The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1919-06-11

us ID young puppyr' snapped
Stairway irritably.
with u.s." said Miss Teresa stiffiy,
zone does not swear in the presence
of a lady. Nor does he insult her
through her kinsmen."
II beg pardon-honestly / do, Tere-
sita," Stairway FASTENED to say. "But
you shouldn't mention the young rep
robate's name if you don't want me
to swear, and you know it. Now I'm
coming up"
His hand was again among the vines
seeking a hold somewhere and being
Knocked by the smooth adobe wall.
Teresa de la Guerra, alarmed, was.
upon her feet protesting. And then:
"Shw she called down to him. at
is papa grande. 1 heard him call. An
other time, Senior Billy. Some other
night-maybe tomorrow, who knows
and shall steal out for a little walk
with you. 1 must go now Buenas
noches, Senior Billy"
1t was softly said, and there was
the caress of the soft southern speech.
Il am coming, tOo," he called up to
her. And she knew that he. meant
what he said. 81 shall come around
to the patio and so to the front door.
I am going to talk with your grand
father tonight, Teresa mine!"
A laugh fioated out and down to
him, a rose fell, striking against his
cheek, there was the glimmer and fiut-
ter of mantilla among the vines, and
the girl had stepped back through the
window, closing it behind her.
She stood a moment, hesitant, her
cheek little pale. Then the thought
that even now Stairway was on his
way around the great house to the
patio drove her in haste first to her
mirror and the rearranging of her hair
the rose vine had disturbed, then to
quick descent of the broad stairway
to the main floor.
The utter stiffness Of the drawing
candles were like Shimmering ghosts.
De la Guerra was not ia the room.
Immediately she was dimly con-
scious of an unreasonable sense of I'M
easiness, even before she had the
vagueSt reason for it.
And then the reason asserted itself
A chair lay overthrown, little way
from the chair a rug was crumpled
and thrown back, the ink bottle which
had been upon the table lay upon the
floor.
AS her eyes saw, her brain under
stood.
And as she stared, before her voice
had found it's way to her lips, she
heard a sharp knocking at the front
door.
She ran to it swiftly, threw it wide
and whispered fearfully:
"Senor Billy, I am frightened.
Look!"
He looked the way her pointing fin
ger went, moment in frowning fail
ure to comprehend, then in sudden
black anger.
"You mean" he cried sharply.
"Yes," she whispered, clinging to
bis arm. ga moment ago I heard him
call out. II was talking with you
and did not heed, but there was anger
in his voice. 1 came down and-look,
he is gone! There was struggle
see the chair thrown down, the rug,
the ink spilled there!"
Stairway left her side, striding alb
ruptly to where the bottle lay.
There was dark smear on the car
pet near it. He leaned over it, stOop-
ing, seeing the candles reflected from
the dark surface.
And his face, too, was very white
as he Strengthened up, drawing a deep
breath between his teeth.
He managed to stand between the
girl and the dark smear.
"Get Pedro" he commanded sharply.
"Have him call the servants, the va
queros, every man of them. Have
them come armed"
The girl turned and ran swiftly
through the great rooms, down the
long hallway to do his bidding, sharp
fear clptching her heart. Stairway,
when she had gone, stepped quickly
across the room, snatched up a rug
there and threw it down upon the car
pet, covering the dark spot near the
| bottle.
Then he stood still, waiting.
AS he waited there came to him
from the silence without faint drum.
ming sound, the noise of horses hoofs
in a mad tattoo of flight through the
| night.
1.-The rebels" he nuttered angrily
"They are taking what is left of him
back across the border"
He ran to the window. The curtain
there was torn. Moonlight and candle
light showed him where wood and
plaster were scratched as in a hHr
| ried exit.
Then Teresa had come back to him
her great eyes wide with alarm, and
the servants were already trooping in
sleepy-eyed and mystifed.
CHAPTER III.
Eduardo Ramon Tore.
| Their master was NOT hprn. fhpil