Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1919-08-07
CHAPTER ~.
Word From the Insurrectos.

uuSned TO the coming OF the sun be-
fore they turned back from a fruitless |
quest, riding again close together
toward the north.
Stairway and Gaucho had kept upon
the trail through the fields, the others
spreading out to east and west as
they rode that there might be no
chance of missing the party they
sought in the night.
But in an hour they had come into
a country where all tracks were
and vaqueros' ponies, and their trail
was smothered and lost.
Shortly before midnight they had
come upon three men, ragged, ugly
looking Mexicans, sleeping about a
camp fire which was fast dying. The
men knew nothing or professed at
ignorance, Stairway could not tell
which.
After that nothing, although they
had pushed many miles into the Mexi-
can country until they realized the ut
ter uselessness Of riding farther.
1--WE may as we'll go back, Gaucho,"
Stairway said at last. "They will want
ransom, I suppose. When they speak
We'll know what to do"
And reluctantly, his face black with
the wrath upon him, Gaucho Morales
called to his men to turn back.
The sunlight lay bright and warm
upon the oranges and their blossoms
when they rode back to the rancho,
Stairway threw himself from the
saddle, a bit stiff from long hours of
hard riding.
Then, walking slowly now, loath to
greet Teresa de la Guerra with news
of their failure, he came into the patio.
She was there waiting for him.
Nothing" he blurted out. 1--WE
have found nothing"
Il know" she said quietly. She
came toward him, putting out her
hands. you have been good to us,
Senior Billy"
He laughed a bit awkwardly.
II don't know how" he retorted. 81
have done nothing. You have not been
molested here?"
She hesitated. He saw a quick
frown gather her brows. Then.
speaking lightly, she replied, saying:
mo. But come; you must be hun.
CRY and tired out. Coffee is ready"
He went with her to the broad-open
doors.
"Torre is here?" he asked, his eyes
intent upon her face.
The frown came again, and was
gone quickly. But he had seer it.
"He is here, yes. Asleep, I think.
He was wounded. You know?"
"He is not badly hurt?"
Her tired eyes, into which sleep had
not come during the long night, grew
brightly c~ontemptuous.
"It is only his beauty which is
harmed" she said swiftly.
"Good morning, prima mia J" called
a deep, laughing voice. "Ah, still with
us, Senior Stairway"
Tore, debonair in the dark, youth
full beauty of him, greeted them at the
doorway.
"Certainly Senior Stairway is still
with us" said Teresa coolly. "He is
my guest, my grandfather's friend,
Senior Torre!"
Tore laughed and lifted his ghoul-
ders.
ENTER" he said with a g~raciousness
which was in some strange way vague
ly insulting it was as though he were
the master here, and because of his
generosity not only Stairway but the
girl as we'll were allowed upon the
premises.
Now it was Teresa who flushed.
"Come, Senior Billy" she said quiz
city. 1--WE are going to have coffee
together"
For the fraction Of a second the
two men stood fronting each other,
their level eyes filled with challenge,
with a mistrust which was little less
than hatred.
Then the Spaniard, bowling again,
turned away, with a slight smile play
ing under the small, pointed mustache,
and Stairway followed his hostess.
Pedro himself superintendent the
serving of the simple breakfast.
"Senorita," Stairway said at last,
pushing back his chair, II should like
to go back to the drawing room. There
might be something there to give us
a hint that will help u.s."
ISL" she said, g" had thought of
that. I looked last night carefully
after you had gone"
you found nothing?"
Nothing that I could understand"
she answered quietly. Something I