The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1919-06-25

.raleS and brother vaquerO, who, on
the other hand, kept their eyes always
upon the young Spaniard and their
hard, brown hands close to their hips.
The door opened and Stairway came
in. Tore did not turn, did not cease
his gay music. The two vaqueros rose
and stood looking at the American
curiOusly.
Corre," called'Stanway bIuntIy.
'Corre turned, smiled, ended a last
high note clearly. and only then bowed
very deeply to the rancher.
"At your service, Senior Stairway"
he said lightly.
"Gaucho,' said Stairway, for the
moment ignoring Tore. 81 shall be
with the senior for little. If you and
your companion will wait for me in
the patio I'll call you when 1 want
you"
"Si, senor," responded the vaquerO
promptly. And from the door. as by
way of afterthought: eve have not
searched him, senior. No doubt he is
armed"
mo doubt" dryly, from the rancher.
"It is all right, Gaucho."
The two cowboys went out. Then
pleasantly, insOlently, Tore admitted
to Stairway that he had been respOn-
sible for Senior de la Guerra's disap-
pearance, that he knew where he was,
and that the captain was his own
agent.
what" asked the rancher curious
ly, edo you gain from such an admis-
siOn"
1.-TWO things, senior. In the first
place l am meeting you upon a basis
upon which we may be able to come
to terms. 1t seems that you are really
the one for me to deal with. In the
second place." and the smile in his
eyes was hard and cruel enough now,
Il am haunting man whom do not
like. That is a pleasure"
Stairway frowned, not understand
ing.
Bring us back the senior and you
| gain your freedOm-your safety, if
you don't waste too much time getting
out of the country" he said.
"YOu ask great deal" Tore
| pulled thOughtfully at his little mus
tache. "And you offer a very little.
For 1 shall have my freedom and
safety-why, senior, at any time
please!'
you refuse my offer?"
Absolutely"
"Even," went on Stairway coolly,
"after your personal danger is aug.
mented by DemptOn's confession of
cOmplicity?"
For the first time the rancher saw
quick light of fear leap into Torres
eyes. Then the lids dropped a little
a very little, but enough to hide the
eyes-and in an instant Torres man
ner was again careless, Indifferent.
"a random shot that, no?" He lift
ed his eyes once more, and they were
frank and mirthful again. 81 am
sorry that it does not find target"
"What will you say when you are
confronted with Dempton's written
and signed confessionY
''That will never be. I know that
he has confessed to nothing"
Stairway leaned forward and tapped
his forefnger upon the table between
them. 81 shall have DemptOn's con-
fession within twenty-fOur hOursI"
Tore shook his head, smiling his in
scrutable smile.
81 have a counter-Offer to make, ="
said Tore. ''Teresita is to pay to
Captain Juarez the money which he
demands-twenty thousand dollars.
Within twenty-fOur hours from the
time that the money is paid her grand
father will walk into this drawing
room unframed"
| "And if she refuses your Offer?''
''Then, twenty-fOur hours after her
refusal, her grandfather will be dead.
property. You will accuse me of hav-
ing murdered him, and I shall deny.
1t will go to the courts. In the end
shall be cleared. You see, senior,
times are fortunately turbulent along
the border, and what has happened
| may 81 COSliy NC ldiu at thC bOOA
of the poor devils of insurrectos. You
can create suspicion, you can make
trouble. But then there is the will,
properly drawn and witnessed, and
there is something elseT'
Sand that?" curiously, wondering
how far Tore would go in showing
his hand.
"There will be other witnesses of
whom you do not guess yet-witnesses
carefully selected, who will not be
shaken in a point they make. And
they will swear that Senior de la
Guerra became very angry with his
granddaughter upon the very day of
his disappearance; that ME quarreled
openly with her; that he vowed he
would disinherit her, and that he sent
Immediately for his lawyer to make
the new will. Do you care, senior. to
know what these witnesses will prove
TO be the cause of the quarrel?"
''Wellw asked Stairway.
at will be that Teresa, needless OF
her grandfather's hatred of all Ameri-
| ha1 Foll -, ~