Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1919-10-29
CHAPTER XII.

CHAPTER xI.
"You Have OverpIayed Your Hand"
81 am afraid that 1 have been indis-
Greet, Senior Stairway" Tore, with
his old smile charged now with some
thing of mockery and much of triumph,
held out a little piece of white paper
to Stairway, who, key in hand, had
just come from Pedro on his way to
the masters room. "But 7 think that
I can plead an altogether unusual pO-
sitiOn as my excuse. You will pardon
me, senior"
Stairway took the paper, guessing
what it was, and read it swiftly:
Mi Querido Senior Billy:
from all that is horrible, there is no
way but to do what Tore asks. In
grandfather's room. behind the great
mahogany bed. there is painting on
the wall.
There is a spot in the woodwork,
three feet from the floor, ten from the
press with your finger. 1t will disclose
the banco. Give him the money-for
| the sake of
"YOu will pardon my having read
it?" again smilingly from Tore.
'Where did you set this thing?"
cried Stairway.
Tore pointed to tho window, whose
panes he had broken just before three
o'clock
'There On the t1"or. Some one
| threw it in on the floor while you were
| running so giddily across the border.
You see this is very well planned,
senior. Is it not? Even my ieuten-
ants"
''If do not do as She asks?" cut in
Stairway, his low-lidded eyes sharp up
on Torres.
Tore shrugged.
'sWho knows? Perhaps they will
| take the trouble to find priest to give
the senorita in holy matrimony to"
In sudden rage Stairway, his nerves
| jangling, his rage reddening his face,
| leaped at the man, anu as he leaped
struck, struck hard-his hard, clenched
| fist smashing into the evil smile, cut
| ting the lips so that the blood ran
|
| backward across the room.
"Shut up! he cried ln0arsely. "You
mention the senorit9 snce more and
His teeth closed with d little omi-
nous click. Tore, wiping the blood
from his lips, glared at him with a
boundless, almost speeches., rage.
"Coward!' he sneered. "Since 1 am
prisoner, with a half dozen men
ready to spring upon me, you attack
| me"
"Gaucho! called Stairway.
"Si, senor!" >Gauchos brown face
Frightening, his eyes looking happier
than they had looked for two days.
DO not interfere. Do not let your
men take hand, no matter what hap
pens" Then he swung about upon
Tore. 'Do you want to finish 1t
now?" he said CURLY.
But Tore was once more himself,
smiling, at ease, only fierce hatred
in his eyes.
"Gracias, senior" he returned. Il
shall merely make you pay for that
blow in my own way. And now l ask
another ten thousand dollars as ran
som for the old man and the girl. Ten
thousand dollars for a blow, senior
! Do you care to strike again?'
Stairway shrugged
"You have overplayed your hand,
| Tore" he said quietly. This note
from the senorita, makes me sure of
|
| Gaucho, come with me-.
With no further word, leaving
Torres mystified face looking after
him, he went out, Gaucho at his heels
"Gaucho," he said, speaking swiftly
! from beyond the closed door, II want
you to come to the masters room.
Bring some men with you-six, ten
T don't know how many we shall need.
Let two of them bring axes. Let all
carry side arms. Bring the picked
men, Gaucho; the hardest men on the
rancho. 1 think that there is gong TO
be fighting this time"
'sThe master?" cried Gaucho- Inc
senorita? You know
81 know nothing. But l think
that they have never for second LETT
the house! Hurry, Gaucho"
And Gaucho hurried, his own race
ms mystified as Torres. Stairway went
quickly to the bedroom.
Somewhere in these great thick
walls there is a passageway," he WINS
pered TO himself. ut runs from TINS
room throughout the house and to the
east wing where Teresa's rooms are.
Somewhere, down below perhaps
| there is a room, dungeon. l think
that it is jrst order the drawing room