Judsonia weekly advance., 1918-09-18

night at his task Long before the last rock had yielded, however, he be- held that which caused him to turn strained face upward to Rosa.
 "There's little door, as sure as you live" he told her.
 The girl was beside herself with ex- was a fantastic idea, nevertheless citement. "Yes? What else2 What more do you see?'
 Nothing. It appears to be made of solid timbers. and has two huge hand wrought locks"
 'Locks Then we have found it." Rosa closed her eyes, she swayed mo- mentarily. "Esteban was right. Locks, indeed That means something to hide Oh If I could only help youl"
 Heavens! If I only had some thing-anythlng, to work with" mutt 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, wrnging her hands and urg- ing him to greater haste.
 But the low. thick door was built of some hard. native wood: it was wet and tough and slippery. O'Reilly's 1 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. baffied, en- ragged, half hysterical from weakness and fatigue.
 Daylight was at 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 panting while the other two replaced the blanks.
 Another hour and I'd have been into it." he declared huskily.
 "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, l O'Reilly,. and tonight we shall be rich"
 
 Colonel Cobo lit a black cigarette, leaned back in his chair, and exhaied two fierce jets of smoke through his nostrils. For full moment he scowled forbiddingly at the sergeant who had asked to see him.
 "Whats this you are telling mel" he inquired finally. The sergeant, a mean-faced, low browed man, stirred uneasily.
 "It is Gods truth. There are spirits 1 I yioh ta iho priest about it."
 Spirits? What kind of spirits?"
 The fellow shrugged. Evil spirits spirits from he'll The men are buying charms"
 Bah! I took you to be sensible person."
 "You don't believe me? Well, didn't believe them when they told me about it. But I 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 a mocking laugh. "An honest Christian! Youi Of all my vile ruffians you are the vilest. Why, you're a thief, liar. and an assassin! You are lying to me now. Come-the truth for once, before I give you the componte."
 "As God Is my judge. Pm telling you the truth" protested the soldier. "Flog me if you will-rather the cOmponte than another night in those trenches. You know that old quinta?"
 "Where Rancho Cueto made 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 l fell in the we'll 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 it. She came and went. like moth in the lamplight tell you I repented of my sins. Some of the men laughed at me when I told them. as they had laughed at the oth- CTS. But last night two of the doubt CTS went mp there" (TO BE CONTINUEDJ