The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-10-10
CHAPTER xconsInued,
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the driving room, with no word to
Tore with no glance even, for he
feared that now he could not let his
eyes SO to the handsome, evil face
and keep his hand back, and at last
10 pedro's bedside.
Pedro, waiting for him impatiently,
tried to lift himself upon nm elbow,
and falling In that turned his bright
black eyes upon the American.
''What did she say. Josefn?n he
asked quickly. 1T Is the masters
key?H
Yes, Pedro" answered Stairway
dlspirltedly. 'But what IL the use?
She does not know what door II
opens"
''I3ut ] know !" said Pedro brightly.
''Yeu known Stanway laid his
hand on the wounded mans arm.
'grell me. QnIck"
''When the master was young he
lived IN Spain. whore the old master,
his father, sent him 10 70 to school.
In the home there, bulldcd OF stones
like an old castle, senior, WINS 4 room
where many times he WINS locked up
by his tutor because he WINS Wild and
did not fnil In love with his books
] have heard him laugh and tell about
Il to the padre from In panza. When
ne came away he brought the key to
that prison room with him. That Is
the key yon have, senorr
Stairway looked at the man with
swift suspicion. Pedro seemed ex-
cited over the key; q look Of great
shrewdness was In his eyes, and the
key unlocked door in Spalnl If he
was becoming delirlous--
II am not In a 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 90 to the mas
ter's room 10 see II he wishes any
thing TO take any commands for the
next day, ] went last night after It
was late, just before / went to the
senorita's door. II was habit, senior.
could not have gone to sleep unless
/ went there
''wellf' sharply.
II heard little sound. II was the
scratching OF window shade. i
went, closed the window. and locked
Il tightly, And while looking for the
sound ! saw the key In its place, 1t
WINS there al eleven o'clock last night,
senior"
''You are sure. Pedro2 You are
very certain that this key was In the
masters room at eleven o'clockT"
'Very certain, senior"
'sThen-- But II Is impossible. PEE
droi You say that you locked the
windows7 All OF them?"
sAll, aenorn
''And the door as you came outT'
II locked senior. The key was UNI
der my bed / gave II to you just
now. And there Is only one key upon
the rancho--only one In the world
which win unlock itl"
"But then It d imposslhlei"
Stairway, restless, upon his feet.
strobe back and forth. frowning. II
the key had been there last night, If
door and windows mad been locked.
II they had been locked when he went
to the re0nA--then how could one Of
the men who attacked Pedro have
had II IN his hand at three o'clock
IN the morningG
''You mean" he said slowly. com
ing back 10 the bedside. ''that the at
tack upon you and Celestino was
made by men who are among the
house servants or the De In Guerra
yaqueros9r
EMO, senior" There was NO hest
tation-the voice was confident. ''The
men wore hRndkerchtefs about their
faces. but / know that they were not
of our men. They were strangers to
me"
''But,. cried Stairway, chow could
such thing be7 How could they
have gotten into the masters r0omi
Then how could they have gotten to
the senorita's room without some one
of our men seeing them? Aud why
should they have brought the key2'
1.-THE key is heavy, good to strike q
hard blow replied Pedro. ''If q
man had lost his knife and needed .
weapon he might take it. No. senior
''But how
Stairway broke OFF, his eyes rar
from Pedro's face to sweep the room, 9
sudden light came into them, and the
blood ran into his face.
'sMy God" he cried, 81 see tt"
"You are wiser than I, senior" Pc
tro smiled contentedly and closed hi.
eyes. looking very pale and weak
''You will let me have news wheI
there is anything, senior? could &c
well quickly with good news"
Stairway promised, took Pedro
hand qp@zly, turned and hurk 60 on