The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-05-12

MIN. You'd have found yourself in n
pretty pickle if you'd let him have il,
and then claim had been made by
your prisoners that you'd taken the
stone. It would have cost you your
commission, or at least"
Like to see the stone, sir?"
"Of course should, but I'd like even
better to have drink and something
10 eat"
kynaston produced his last uottle.
and, bidding his striker" improvise a
supper, sat chatting with his visitor
till the meal was ready. When Major
Updyke was through and had rolled
cigarette, the youngster sent a trum-
peter TO give his compliments to the
priest and to ask him to come to the
:ent
The old padre, hearing the summons.
came slowly from his hot little tent
and picked his way painfully across
the stones of the trail
i heard thee asking for me, my son.
I 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
seated himself for moment upon a
great rock, clasping his hands loosely
across his knees.
presently. in answer to a 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
or the priceless jewel that Kynaston
mad 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
IL did sound like rife firing. The
low, thunderous, reverberating crackIe
that they knew so we'll brought every
man out OF the encampment as a stick
IN the tee-hole of a hive brings out
the bees. Kynaston and Major Up.
dyke ran TO the top of the low hill back
or the camp; here they had a good gen.
eral view Of the land.
1t must be another party. sir in
trouble again. Wait till l get NV
glasses; we can see more with them"
so for long half hour they sat and
watched. The sound OF the firing
grew fainter and fainter, and finally
died away, only to break out again and
again as the two officers were about to
leave the hill.
L believe I'll send a detail over
there TO see what is going on. sir. Ser
geant. go and tell the old priest that
the major and l are leaving camp and
snail not return till morning Report
70 me at my tent when you have told
him. Now, major, if you care to go
along can give you a change of cloth
ing and fairly good horse to ride"
The major nodded assent.
OF course I'll go. That's what
came down here for-to see for nv
self-and tell the general just how
things are going. Here come the
horses now"
Ten minutes later they trotted lei.
surely out of the camp, headed south
east.
A horned moon was swinging clear
OF the cloud-capped Buffalo mountains.
lhe shadows of the mesquit looked
large across the plains as they trotted
down the trail, headed for the level
lands OF the mesa across which the
old priest had so painfully made his
way the day before.
Southwark they could see in the
moonlight the dim mountains in old
Mexico, standing like silent senttnels.
looking with grim disapproval OH the
scenes Of riot and disorder, OF murder /
and or pillage that were making the !
unhappy land a veritable wilderness !
AS they reached the level ground, the
old sergeant rode back to his young
superior, his hand raised to the brim |
OF his scouting hat.
What is 1t, sergeant?" asked Rynas.
ton.
There's q little FIRE over yonder,
sir"
The gauntleted hand stabbed the
dark, It's finger in the direction of the
fre. and Kynaston's gaze followed. A
blade-shaped flame stood out In the
blackness OF the night.
What's over there? Any houses,
Any Americans live over there?" Ma
jor Updyke's query was as quick al q
shot.
Kynaston paused a moment
No, sir. That fires on the Mexi.
can side OF the line. What can Il be.
sergeant"
The sergeant puzzled a moment or
two. Then: