Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1919-08-22
CHAPTER x-continued.
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the drawing room, with no word to
Tore with no glance even, for he
feared that now he could not let his
ewes 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 falling In that turned his bright
black eyes upon the American.
"What did she say, Josefa?' he
asked quickly. sit is the masters
key"
Eyes, Pedro" answered Stairway
dispiritedly. "But what is the use?
She does not know what door it
opens"
"But 1 know said Pedro brightly.
"You know ~ Stairway laid his
hand on the wounded mans arm.
"Tell me. Quickr'
"When the master was young he
lived in Spain, where the old master.
his father, sent him to go to school.
In the home there, builded of stones
like an old castle, senior, was a room
where many times he was locked up
by his tutor because he was wild and
did not fall in love with his books.
have heard him laugh and tell about
It to the padre from La Panza. When
he came away he brought the key to
that prison room with him. That is
bow Won have capov.
Stairway looked at the man with
swift suspicion. Pedro seemed ex-
cited over The key; a look of great
shrewdness was in his eyes, and the
key unlocked door In Spain! If he
was becoming delirious-
II am not in 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 it
was late, just before I went to the
senorita's door. 1t was habit, senior.
could not have gone to sleep unless
went there"
"Well?" sharply.
Il heard a little sound. 1t was the
scratching of window shade.
went, closed the window. and locked
1t tightly. And while looking for the
sound l saw the key in its place. 1t
was there at eleven o'clock last night,
senior"
You are sure, Pedro? You are
very certain that this key vas in the
masters room at eleven o'clock"
very certain, senior"
~ len But it is impossible, Pc
drol You say that you locked the
windows? All of them?"
"All. senor.''
"And the door as you came out?"
II locked, senior. The key was I'M
der my bed. I gave it to you just
now. And there is oniy one key upon
the rancho--only one in the world
which will unlock It'll"
But then it is impossiblei'
Stairway, restless, upon his feet,
strobe back and forth, frowning. If
the key bad been there last night, if
door and windows had been locked,
II they had been locked when he went
TO the room-then how could one OF
the men who attacked Pedro have
had it in his hand at three o'clock
Ia the morning?
You mean," he said slowly, COM
ing back to the bedside, shat the at
tack upon you and Celestlno was
made by men who are among the
mouse servants or the De la Guerra
vaqueros?"
mo, senor." There was no hesi-
tadon-the voice was confident. "The
men wore handkerchiefs about their
faces, but / know that they were not
OF our men. They were strangers to
me-"
But" cried Stairway, ''how could
saca thing be? How could they
nave gotten into the masters rOomf
men how could they have gotten to
ue senorita's room without some one
u our men seeing them? And why
should they have brought the keyT'
Inc key is heavy. good to strike
aafd blow" replied Pedro. "Jf
uiah had lost his knife and needed a
"eapon he might take it. No, senior"
But how.
stairway broke off, his eyes ran
aon Pedro's face to sweep the room, a
s,en light came into them, and the
''ood ran into his face.
NY Cod" he cried, 81 see It'll"
lou are wiser than /, senior" Pc
w smiled conlentedIy and closed his
~ looking very pale and weak.
~ ~ VIII let me have news when
80 $50 IS anything, senior? / could get
y quickly with good news"
ouahway Promised, took Pedro's
--uu quickly, turned and hurried out