The St. Mary banner., 1919-10-11

from beyond the closed door, 81 want |,
you to come to the masters room.
Bring some men with you-six, ten"
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. | think that there is going to
be fighting this time"
THE master?" cried Gaucho. THE
senorita? You know"
II know nothing. But I think
that they have never for a second left
the house. Hurry, Gaucho!" :"
And Gaucho hurried, his own face
as mystified as Torres. Stairway went
quickly to the bedroom.
Somewhere in these great thick
walls there is a passageway," he whis-
pered to himself. 1T runs from this
| room throughout the house and to the
east wing where Teresa's rooms are.
Somewhere, down below perhaps
| there is a room, dungeon. | think
that it is just under the drawing room;
| think that that is where De la Guerra
| is; that many of the things which
Tore said were meant to be heard by
the old man that they might taunt and
mock him; l think that Torres men
down there heard the crashing glass,
the words which went with it. l think
that we are going to find De Ia Guerra
and Teresa there"
He studied the walls.
There was nothing to hint at a secret
door.
He moved out the bed. found the
spot which Teresa's note told of, set
his thumb to it, and saw panel drop
down. shelfWiSe, showing a great iron
safe set in the wall. The safe was
locked, the key missing But he knew
that he had found De la Guerra's bank.
He closed the panel swiftly as Gaucho
and his men came to the door.
"Que es, senor?" Gaucho asked
quickly. And the black eyes of the
dark-faced men thronging behind him
eager, eXpectant-told as well as
words that Gaucho had whispered to
his men that the Americana had plan,
that hope lay behind it.
"Come in, Gaucho. Shut the door.
How many men,"
They entered as he spoke. He count
ed as the last man closed the door be-
hind him.
"Ten, senior. Five more are COM
ing"
"And"-sternly-" can vOuch for
them, for all of them? You can trust
every man to the uttermost, Gaucho?'
"To the uttermost, senor," as stern
Iy. '"TO the death in the service of
the master and"-his voice breaking
little-"the senorita."
"And the other five?"
"The same"
"Goodl This is my plan. Come
close, all Of you"
. He addressed them in Spanish
speaking swiftly, his voice lowered sc
that the men must crane their necks
and lean forward to hear. He told
them of his hope that those they
sought had never been taken out OF
the hacienda.
"NOw," he ended, there is no doubt
passageway running from here to the
senOrita's rooms. If we find this enc
Of it and attack they may escape a,
the other end. SO we must be ready
: "Gaucho, send two men into the
; senorita's rooms. Let them be ready
armed and watchful. Send two more
to the stairway. Let Tore and Juarel
be bound and watched over by one
man only, man whom you can trus'
and who will blow their brains out be
fore he lets them escape"
Let every other man in the house
be armed and ready. Then"
"Then, senor?" eagerly.
"Then"-with quiet determination
:, 1--WE shall find where the passage Is L
we have to tear down the walls. Hurry
: Gaucho"
Gaucho ran upon his errand, callin.
l by name the men he wished to go Will
him. Stairway, bidding those with hin
to be very silent, not knowing wha
!. means the men he sought might hav'
of overhearing what happened in th'