The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-05-19


the hatch, but he was too weak TO
pull himself up and Dick saw him and
hauled him on deck.
Where is Screweye," he demanded.
Scarface weakly pointed below, re-
plying:
He done 1t. The fires his fool
idea"
Dick leaped back into the hold and
reappeared with the body of the out
law, which he laid on the deck. His
ect Of chivalry was in vain, however,
for Screweye was dead.
The fire had hardly been extin-
guished when Tomas, leaning over
the side of the vessel. noticed how
low she sat.
Dick looked at Scarface who weak
ened and indicated where the hole
was, and over the side Dick dove, to
reappear shortly with the order:
Hand me the smallest boat fender,
quick"
Again diving he succeeded In forcing
this into the hole, and the schooner
proceeded on an uneventfu voyage to
the fishing port where Lopez had
rented the vessel.
Landing and finding their automO-
bile safe where they had left 1t, no
time was wasted in placing the treas
ure In the car and provisioning 1t for
the trip across the desert and home.
Scarface they left securely bound near
the dock, but when their attention
was elsewhere the widow of Lopez
happened along and hearing his story
released the outlaw, who made his
way back from the settlement, much
to the relief of his captors, who did
not relish his company and who felt
they had nothing more to fear from
him.
Scarface started out alone across
the desert, coming to camp Of Mexi-
can bandits, whose leader recognized
him, and who eagerly assented to the
outlaws plan to waylay the auto and
get the treasure.
The treasure-hunters found II slow
travelling in that stretch Of desert and
The next noon camped on bluff over
looking another stretch Of desert, on
which could be seen an outpost for
Q. 8 cavalry patroling the border.
The car and the one horse, ridden by
| Tomas, were parked near the bluff
ard dinner was being prepared when
they saw the approaching bandits and
at once realized they were about to
| be attacked.
"The machine cannot skirt this bluff
and we cant leave the gold. We've
got to fight" declared Dick. Then, as
an afterthought, he said:
There are United States troops
over there. If we could get word to
| them"
Polly at once volunteered and point
ing at the horse, said:
~ can't fight as well as you, but I
can ride"
The others began to demur, hut
Polly was In the saddle and snatching
kiss from Dick was away before
they could stop her.
The bandits were taken aback by
the stiffness of the defense, and after
two Of their men had been killed, their
leader and Scarface held a confer
ence, after which the latter made this
proposition to Dick:
"Come out and let's decide 1t man
to man. If you beat me- you 90
free with the treasure. If beat you,
take all but your lives. We fight
with knives-guns barred"
vainly Dicks companions strove to
dlssuade him from engaging In so
desperate and needless struggle. but
they might as well have talked to
the wind. Dicks fighting blood was
up and every nerve and muscle in
his powerful frame was taut as a
harp string. The thought of all the
suffering that Scarface had caused
Polly and the rest Of the party, as
we'll as remembrance of their lost
comrade, Chu was as oil to flame
A dozen times had the outlaw sought
10 murder them In cold blood, and
even now he did not know that Polly
IN her brave ride to save them had
not been lost In the desert and was
slowly pershing. Fiercely he pushed
the hands of his friends aside.
"Let me alone. This scoundrel II
not at to live, and 1t has been or
iained that am the one to send
him to his just accounting. You neet
not fear for me because l am hi
master as man to man. But II through
accident the battle should turn against
me-"
YES" they cried, drawing cl0s'
around him.
| Tell Polly, God bless her, that
loved her and died thinking only o,
her." Pushing them aside he drew II
his belt, and telling the others t.
stand ready with their rifles for fou
play, he advanced and closed In will
Scarface at the edge of the bluff.
j was a terrific battle, but Dick sooI
began getting the upper hand. III