers" he command
ed.
There was help aplenty. Hernandez
fought like a madman, but the broth
ers clung to him like leeches. Slowly,
however. he worked his way toward
the nearest exit-and then with
mighty wrench, he threw off all his as
sailants including Brother Anselmo,
and darted, with mighty leap out
through the doorway.
He bounded into the arms OF Neal
| Hardin and his squad.
Neal saw at a glance what had nap
pened. He seized Hernandez wrist
| the wrist of the hand and arm that
held the iron box, and twisted 1t sud
denly, painfully. Hernandez dropped
/ the box-but jerked away from Neal,
| sprang to a window and disappeared
Behind him he heard the steady
plup-plup of many footsteps - the
steady Dpe of marines that eats up
the long miles in less time than 1t
takes to tell it.
Damn them" said Hernandez, I'll
beat them to it yet
Behind him the footsteps stopped.
There was a report-a ping. Herman
dez had reached the edge of the green
oasis. He screamed with pain. II
was as though a red hot iron had
scared him. He had been hit in the
arm.
Damn you," he screamed in PAIN
"Tll beat you to it, yet
With almost unseeing eyes he tore
across the small green space-and
then he stumbled, and slid, slid, slid
into what seemed a bottomless pit.
He Just escaped a stake-a bloody
one. And he fell-or rather slumped-
upon something soft and yielding
With another oath he rose to his feet
and peered about him. Then he drew
back in terror.
There lay Ponto-his mate-dead,
Hernandez screamed in terror-he
was only human. This thing was hor-
rible. A shadow startled him. He
looked upward. The Brute was peering
down-he was doing more-he slowly
slid down into the pit and caught Her
nandez in his grasp. Then, somehow
using his broad shoulders and his
arms and knees he worked his way
back again to terra firma, and drew
Hernandez-groaning with the pain OF
his wound-up after him. Then with
the nimbleness of deer, the Brute
after singing Hernandez upon his
back-trotted off into the safety of the
beyond.
Back at the monastery, Annette w
ington opened her eyes and looked IN
to the face of Brother Anselmo.
Il am Annette Ilington." she erI
claimed, Il am the heiress of the
Lost Isle Of Cinnabar."
Brother Anselmo turned to Ensign
Neal Hardin.
/ Does she speak TRUTH" he queriedi
J She does" said Neal. "and my gov
, ernment will back her to the limit
She is what she says she is. We all
, will vouch for that"
All" unused Brother Anselmof
} what . wonderful thing 10 prayer
: what . wonderful thing is sleep
| He stopped. 81 have prayed" ~.
: went on, slowly. puzzled. but not ys.
r have / solved the mystery of the eve
: OF that big mantle eyes"
) He stopped again. For the eyes
= Annette Ilington were Eiveted upo1
} him.