Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1917-02-01

seclHS AuuetteS pli6ht, qu1Sh AS
storatives-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 with
the Brute-go at ice Ill do the
rest"
Unnoticed, Inez and the Brute
obeyed. They left the room. hurried
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 &C.
tive. well trained individual. With a
loud cry he leaped across the inter-
vening space, and bounded upon the
shoulders of Hernandez.
Help, help, brothers," he command
ed.
There was help aplenty. Hernandez
fought like a mailman. but the broth
ers chung to him like leeches. Slowly,
however, he worked his way toward
the nearest exit-and then with a
mighty wrench, he threw off oil his as
sailants including Brother Anselmo.
and darted, with q mighty leap out
through the doorway.
He bounded into the arms of Neal
Hardin and his squad.
Neal saw at a glance what had hap
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 hox-but jerked away from Neal.
sprang to a window and disappeared.
Behind him he heard the steady
plup-plup of many footsteps the
steady lcpe of marines that eats up
the long miles In less time than it
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
DEE had reached the edge of the green
oasis. He screamed with pain. 1t
was as though a red hot iron had
scared him. He had been hit in the
arm.
Damn you," he screamed in pain.
I'll 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 q hottomless 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 nate-dead,
distorted. . ,
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
Misunderstanding with the pain of
his wound-up after him. Then. with
the nimbleness of a deer, the Brute
after singing Hernandez upon his
back-trotted of into the safety Of the
beyond.
Back at the monastery. Annette II.
ington opened her eyes and looked in.
to the face of Brother Anselmo.
Il am Annette Ilington." she u.
claimed, q" am the heiress Of the
Lost Isle Of Cinnabar."
Brother Anselno turned to Ensign
Neal Hardin.
Does she speak truth?" he queried.
"She does" said Neal. "and my gov.
eminent will back her to the limit.
She is what she says she is. We all
will vopch for that"
"Ah." unused Brother Anselmo.
what a wonderful thing is prayer
what q wonderful thing is Sleep.
He stopped. II have prayed" he
went on, slowly, puzzled. but not yet
have solved the mystery of the eyes
Of that big mantle eyes"
He stopped again. For the eyes Of
Annette Ilington were riveted uron
him.