The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-09-12

defiance of every statute"
Good afternoon, Mr.. Dempton."
said the rancher pleasantly. There
is no conspiracy on our part. We
merely wish to ask you a few ques-
tons, even to give you chance to get
out of this mess skin-whole. Sit down.
The senorita will be here In a mo-
ment.''
The door opened and Teresa came
in. She nodded brightly at Stairway,
bestowed a look upon Vidal which
plunged him into an ecstasy of delight,
and with no word to Dempton went to
Stanway's side.
Have / kept you waitlngT she
asked.
mo. I came in just second be-
fore you" He drew out chair for
her and turned to Vidal. "vidal, we
have few words to say to Mr.. Demp-
ton. Will you wait in the patioa I
shall call you when we want you"
"Dempton," Stairway went on, "what
passed between you and the Senior de
la Guerra last night?'
"He sent for me to make a change
in his WILL" said Dempton glibly. HE
gave no reasons for what he was do
ing, although he must have noted my
surprise"
did you know that he has been
engaged during several years on his
memoirs?"
Dempton, a lawyer trained to ask
| just such questions as that, looked at
Stairway quickly, suspiciously. He
hesitated a moment before answering.
| 81 have heard him speak of it."
Stairway smiled at the girl, which
she returned, and Dempton, plainly
puzzled, watched them closely
1.-THE law is rather severe "a the
punishment 1t metes out to kidnapers,
is it not, Mr.. Dempton?"
eyes"
'There is what you men of the law
term an accessory before the fact?"
Certainly" snapped the lawyer.
"But if you care to consult me in a
legal capacity"
81 don't" lightly. eve are sending
for Mr.. Branaon of Branson & How
ard to advise u.s."
Dempton's tongue ran back and
forth between his dry lips.
snow" went on Stanley, without
waiting for an answer, "how much
money did Tore pay you for your
part?"
Again Dempton had leaped to his
feet, his face flushed, his eyes ablaze.
you mean to insinuate-"
"SIt DOWN. Stairway caught him
by the shoulders and drove him back
into his chair. did you know that
after you had gone and before he was
spirited away Senior de la Guerra
added certain notes to his memoirs?'
what are you driving att" fumed
Dempton.
Stairway stepped to the door.
"VidaI," he called, "Mr. Dempton
will remain here in the library. You
will see that he does not grow lone
some2 Bueno." He came back to
Dempton's side and added quietly: 81
am driving at this: the senior made
certain observations upon the charac-
ter of Americanos. He mentioned the
fact that a certain man had just come
and gone whom he did not trust; he
stated why that man had come; he
mentioned a flaw that that man had
pretended to find Ali" as a look
of sudden understanding and a quick
fear with it leaped into Dempton's
small eyes. "Now you see? Shall we
leave them, senorita?"
Teresa stepped through the door,
Stairway following and closing it
after them.
wen have him scared out of his
life in no time" he chuckled by to-
morrow morning he'll be ready to tell
everything he knows if wen just
promise him twenty-four hours to dig
out in"
"You are very wonderful, Senior
Billy!"
The look she flashed him was I'M
mistakably full of gratitude; and his
leaping hope sought to read something
else in it.
'"Teresita ~ he whispered.
But she had slipped from him,
laughing, and a lacy mantilIa was in
his hands, and from the far side of
the room, as she whisked into the hall
way, she waited him kiss from her
pink finger tips.
"TeresitaT' he urged.
But the door had closed.
and" he muttered. his eyes dark
ening, 'after all, when 1 find her papa
grande for her he's just going to run
me off the rancho! Unless BY
Jupiterl I've notion to do ~
He was thinking of Padre Ignacio,
the priest at La Panza.