Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1919-08-28

~ IAN A6ASSS /
wish of a guest is"
"Get down to business If you have
any," Stairway interrupted bluntly,
"What is IT."
II want a 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
it aloud" Stairway retorted. II am
tired of your way Of doing business.
Tore. Now, what is it?"
Tore shrugged.
'Then I shall be SILENT" he said
carelessly. 81 think that you are max.
ing a 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 Of them as
watchful, his eyes as keen aud sus-
pacious as at the. beginning of their
wight at dusk.
And yet, in spite of all this secur.
ity, in spite of the fact that Stairway
and the De Ia Guerra servants were
armed and their two prisoners I'm.
armed, the rancher had the odd feel
inr th0f fhoro " a ,uool-nocc in hSc
position which he could not see, but
which was 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 it?"
He had stepped to the far corner Of
the room, motioning two of the loung-
ing cowboys out of earshot. Tore,
d%ebonair, his manner gracefully in
different, stopped at the big mahog-
any table to light his cigarette at one
of the candles and came to Stanway's
side.
"Thank you, senor," he said, his
voice very low now, his words guard
ed so that none but the rancher
might hear them. "For this is in the
way of a kindness to me, although
you do not know that yet"
ut is not meant that way, so keep
your thanks" returned Stairway. II
am waiting"
"Bueno. Now first I want you to
remember this: l am in the position
to be the key to the situation, and
you must see that. If for any reason
the vaqueros in some sudden fit Of
rage should seek to put a violent end
to my gay little existence" He
shrugged. 1T would be like a man
in a prison cell destroying the key
to his liberty, senior"
$50 on. Needless to say I don't
understand"
"You will in a moment" He
glanced at his watch. 1T is almost
three. This you must understand: If
such a thought should come into the
vaqueros' bloody minds 1 shall look to
you as my protector.
1NOW Ill ali, Ills SLullc, Ills very
carriage eloquent of a laughing i'm
pudence, he stepped close to the
shattered window-"now something
is going to happen"
. Suddenly his hand shot out and a
pane fell from the window, broken
into many pieces, tinkling upon the
carpet. Tore put his face to the
opening he had so rudely made and
called out sharply, aloud:
"Ahora, ~companeros! Strike I"
A revolver flashed into sight in
Stanway's hand; a revolver was in
the hand Of each vaquero in the
room. The air was charged with ex-
p%ectancy.
"Watch him:" called out Stairway.
Jerk him back frem the window !''
While he was speaking he had
struck one of the candlesticks from
the table; Gaucho had understood
and had put out the other lights. The
room sank into swift, impenetrable
darkness.
Three of the cowboys had thrown
themselves upon Tore, dragging him
back, holding his arms pinioned at
his sides. Stairway, with no minute
lost, threw open the shutters, raised
the window and peered out into the
night.
1t was very still. He could see
little enough, but his straining eyes
ran back and forth along the wall of
the house and were certain hat there
we're no lurking forms there. His
ears told him of the heavy breathing
Of the men behind him, but brought
him no sound of men without.
Remember, senor," called Tore,
his painting voice telling of the treat
ment he was being accorded by men
who hungered to take justice into
their own hands. Remember about
the key"
Stairway closed the window and the
shutters, calling to Gaucho for q
light. The flicker of the match