The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1919-09-04
CHAPTER xI-contInued.

Dempton's pale lips opened, but no
words came forth. A little shiver ran
through him.
"We have learned everything. Demp-
ton," Stairway went on In his whis-
pering voice. "Even to the hiding
place. There Is the door," lie point
ed to the panel with the ~thumb-print
upon 1t. IL think that we can send
you to the ~penitentIary for a long time
with very little trouble. VIII you talk
BOW, DemptonT
Dcmpton hesitated, denial upon his
tips, growing fear In his eyes.
"What do you want to known he
asked in a shaking whisper. 81 Oh.
my Godi This has gone further al
ready"
81 want to know how many men are
with Tore In this thingY"
'There-there is Juarez-and-and
49,"
Don't be a fool as well as a cow
ard, Demptonr' muttered Stairway.
"You are such a petty little thief that
nobody is going to want to prosecute
you IL you help US now. There Is
Tore and Juarez and you. Who
eIseT"
81 don't know" Dempton licked
his dry lips and swayed between Vidal
and Mendoz as though he were going
20 fall. "Ch. I was a fool"
Granted. But tell what you know
while you have the chance. How
many?"
"Sevcn, / think" chartered Demp-
ton. "Seven besides Tore and Juarez.
Five inside, two outside with the
horses"
"Outside?" queried Stairway.
Eyes. To ride away, leading extra
horses. so that II would sound like a
number of riders were racing for the
border. To leave the trail which you
followed south. The other five to do
the work inside"
"And De la Guerra was never to be
taken from the houseY"
"No. 1t seemed safer this way"
"There was every hazard In 1t"
"Simply because you happened to
be at the rancho" returned Dempton
with a little flash of bitterness. Had
there been only the senorita, 1t would
have been easy to have worked on her
love for her grandfather"
"And TorreT"
"Killed a man a month ago In San
Antonio-is running away from the
gallows. With the money he expected
to make from this he could buy the
silence Of the one man who can iden-
tify him as the murderer. 1t was his
only chance"
"Juarezr
us actually q rebel captain. Tore
vas to give him his share. Then Tore
was to have q commission In the rebel
army. He looked to distinguished IA.
vors when the rebels fought their way
into power. Now"
"Now whatf"
"Now, IL he goes into Mexico the
rebels will shoot him as a traitor
That was another chance he was TAX
ing. He was to give five thousand dol
lars to the cause. For that they lei
him have Juarez and the other men
He vas to give his life II he lied te
them, II he tricked them OFF hi
failed. He could never get across the
border without their spies finding
him."
Then Gaucho returned with wore
that everything was ready. Vidal, a
Stanway's command. bound Demptor
securely once more, hand and foot. ant
tossed him to the bed as one Nigh
toss a sack Of wheat. The men hat
kicked or their shoes and boots. ant
stood eager and expectant.
Stairway, his revolver in his RICH
hand. pressed with the left thumb upoI
the spot in the paneling where anotheI
thumb had pressed.
There was a little click. and the pan
ell slid back into the wall. showing
narrow doorway, q narrow passagewa,
beyond. There were candles burning
there. their steady flames casting
clear. yellow light.
Each man keep three feet benin,
the man In front Of him." Whispers
Stairway. I'VE must have room
Vidal. Gaucho. come just behind me-"
He stepped through the door int'
the two-foot wide hallway which raj
along inside the wall, its trend east
ward and downward. There were n
steps. but the slant led quickly unde
the foundations Of the great adob