The Ordway new era., 1919-09-12
CHAPTER xi-csnunsed.

through him
We have learned everything. Demp-
ton Stairway went on In his whis-
s,erlnz voice Even 20 the hiding
t,laee. There is the door He point
ed TO the panel with the thuunb-print
upon II. II think that we can send
you TO the penitentiary for long time
with very little trouble. VIII you talk
now. DempfonY
Dernpton besitated, denial upon his
fps. growing fear In his eyes
what DO you want 20 known be
asked In a shaking whisper. i Oh,
my Cod This has gone further al
ready
Il want TO know how many men are
with Tore In this thingT
Tbere-there is Jusrez-and-snd
Don't be q fool as well as a cow
ard. DemptonT Duttered Stanwsy-
You are such a petty little thief that
nobody is going TO want 10 prosecute
you II you help US now. There Is
Tore and Jusrez and you Who
eiseT
IL don't ksow." Dempton licked
his dry lips and swsyed between Vidal
and Mendoz as though he were going
10 fall -Oh, / was fool"
Granted. But tell what you know
while you have the chance How
manyT
-seyen, / think" chattered Demp-
ton. .Seven besides Tore and Juarez.
Five inside. two outside with the
horses
~Outside7" queried stangay.
Yes. To ride away, leading extra
horses. 30 that II would sound Ike a
number OF riders were racing for the
border. To leave the trail which you
followed south. The other fye 10 DO
the work inside"
"And De la Guerra was never 10 be
taken from the houseT
"No. II seemed safer this way"
There was every hazard in it"
-Simply because you happened TO
be at the rancho" returned Dempton
with a little fash of bitterness. Had
there been only the senorita. 1t would
have been easy to have worked on her
love for her grandfather"
"And TorreT
"Killed a man q month ago in San
Antonio-is running away from the
gaIlows. With the money he expected
to make from this he could buy the
silence of the one man who can fden-
tify him as the murderer. It was his
only chance"
"JuaresT
''Is actually . rebel captain Tore
was to give him his share. Then Tore
was to have q commission in the rebel
army. He looked to distinguished ia
vors when the rebels fought their way
into power. Now"
"Now whatT
"Eow. II he goes into Mexico the
rebels will shoot him as a trnitor.
That was another chance he was TAX
ting. He was to give hve thousand dol
lars to the cause. For that they let
him have Juarez and the other men.
He was to give his life II he lied to
them, II he tricked them or-if he
failed. He could never get across the
border without their spies finding
him."
Then Gaucho returned with word
that everything was ready. Vidal, at
Stnnway's command, bound Dempton
securely once more. hand and foot, and
tossed him to the bed as one might
toss a sack of wheat. The men had
kicked on their shoes and boots. and
stood eager and eIpectant.
Stanway. his revolver in his right
hand, pressed with the left thumb upon
the spot in the paneling where another
thumb hnd pressed.
There was little click. and the PAN
ei slid back into the wall, showing
narrow doorway. a narrow passageway
beyond. There were candles burning
there. their steady flames casting a
clear. yellow light
Each man keep three feet behind
the man In front OF him" whispered
Stnnwny. "We must have room.
Vidal. Gsucho. come Just behind me-"
He stepped through the door into
the two-foot wide hallway which ran
niong inside the wall, Its trend east
ward and downward. There were no
steps. but the slant led quickly under
the foundations OF the great adobe
building.
Stanway passed the first candle set
anto a niche In the rough wood wall.
Already he felt that he must be below
the level of the floor when he came to
the second candle. Here the flame
was less steady. q little breath Of air
playing with II
He turned q corner. the hallway
opened up suddenly into Q small
rough-wallcd room some eight or ten
feet square.
Across the room was a heavy barred
door; In the center of the door was q
couch. and on the couch q man wal
Tying upon his back. his hands cIasped
behind his head. . cigarette between
his lips.
Stairway was In the room. noiseles'