The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-09-19
CHAPTER xvIlI-continued.

fesSed- 81 have you, and-well. with
you at my side l can face the worst"
ooh. we won't give up until we have
to-" ne assured her. eff I had money
1t would be a simple proposition TO
bride some guard TO pass us through
the lines. but have spent all that Cen
eral BetancOurt gave me-" He
smoothed back ROsa's dark hair and
smiled reassuringly at her. We'll, I'll
manage somehow; so don't worry your
pretty head. I'll find the price. if
have to wayIay old Don Mario and rob
him. Don't you think I look like
bandit? The very sight of me would
terrify that fat rascal"
''To me you are beautiful" breathed
the girl. Then she lowered her eyes.
ga, la How l spoil you! have
quite forgotten how to be Iadylike. Isa-
bel was right when she called me
bold and forward hussy. Now, then,
please turn your face aside, for l wish
TO think. and SO long as you look at
me I cannot make love to you bra
EenIy. See Now, then, that is much
better. I shall hold your hand. so.
When kiss it you may look at me
again. for moment" Drawing her
self closer to O'ReilIy, Rosa began
fhoughtfuliy: Before you came more
than once was on the point of appeal
ing to some of my former friends, but
they are all Spaniards and we are no
longer-simpaticO you understands"
Rosa paused for his answer.
Perfectly: I'm in the same fix. OF
all the people l used to know there
isn't one but would denounce me If I
made myself known. Now that I've
been fighting with the insurrectos, I
daren't even go to the American consul
for help-if there is an American con-
sui"
Rosa nodded. then continued, hest
tatingIy: ST had a vivid dream last
night. Perhaps it was pOrtent. Who
knows? 1t was about that stepmother
of mine. You remember how she met
her death? 1 wrote you"
eyes, and Esteban also told me-"
''It was ne who recovered her body
from the well. One day, while we
were in hiding, away up yonder in the
Yumuri. he showed me an old coin"
''I know" O'Reilly said quickly. ''He
told me the whole story. He thinks
that doubloon is clue to your fathers
fortune, butt can't put much faith in
it. In fact, 1 didn't believe until this
moment that there was a doubIoon at
ALL"
"Oh, indeed there vast I saw it,
There was moment of silence dur
ing which the lovers were oblivious to
all but each other, then Rosa MUIR
INJURED: 'How strangei Sometimes
your eyes are blue and sometimes gray.
Does that mean that your love. too,
can changer"
Certainly not. But come, what
about Esteban and that doubloonP
With an effort the girl brought her
self back to earth. "Well, it occurred
to me. in the light of that dream last
might. that Esteban may have been
right. OF course nobody outside of
our family credits the old story, and
yet my father was considered very
rich man at one time Pancho Cueto
believed in the existence of the treas
.ure, and he was in position to know"
'STruel Perhaps, after all"
OReilly frowned meditatively.
Rosa lifted herself upon her elbow.
her. eyes sparkling. Wouldn't it be
wonderful if it were true? Just think.
O'ReiIly, cases of Spanish gold, silver
coins In casks. packages of gems. Oh.
I've heard Isabel talk about it often
enough"
-Don't forget those pearls from the
Caribbean. as large as plums," Johnny
smiled. 'I could never quite swallow
that. A pearl the size of a currant
would buy our freedom right now
after moment he went on, more seri-
ously: "TVe a notion to look into that
old we'll this very afternoon. Il
dare say I'm foolish, but-someho0
the story doesn't sound so improbable
as 1T did. Perhaps it is worth inves
tigating-" He made up his MIND
swiftly Tin off this very instant
When O'ReilIy emerged from the hui
he found Jacket industriously at work
over a fragment of grindstone which
he had somewhere unearthed. The boy
looked up at his friends approach ant
held outfor inspection long, thin file
which he was slowly shaping into 6
knife-blade
what do you think of that?' ht
queried proudly. ''It may come il
handy when we are ready to clear ou
of this pesthole."
where did you get it?''
''Oh, l stole it. 1 steal everything
can lay my hands on nowadays. Ont
can never tell when he may have {
throat to cut, and a file has good stee
In it."
;'Since you are such an accom-
plished thief. do you think you coulc
steal something for me?" O'ReiIiy in
quired. "a piece of roper"
Roper" Jacket was puzzled. s'Rop
Is only good for hanging Spaniards
BY friend in the fish market has
yolandra. and-perhaps can rob hin
of halyard." Laying aside his task
Jacket arose and made OF in the direc
ton OF the water front. He was bacl
within an hour, and under his shir
he carried a coil of worn but service
able rope. Without waiting to explai
his need for this unusual article
O'Reilly linked arms with the boy an
set out to climb La Cumbre. Vine
at last they stood in the unused QUAR-
and Johnnie made known his intentio
TO explore the old well, Jacket r,
garded him with undisguised amaz,
ment.