The Ordway new era., 1919-08-22
CHAPTER vIiI-continued.


to hear. Twenty thousand dollars
now. Immediately. or I give you my
word as a gentleman that when the sun
Is up you will rush to m, trying to
make terms. and shall then answer
you by demanding fifty thousandi"
The threat In the mans voice again
disturbed Stanway. He had a feeling
which he could not entirely reason
down that Tore meant what he was
saying. Then he looked at the half
dozen stern-featured. faithful servants.
who served the De la Guerra as old
subjects served beloved sovereign;
saw them watchful. armed, eager for
an excuse to fling themselves upon
their two captives; and, frowning at
his own fears. he went to his room.
His windows faced westward and to
the south.
He stood before one of them which
looked to the border half ready to ex-
pect rush of cavalry through the
olive trees.
He saw the olive trees sway to the
little. warm wind from the south;
watched his window curtains pulsing
slowly like one breathing; noted how
the moonlight gilded the ripe fruit
upon the orange trees, and. with last
look toward the eastern wing of the
house, where a little balcony jutted
out among roses, he jerked down his
shade. fastened his window, placed
revolver upon the chair at his side,
and went to bed.
low. insistent rapping at his door
way awakened him.
Stairway sat up In bed. a sudden
shiver of uneaslness upon him.
"WhO 1t ISL" he called sharply.
at is Lugo, senor Senior Tore
sends me with message. 1t Is to
come to the drawlng-room Immediate
iy. He has something to say to you.
He says it is very important. He In
sists you come to him before 1t Is
three o'clock-within fifteen minutes"
"He has his nerve" muttered STAN
way. "Tell him to be more explicit or
to go to the devil"
"Si, senor."
Lugo chuclsled his approval. and
hurried away through the still house.
Stairway lay back upon his bed and
closed his eyes. only to open them
quickly to stare into the darkness Of
his room.
He was remembering those forebod-
ings which had come to him with Tor
res yelled threats; he was feeling an
uneasiness which he could not drive
out. Tore had sent for him in the
middle of the night
Again he sat up, cropping for matches
and candlestick. In the little yellow
glow he saw that 1t lacked but ten
minutes of three. He sprang out of
bed, drew on his clothes hurriedly, and
fastened to the drawing-room.
"Ah, senior. you are very kind" Tor
res smile was full of mock-polIteness.
ITO trouble yourself so at the lightest
wish of a guest is"
Get down to business If you have
any" Stairway interrupted bluntly.
'.What is lit"
Il want word with you In pri-
vate," Tore answered quietly. The
man was fully dressed and now rose
from the couch upon which he had
been lying. 'There is no objection to
the others being in the room, but at
least let us stand at the far side of the
chamber so that they may not hear"
''If you have anything to say. say
Ii aloud" Stairway retorted. "I am
tired of your way of doing business,
Tore. Now, what is it?"
Tore shrugged.
-Then I shall be SILENT" he said
carelessly. II think that you are max
ing mistake, senor."
Was he? Stairway didn't know. He
looked about the room. Juarez
seemed to be sleeping heavily upon
his couch; the vaqueros. seven of
them. sat along the walls or lounged
about the room. each man of them .as
watchful, his eyes as keen and sus-
pIcious as at the beginning of their
vigil at dusk.
And yet, in spite of all this secur-
ity. in spite of the fact that Stairway
and the De In Guerra servants were
armed and their two prisoners un-
armed, the rnncher had the odd feel
Ing that there was weakness in his
position which he could not see, but
which MAS very plain to the smiling
Tore. And then his curiosity de-
cided him.
Come" he said after a brief mo-
ment. And then again: "Now, what
Is lt?"
He had stepped to the far corner of
the room, mOtioning two Of the loung-
ing cowboys out Of earshot Tore,
.debonair, his manner gracefully in
different. stopped ut the big mahog-
any table to light his cigarette at one
OF the candles and came to Stanway's s
side.
THANK you. senor." he said. his
voice very low now, his words guard
.,l GO that pona hut tho ranchar