Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1919-07-11
Dice Of Destiny
By JACKSON GREGORY
Copyright


| Shortly before midnight they had
come upon three men, ragged, ugly
looking Mexicans. sleeping about a
camp fire which was fast dying. The
men knew nothing or protested at
ignorance, Stairway could not tell
which.
After that nothing although they
had pushed many miles into the Next
can country until they realized the ut
ter uselessness of riding farther.
"We may as well go back, Gaucho,"
Stairway said at last. "They will want
ransom, suppose. When they speak
Wen know what to do"
And reluctantly, his face black with
the wrath upon him, Gaucho Morales
called to his men to turn back.
The sunlight lay bright and warm
upon the oranges end their blossoms
when they rode back to the rancho,
StanV ay threw himself from the
saddle, a bit stiff from long hours of
hard riding.
Then, walking slowly now, loath to
| greet Teresa de la Guerra with news
of their failure, he came into the patio.
She was there waiting for him.
Nothing" he biurted out. Eve
/ have found nothing"
| II know" she said quietly. She
came toward him, putting out her
hands. "You have been good to us.
Senior Billy"
He laughed a bit awkwardly.
Il don't know how" he retorted. "f
have done nothing. You have not been
molested here?"
She hesitated. He saw a quick
frown gather her brows. Then,
speaking lightly, she replied, saying:
mo. But come; you must be hum
cry and tired out. Coffee is ready"
He went with her to the broad-open
doors.
'Torre Is here?" he asked, his eyes
intent uaon her face.
The lrown came again, and gyas
gone quickly. But he had seen it.
"He is here, yes. Asleep, Think.
He was wounded. You know?"
"He is not badly hurt?"
Fer tired eyes, into which sleep had
not come during the long night, grew
brightly contemptuous.
ut is only his beauty which ID
harmed" she said swiftly.
! Good morning. prima mia !" called
a deep, laughing voice. "Ah, still with
us, Senior Stanway?"
Tore, debonair in the dark, youth.
full beauty of him, greeted them at this
doorway.
Certainly Senior Stairway is still
with u.s." said Teresa coolly. "He 10
my guest. my grandfather's friend.
Senior Torre!"
Tore laughed and lifted his shoun
ders.
Enter" he said with a graciousness
which was in some strange way vague
ly insulting; it was as though he We're
the master here, and because of hli
generosity not only Stairway but thu
girl as well were allowed upon the
premises.
Now it was Teresa who flushed.
"Come, Senior Billy" she said qui-
city. "We are going to have coffee
together
For the fraction of a second the
two men stood fronting each other.
their level eyes filed with challenge
with a mistrust which was little less
than hatred.
Then the Spaniard. bowling again,
turned away, with a slight smile play
| ing under the small, pointed mustache,
ard Stairway followed his hostess.
Pedro himself superintendent the
serving of the simple breakfast.
"Senorita," Stairway said at last,
pushing back his chair, II should like
to go back to the drawing room. There
might be something there to give US
hint that will help u.s."
ISL" she said, 81 had thought Of
that looked last night carefully
after you had gone"
"You found nothing?"
Nothing that I could understand"
she answered quietly. Something l
could not"
He looked up at her quickly, his
| eyes full of question.
''This," she answered, not waiting
for him to speak.
She placed a folded paper before
him. He glanced at it, frowned
looked again, and turned once more
to her.
sit is his will. Dated last night
But why has he made a new one?"
'Read it," as quietly as before.
though her eyes were Frightening with
some surge of emotion he could not
guess.