The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-06-27

passed this way, senor?-
yes, they have passed. i'm
agined they, too, were In some oil
excitement, such was their haste
that prevented them from courte-
ously passing the time Of day and
stating their destination. Have they
committed some oRense? But I
should not ask. Senior Enrico So
lano Is too honorable q man"
Which way did they goF' the
jefe demanded thrusting himself
breathlessly forward from the rear
OF his gendarmes with whom he had
just caught up.
And while the haciendado and HIS
overseer temporized and preVari-
Gated and indicated an entirely diff
ferent direction. Torres noted one
OF the poems, leaning on his spade,
listening. And still while the jefs
was being misled and was giving
orders to proceed on the false scent,
Torres flashed a silver dollar privily
to the listening peon. The peon
nodded his head in the right diree-
ton, caught the coin unobserved.
and applied himself to his digging
at the root OF the large stump.
Torres eountermanded the 1efe's
order.
The Order COUntermanded.
I'VE shall go the other way
Torres said. with q wink to the
Jeffe. "A little bird has told me
that our friend here Is mistaken
and that they have gone the other
way"
As the posse departed on the hot
trail the haciendado and his over
seer looked at each other in con-
sternation and amazement. The
overseer made q motion Of his lips
for silence, and looked swiftly at
the group OF laborers. The offend
ing peon was working furiously
absorbedly, but another peon,
with a barely perceptibIe nod Of
head, indicated him to the over
seer.
There's the little bird" the over.
seer cried, striding to the traitor
and shaking him violently.
Out Of the poems rags flew the
silver dollar.
"Ah. ha," said the haeiendado
grasping the situation. "He has
become suddenly affluent. This Is
horrible, that my poems should he
wealthy. Doubtless he had muir
dered some one for that sum. Beat
him and make him confess"
The creature, on his knees. the
STICK OF the overseer raining blows
on his head, made confession Of
what he had done to earn the dol
lar.
Beat him! Beat him some more,
Beat him to death, the beast who
betrayed my dearest friends" the
haciendado urged placidIy. But
no-caution. Do not beat him to
death, but nearly so. We are short
or labor now. and cannot afford the
full measure Of our just resentment.
Beat him to hurt him much, but
that he shall be compelled to Law
OH work no more than a couple Of
VI the Immediately subsequent
agonies. adventures and mfsadven-
lures or the peon a volume might
De written which would be the epic
OF his life. Besides. to be beaten
COLI
template or dwell upon. Let IL suf-
fee to tell that when ne had re-
cetved no more than part OF his
beating he wrenched free, leaving
half Of his rags in the oversesr's
grasp. and fed madly for the Jun
gle, out footing the overseer. who
was unused to rapid locomotion
save when on a horses back
Such was the speed of the
wretched creatures flight, spurred
on by the pain OF his decorations
and the fear OF the overseer that,
plunging wildly on, he overlook
the SOlano party and plunged out
of the jungle and into them as
they were crossing a shallow
stream. and fell upon his knees,
for mercy.
He whimpered because Of his be-
trayal OF them. But this they did
not know, and Francis, seeing his
pitiable condition, fingered behind
long enough to unscrew the metal
top from a pocket flask and revive
him with a drink OF half the con-
tents. Then Francis FASTENED on.
leaving the poor devil muttering
inarticulate thanks ere he dived or
into the sheltering jungle in a diff
overworked. his body gave way,
and he sank down in collapse in
the green covert.
Next, Alverez Torres In the lead
and tracking like a hound. the gem
darmes at his back. the Jefe pant
ing in the rear from shortness OF
breath, the pursuit arrived at the
stream. The footmarkS OF the
neon. still wet on the dry stones
beyond the margin Of the stream.
caught Torres eye.
In a trice, by what little was left
Of his garment, the peon was
dragged out. On his knees, which
portion of his anatomy he was des-
tined TO occupy much this day, he
begged for mercy and received his
And he denied
Of the Sorano party. He
who had betrayed and had been
beaten, but who had received only
succor for those he had betrayed,
felt stir in him some atom Of graft
tude and good.
He denied knowledge OF the So
lanOs since in the clearing where
he had sold them for the silver dol
lar Torres stick fell upon his head
ave times, ten times, and went on
falling with the gertrude that in all
eternity there would be no cessation
unless he told the truth.
And, after all, he was a miserable
and wretched thing. spirit-broken
by beatings from the cradle, and
the sting Of Torres stick, with the
threat Of the plentitude OF the stick,
what meant the death OF his own