The Ordway new era., 1918-12-20
.Nox'el

Indeed! That means something %
hide. oh, II 1 could only help your
"Heavens! II I only had some
thing-anything, to work with |" NUT
tered the American as he fell to with
redoubled energy. He no longer tried
to conserve his strength, for the
treasure seekers lust beset him. Rosa
looked on, wringing her hands and urg-
Ing him to greater haste.
But the low. thick door was built of
some hard. native wood: 1t was wet
and tough and slippery. o'Reilly's
blows made no impression upon 1t, nor
upon the heavy hasps and staples with
which 1t was secured in place. The
latter were deeply rusted. to be sure,
but they withstOod his efforts. and he
was finally forced to rest, bafiied, en-
ragged, half hysterical from weakness
and fatigue.
Daylight was Mt hand once more, but
he refused to give up, and worked on
stubbornly, furiously, until Rosa, In
an agony. besought him to desist.
Johnnie again collapsed on the grass
and lay painting while the other two
replaced the planks.
"Another hour and I'd have been into
it." he declared, husklly.
"You will skill yourself" Jacket told
him. :.
Rosa bent over him with shining
eyes and parted lips. "Yes," said she.
'Be patient. We will come back.
O'Reilly. and tonight we shall be rich"
Colonel Cobo lit black cigarette.
leaned back in his chair, and exhaled
two fierce Jets of smoke through his
nostrils. For n full moment he scowled
forbiddingly at' the sergeant who had
asked to see him.
whats this you are telling me?"
he inquired finally.
The sergeant, mean-faced, low
browed man, stirred uneasily.
at is Gods truth. There are spirits
on La Cumbre, and I wish to see the
priest about it"
"Spirits? What kind of spiritsf"
The fellow shrugged. Evil spirits
spirits from hell. The men are buying
charms"
"Bahl I took you to be a sensible
person."
"You don't believe met Well,
didn't believe them when they told me
about 1t. But saw with my own
eyes"
Cobo leaned forward, mildly aston
ished. OF all his villainous troop. this
man, was the last one he had credited
with Imagination of this sort. "What
did you see?"
"a ghost. my colonel, nothing else.
La Cumbre is no place for an honest
Christian"
The colonel burst into n mocking
laugh. IAN honest Christianl You'll
OF all my vile ruflians. you are the
vilest. Why, you're thief, liar. and
an assassin! You are lying to me now.
Come-the truth for once, before give
you the componte."
"As God is my Judge. I'm telling you
the TRUTH" protested the soldier. "Flog
me II you will-rather the componte
than another night in those trenches.
You know that old quinta7"
"Where Pancho Cueto made a goat
Of himself? Perfectly. Do you mean
to say that you saw old Esteban Va
roma walking with his head In his
hands?"
'No. but I saw that she-devil who
fell in the well and broke her neck"
"Eh? When did you behold this
this marvel?'
1.-TWO nights ago. She was there be-
side the well and her face shone
through the night like a lantern. There
was fire upon 1t. She came and went,
like moth in the lamplight. I tell
you I repented of my sins. Some Of
the men laughed at me when I told
them. as they had laughed ut the 9TH
ers. But last night two of the doubt
ers went up there"
(To BE CoNTINUED.)