The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1919-07-09

Stared at the Cumbersome Key.
seemed to him to be hiding from him
the things he wanted to know.
1t seemed to him that suddenly it
had grown cold there in De la Guer-
ra's bedroom.
He shivered, and, taking up his
candle, went his way back through
the drawing room, with no word to
Tore, with no glance even, for he
feared that now he could not let his
eyes go to the handsome, evil face
and keep his hand back, and at last
to Pedro'S bedside.
Pedro, waiting for him impatiently,
tried to lift himself upon an elbow,
and failing in that turned his bright
black eyes upon the American.
"What did she say, JOsefa?" he
asked quickly. at is the masters
key?"
"Yes, Pedro" answered Stairway
dispiritedly. "But what is the use?
She does not know what door it
opens"
"But 1 known said Pedro brightly.
"You knOw!" Stairway laid his
hand on the wounded mans arm.
"TeIl me. Quick!"
"When the master was young he
his father, sent him TO go to school.
In the home there, builded of stones
like an old castle, senior, was room
where many times he was locked No
by his tutor because he was wild and
did not fall in love with his books.
l have heard him laugh and tell about
if to the padre from La Panza. When
he came away he brought the key to
that prison room with him. That is
the key you have, senOrw
Stairway looked at the man with
swift suspicion. Pedro seemed ex-
cited over the key; look of great
shrewdness was in his eyes, and the
key unlocked door in Spainl If he
was becoming delirious-
81 am not in a fever, senOr," said
Pedro quickly, seeing the thought in
| the Americans eyes. But that key
tells me something. Every night be-
| fore going to my bed go to the mas
| ter's room to see if he wishes any
thing, to take any commands for the
next day. | went last night after il
was late, just before 1 went to the
senOrita's door, 1t was habit. senior
/ could not have gone to sleep unless
l went there"
"WellT sharply.
! 81 heard a little sound. 1T was the
scratching of a window shade.
went, closed the window, and locked
it tightly. And while looking for the
sound I saw the key in its place. II
was there at eleven o'clock last night
senior"
"You are sure, Pedro? You are
very certain that this key was in tht
masters room at eleven o'clock"
''Very certain, senior"
"Then- But it is impossible, Pc
dro! You say that you locked the
windows? All of them"
"AIl, senor."
"And the door as you came out"
81 locked, senior. The key was un
| der my bed. gave it to you jus
now. And there is only one key upoI
the rancho-Only one in the worlt
which will unlock it,
| 'But then it is impossible"
Stairway, restless, upon his feet
strobe back and forth, frOwning. L
the key had been there last night, i
door and windows had been locked
if they had been locked when he wen
to the room-then hoy could one, O
the men who attacked Pedro hav'
had it in his hand at three O'clocl
in the morning? -
''You mean," he said slowly, com
ing back to the bedside, shat the at
tack upon you and Celestfno wa
made by men who are among tn
house servants or the De la Guerr;
vaquerOsW
mo, senor.' There was no hest
tation-the voice was confident. 9Th
men wore handkerchiefs about tn i
faces, but know that they were no
of our men. They were strangers t
me-"
But" cried Stairway, '.how coul'
such a thing be? How could the
have gotten into the masters room
| Then how could they have gotten t
the senorita's room without some on
of our men seeing them! And VIII
L.