Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1919-09-11

But 1rSt, MendOZ, bring DemptOn
here, quick! I think he is going to !
talk now"
Mendoz hurried, and presently came
back, he and the immense Vidal, walk
ing at Dempton's right and left.
"Dempton," whispered Stairway, |
meeting him, make no sound. If he
cries QUITO Vidal and Mendoz-
eff he makes a sound choke the life
out Of him. Do you understand,
Dempton's pale lips opened, but no
words came forth. A little SILVER 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," He point
ed to the panel with the thumb-print
upon it. Il think that we can send
you to the penitentiary for a long time
with very little trouble. Will you talk
now, Dempton?"
Dempton hesitated; denial upon his
lips, growing fear in his eyes.
"What do you want to know?" he
asked in a shaking whisper. L Oh,
my God! This has gone further al
ready"
II want to know how many men are
with Tore in this thing"
"There-there is Juarez-and-and
Don't be a fool as well as a cow
ard, Dempton" muttered Stairway.
"You are such a petty little thief that
nobody is going to want to prosecute
you if you help us now. There is
Tore and Juarez and you. Who
else?"*
I'll don't know" Dempton licked
his dry lips and swayed between Vidal
and Mendoz as though he were going
to fall. "Oh, I was a fool"
nGranted. But tell what you know
while you have the chance. How
many?"
"Seven, 1 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 it 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 house?"
"No. 1t seemed safer this way"
"There was every hazard in it"
"Simply because you happened to
be at the rancho" returned Dempton
with a little flash of bitterness. clad
there been only the senorita, it would
have been easy to have worked on her
love for her grandfather"
sand Torre?"
"Killed a man q 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. It was his
only chance"
"Juarez?"
els actually a rebel captain. Tore
was to give him his share. Then Tore
was to have q commission in the rebeI
army. He looked to distinguished ia
vors when the rebels fought their way
into power. Now"
"Now what?"
"Now, if 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 For that they LEI
him have Juarez and the other men
He was to give his life if he lied tt
them, if he tricked them or-if HI
failed. He could never get across thu
border without their spies finding
him"
Then Gaucho returned with wore
that everything was ready. Vidal, a
StanWay's command, bound Demptol
securely one more, hand and foot, an,
tossed him to the bed as one nigh
toss a sack of wheat. The men ha,
kicked off their shoes and boots, an,
stood eager and expectant.
Stairway, his revolver in his RICH
hand, pressed with the left thumb upol
the spot in the paneling where anothe
thumb had pressed
There vas a little click, and the pan
ell slid back into the wall, showing
narrow doorway, a narroW passagewa.
beyond. There were candles burnln:
there, their steady flames casting
clear, yellow light.
Each man keep three feet behin'
the man in front of him." Whispered
Stanway., 1--WE 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, it's trend east
ward and downward. There were n
steps, but the slant led quickly unde:
the foundations of the great adoh'
building.
Stairway passed the first candle Sc
into a niche in the rough wood wall
Already he felt that he must be below