Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-06-01

preston that with an affair OF this
Importance happening here you should
have larger force.
He Is reluctant to send an entire
troop Of cavalry here because that will
make it necessary to send captain
in command, and he. has been so IA
vorably impressed with the way you
have handled the situation since you
have been here that he does not wish
to supersede you if it can be avoided.
/ may add that he suggested to me
that / should drop you hint to the
effect that he wanted you to know
that he appreciates the manner in
which you have conducted affairs dur
ing the past six months
Kynaston flushed warmly. Words OF
appreciation are rare in military life,
where the efficient performance of
duty Is assumed. Neglect or derelic-
ton is rarity. But the present de-
partment commander believed that
just as commanding officer should be
quick to reprehend, so also he should
not be chary of appreciation The re-
suit was that his subordinates were
more than willing to work themselves
to shadow to carry out his faintest
hint.
"You see, Kynaston," went on the
staff officer, Eve have had several
hints to the effect that attempts were
being made to smuggle money across
the line, SO when your telegram came
the general sent me off hot foot. How
many of these prisoners are there?"
Kynaston told him.
"And three pack-mules. Where did
they come from?"
Kynaston answered briefly, and fol-
lowed his report with an account Of
the priests arrival and the discovery
of the valuable emerald that had set
two continents agog three hundred
years before.
$50 you see, SIR" he concluded, ri
couldn't properly turn the thing over
to the priest, though believe his claim
is correct and just"
Ever hear of him before?" asked
Major Updyke sharply.
Never, sir Why?"
Nothing. It just occurred to me
that in order to obtain possession of
jewel like that almost anyone would
or could tell an interesting yarn. Have
you ever been in Trocanto-didn't you
say that's the name of the place the
man says he came from?"
"Trocanto, yes-no, I've never been
there. And I've never heard Of it Ell
Their. How about you?"
Same"
"Of course" Kynaston hesitated,
that actually proves nothing"
The staff officer laughed.
"All the same" he cried, I'm glad
came down here, if you were really
SO worked on by the old fellow that
you thought about giving the stone to
him. You'd have found yourself in a
pretty pickle if you'd let him have it,
and then a claim had been made by
your prisoners that you'd taken the
stone. 1t would have cost you your
commission, or at least"
Like to see the stone, sir?"
| "Of course should, but I'd like even
| to eat"
Kynaston produced his last bottle,
and, bidding his striker" improvise
supper sat chatting with his visitor
| till the meal was ready. When Major
| Updyke was through and had rolled
cigarette, the youngster sent trum-
peter to give his compliments to the
priest and to ask him to come to the
| tent.
The old padre, hearing the summons,
came slowly from his hot little tent
and picked his way painfully across
the stones of the trail
II heard thee asking for me, my son.
/ am here"
This is the priest / was telling you
of, sir"
/ Major Updyke shook hands with the
old man, who peered at him from un-
der bent brows with the peculiarly in
tent look of the blind The padre
1 seated himself for a moment upon a
great rock. clasping his hands loosely
across his knees.
Presently, in answer to question,
the old man began to talk, and for an
hour the staff officer sat, an interested
listener, while the old man made his
appeal for the restoration to his shrine
of the priceless jewel that Kynaston
had taken the day before.
"But the proof, man, the proof! Thou
must understand, padre, that American
! law, upon whose justice we pride our
selves, requires proof. How canst
thou prove that this stone is indeed
the stone that thou hast described?
What is that, Kynaston? 1t sounds
like firing breaking out in the south
east"
1t did sound like rifle firing The
low, thunderous, reverberating crackle
that they knew so well brought every
man out of the encampment as stick
in the tee-ho1e Of hive brings out
the bees. Kynaston and Major Up
dyke ran to the top of the low hill back