The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1919-07-02
Isl. senior"


closed his eyes, only to open them
quickly to stare into the darkness of
his room.
He was remembering those forebod-
ings which had come to him with Tor
res yelled threats; he was feeling an
uneasiness which he could not drive
out. Tore had sent for him in the
middle of the night
Again he sat up, cropping for matches
and candlestick. In the little yellow
glow he saw that it lacked but ten
minutes of three. He sprang out of
bed, drew on his clothes hurriedly, and
FASTENED to the drawing-room.
"Ah, senior, you are very kind" Tor
res smile was full of mock-politeness.
ITO trouble yourself so at the lightest
wish of a guest is"
"Get down to business if you have
any," Stairway interrupted bluntly.
"What is tt?"
IL want a word with you in pri-
vate," Tore answered quietly. The
man was fully dressed and now rose
from the couch upon which he had
been lying. ''There is no objection to
the others being in the room, but at
least let us stand at the far side of the
chamber so that they may not hear"
eff you have anything to say, say
it aloud" Stairway retorted. 81 am
tired of your way Of doing business,
Tore. Now. what is it,"
Tore shrugged.
carelesSly. 81 think that you are max
ing a mistake, senor."
Was he? Stairway didn't know. He
looked about the room. JuareZ
seemed to be sleeping heavily upon
his couch; the vaqueros, seven of
them, sat along the walls or lounged
about the room, each man of them as
watchful, his eyes as keen and sus-
picious as at the beginning of their
vigil at dusk.
And yet, in spite of all this secur-
ity, in spite of the fact that Stairway
and the De la Guerra servants were
armed and their two prisoners un-
armed, the rancher had the odd feel
ing that there was a weakness in his
position which he could not see, but
which was very plain to the smiling
Tore. And then his curiosity de-
cided him.
Come" he said after a brief mo-
ment. And then again: "Now, what
is it?''
He had stepped to the far corner Of
the room, motioning two of the loung-
ing cowboys out of earshOt. Tore,
debOnair, his manner gracefully in
different, stopped at the big mahog-
any table to light his cigarette at one
of the candles and came to Stanway's
side
4 Thank you, senor," he said, his
voice very low now, his words guard
ed so that. none but the rancher
might hear them. "For this is in the
way of a kindness to me, although
you do not know that YETI
at is not meant that way, so keep
your thanks" returned Stairway. 81
am waiting"
Z "BuenO. Now first / want you to
remember this: l am in the position
to be the key to the situation, and
you must see that. If for any reason
the vaquerOs in some sudden fit of
rage should seek to put violent end
to my gay little existence" He
shrugged. "It would be like a man
in a prison cell destroying the key
to his liberty, senor."
go on. Needless to say 1 don't
understand"
u you will in a moment" He
glanced at his watch. at is almost
three. This you must understand: if
such a thought should come into the
vaqueros' bloody minds 1 shall look to
you as my protector.
{ "Now"-his air, his smile, his very
carriage eloquent of a laughing i'm
pudence, he stepped close to the
shattered window-"now something
is going to happen"
Suddenly his hand shot out and a
pane fell from the window, broken
into many pieces, tinkling upon the
carpet. Tore put his face to the
opening he had so rudely made and
called out sharply, aloud:
"Ahora, cOmpaneros Striker"
A revolver flashed into sight in
Stanway's hand; a revolver was in
the hand of each vaquero in the
room. The air was charged with ex-
pectancy.
watch him - called out Stairway
Jerk him back from the window p
While he was speaking he had
struck one of the candlesticks from
the table; Gaucho had understood
and had put out the other lights. The
room sank into swift, impenetrable
! darkness.
Three of the cowboys had thrown
! themselves upon Tore, dragging him
back. holding his arms pinioned al
his sides. Stairway, with no minute
lost, threw open the shutters, raised
the window and peered out into the
! night
1t was very still. He could see
little enough, but his straining eyes