The St. Mary banner., 1919-10-04

Stairway did not stop to eat or to
rest. He drank thirstily at the leap.
ing fountain in the patio, and went
Immediately to the house and to the
room which was now an improvised
hospital ward for the accommodation
of Pedro and Celestino.
He found Pedro conscious, very
white and weak from the blood which
he had lost. A doctor had come
from La Panza and had gone, leaving
his simple directions and simpler
medicines
Pedro would live.
Here knife had bit deep and had
cost Pedro much blood but by for
tune and a fraction Of an inch no
vital point had been reached
Celestino. as white and more weak
than Pedro, lay very still, not having
once regained consciousness, He
might live, for Celestino had Won
that great frame Of his The doctor
would come again, tonight or early
tomorrow
PEDRO" asked Stairway, with Il
quick glance at the other bed and
then coming to Pedros side, "how are
things with you?'
Not so bad. senor," Pedro an
swered family. ''The Senorita?"
we have not found her yet" Stan
way admitted regretfully. but we
shall find her soon, Pedro. Did you
see the men who attacked you? Do
you know where they came from?
We had Sentinels out all night. They
SWore that no men came from across
the border"
Pedro shook his head.
81 was asleep. senior Then heard
Celestino call out. l thought he was
dreaming. l sat up. half asleep, you
know, senior. Then | saw. There
were three men, I think. Perhaps
four. | don't know. One struck poor
Celestino as he sat up, and another
upon me too, and | heard the seno-
rita cry out, and they struck me over
the head and put a knife into me
here"
"And then they rushed into the Sc
norita's room?"
1T is so hard to know what hap
pened. senOr. | don't think that they
went into the senorita's room. When
1t is always the first thing which !
see when | wake 1t was closed.
81 think that it was locked. | tell
you I heard her call out while Celes-
tino was being struck, before they
made everything go black for me.
There were other men in there.
Il suppose they came through the
balcony But these men-where did
they go? How did they come I'M"
His voice sank to a trembling whis-
per. "Senor, can it be that some Of
the servants are traitors? That they
have let these men in and let them
go?"
THAT IS what | have been think
ing all day, Pedro. But you mustn't
talk too much this time. I'll come
to see you again"
"Wait minute, senior. There Is
one Other thing"
Stairway cane back swiftly.
what fs itt" ne demanded sharply
seeing a light in Pedro's eyes which
had not been in them before.
"It is something which | found. 1t
fell from the hand of one Of the men
when Celestino struck back at him.
had ihem bring 1t to me here.
have plot talked about IT; have
waited hfor YOU"
His .and was fumbling under his
blanket, and he brought key, very
heavy and old, made rudely of iron
and, like the old keys of the mission
days, some eight inches long.
Il avn not sure" Pedro whispered,
his eyG feverishly bright. "You can
tell. Gall for Josefa. She cares for
the selhr's rooms. Have her go there
with sou Let her see if anything is
misst,g. She will know; she has
caredSfor his rooms for twenty years
win 1ou let me know, senor7 Here
is tn J key"
A y.dden hope leaped up into Stan
ways heart as his hand closed about
the cid key, hope which in no way
could he explain. If this were the
key which unlocked the place where
the old master--yes, and the young
mistress had been hidden, what
then? He was as far as ever from
knowing where wGs the lock which
this kew fitted. And yet PedrO'1