The Tomahawk., 1919-08-14
CHAPTER xI.

. man ever played!"
CHAPTER x'.
''You Have overpIayed Your Hand"
II am afraid that have been indis-
Greet, Senor Stairway" Tore, with
his old smile charged now with some
thing of mockery and much of triumph,
held out a little piece of white paper
to Stairway, who, key in hand, had
just come from Pedro on his way to
the masters room. "But think that
I can plead an altogether unusual po-
sition as my excuse. You will pardon
me, senOr?"
Stairway took the paper, guessing
what it was, and read it swiftly:
Mi Querido senor Billy:
from ali that is Horrible. there il no
erandfather's room. behind the great
1mahogany bed, there Is painting on
three | feet from the door: ten from the
press with your finger. It will disclose
ths ths tsFs haHso; Of Give him the money-for
Your Teresa.
"You. will pardon my having read
itT' again smilingly from Tore.
''Where did you get this thing!
cried Stairway.
Tore pointed to the window, whose
panes he had broken just before three
o'clock.
"There. On the floor. Some one
threw it in on the floor while you were
running so giddily across the border.
You see this is very we'll planned,
senor. Is it not7 Even my lieuten-
ants"
"If I do not do as she asks7'' cut in
Stairway, his low-lidded eyes sharp up
on Torres.
Tore shrugged.
"Who knows? \ Perhaps they will
take the trouble to find priest to give
the senorita in holy matrimony to-"
In sudden rage Stanway, his nerves
jangling, his rage Feddening his face,
leaped at the man, and as he leaped
struck, struck hard-.his hard, clenched
fist smashing into tho evil smile, cut
ting the lips so that the blood ran
from them, sending Tore reeling
backward across the room.
'Shut up!" he cried hoarsely. 'You
mention the senorita once more and"
His teeth closed with a little omi-
nous click. Tore, wiping the blood
from his lips, glared at him with
boundless, almost speechless, rage.
Coward ~ he sneered. "Since I am
a prisoner. with a half dozen men
ready to spring upon me, you attack
me"
"Gaucho!" called Stairway.
Isl, senorw Gaucho's brown face
his eyes looking happier
than they had looked for two days.
DO not interfere. Do not let your
men take hand. no matter what hap
pens." Then he swung about upon
Tore. "Do you want to finish 1t
nowr' he said curtly.
But Tore was once more himself,
smiling, at ease, only q fierce hatred
in his eyes.
"Gracias, senorl'' he returned. 81
shall merely make you pay for that
blow in my own way. And now l ask
another ten thousand dollars as ran
som for the old man and the girl. Ten
thousand dollars for a blow, senor!
Do you care to strike againr
Stairway shrugged.
"You have overplayed your hand,
Torre," he said quietly. '.This note
from the senorita makes me sure Of
what I was beginning to suspect.
Gaucho, come with me-"
With no further word, leaving
Torres mystifed face looking after
him, he went out, Gaucho at his heels.
"Gaucho," he said, speaking swiftly
from beyond the closed door, II want
you to come to the masters room.
Bring some men with you-six, ten
I 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"
81 know nothing. But think
that they have never for q second left
the house! Hurry, Gaucho!"
And GauchO hurried, his own face
as mystified as Torres. Stanway went
quickly to the bedroom.
R> yHSk
walls there is passagevay," 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 fs a room, q dungeon. think
That 1t h Just under the drawing room;