The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-10-10
CHAPTER xI.

CHAPTER vi.
"You Have overpIaycd Your Hand"
u am afraid that ] have been indis-
Greet, Senior Stairway Tore, with
his old smile charged now with some
thing OF mockery and much OF triumph,
held out little piece OF white paper
TO Stairway, who, key in hand, had
just come from Pedro on his way to
the masters room. "But / think that
! ean plend an altogether unusual po-
sition as my excuse. You will pardon
me- senor?p
Stairway took the paper, guessing
what II was, and read 1t swiftly:
Mi Querido senior Billy;
Io save papa grande, 70 save me
grandfather's room behind the great
mahogany bed, there Is painting on
There Is spot IN the woodwork,
three feet from the floor, ten from the
northwest corner, where you must
press with your finger II will disclose
the banco. Give him the money--for
Your Teresa.
''You win pardon my having read
it?' again smillngly from Tore,
Where did you get this thing?"
cried Stairway.
Tore pointed to the window. whose
panes he had broken just before three
o'clock,
''There. ON the floor. Some one
fbra.x ~ a., ~, fFa Aaor ,,,hti., 80, ,,,,-,,
running so glddily across the border.
You see this Is very well planned,
senior, Is 1t notf Even my lieuten-
ants
''If do not do as she aslzs7" cut In
Stairway, his low-lidded eyes sharp up
on Torres.
Tore shrugged.
"Who knows7 Perhaps they will
take the trouble to find priest to give
the senorita In holy matrimony to-"
In sudden rage Stairway, his nerves
jangiing, his rage reddening his face,
leaped ut the man, and as he leaped
struck, struck hard--hls hard, clenched
fist smashing into the evil smile, cut
ting the lips so that the blood ran
from them, sending Tore Keeling
backward across the room.
"Shut upi" he cried hoarsely. "You
mention the sen0rlta once more and"
His teeth closed with little omi-
nous click. Tore. wiping the blood
from his lips, glared at him with
boundless, almost speechless, rage.
"Cowardr' he sneered. "Snce / am
a prisoner, with half dozen men
ready 10 spring upon me, you attack
ME"
"Gauchow called Stairway.
"Sl, senori" Gaucho's brown face
Frightening, his eyes looking happier
than they had looked for two days.
'.Do not interfere. DO not let your
men take hand, no matter what hap
pens" Then he swung about upon
Tore. "Do you want to finish 1t
now2" he said CURLY.
But Tore was once more himself,
smiling, at ease, only fierce hatred
In his eyes.
"Gracius, senorF' he returned. 81
shall merely make you pay for that
blow In my own way. And now / ask
another ten thousand dollars as ram
som for the old man and the girl. Ten
thousand dollars for a blow. senior !
DO you care TO strike againG"
Stairway shrugged.
''You have overplayed your hand,
Tore" he said quietly "This note
from the senorlta makes me sure of
what was beginning 10 suspect.
| Gaucho, come with me"
With no further word, leaving
Torres mystified face looking after
him, hC- went out, Gaucho at his heels
"Gaucho," he said, speaking swiftly
! from beyond the closed door, II want
you to come TO the masters room.
Bring some men with you--six, ten
j don't know how many we shall need.
Let two of them bring axes. Let all
carry side arms. Bring the picked
men, Gaueho; the hardest men on the
rancho. / think that there is going to
be fighting this time"
"The MASTERY" cried Gaucho. 'srhe
senorita2 You know"
81 know nothing But / think
that they have never for a second left
the house! Hurry, GauchoT
And Gaucho hurried his own face
as mystified as Torres. Stairway went
quickly to the bedroom.
4 Somewhere In these great thick
walls there is passageway," he whis-
pered to himself 1T runs from this
room throughout the house and to the
east wing where Teresu's rooms are.
Somewhere. down below perhaps
there is room, dungeon. ] think
that it is just under the drawing room