The Lamar register., 1919-07-23
DICE
of !
DESTINY
By
jackson Gregory
Copyright


1enuoz VINO round u mark of Il greasy
thumb upon the same panel. some four
feet from the floor.
"Aqui. esta - he muttered. "Senor.
lookr'
Stanway's heart beat wildly when he
saw what Mendoz had found.
"The door OF the passagewayl" he
whispered. Ssh Be still Even
take on your boots, companeros. We
are going TO give them no warming
But first Mendoz, bring Denpton
here, quick l think he is going to
talk now"
Mendoz hurried, and presently came
back. he and the immense Vidal. walk
ing at Dempton's right and left.
"Dempton," whispered Stairway,
meeting him, make no sound. II he
cries QUITO vldal and Mendoz--
'if he makes sound choke the life
out Of him. Do you understand.
Demptoni"
Dempton's pale lips opened. but no
words came forth. A little shiver ran
through him.
1--WE have learned everything. Demp-
ton," Stairway went on In his whis-
pering voice. Even to the hiding
place. There is the door" He point
ed TO the panel with the thumb-print
upon It. IL think that we can send
you to the penltentiary for long time
with very little trouble. VIII you talk
now. Dempton7"
Dempton hesitated. denial upon his
lips, growing fear In his eyes.
"What do you want to knowr" he
asked In a shaking whisper. q oh,
my God This has gone further al
ready"
81 want to know how many men are
with Tore In this thingf'
''There-there is Juarez-and-and
Don't be fool as well as cow
ard. Dempton muttered Stanway.
You are such petty little thief that
nobody Is going TO want to prosecute
you II you help us now. There Is
Tore and Juarez and you. Who
else7"
IL don't know" Dempton licked
his dry lips and swsyed between Vidal
and Mendoz as though he were going
TO fall. "oh. was fool"
Granted. But tell what you know
while you have the chance. How
manyf"
Seven. | think chattered Demp-
ton. Seven besides Tore and Juarez.
Five inside. two outside with the
horses"
"outsidef" queried Stairway.
Yes. To ride away. leading extra
horses. 30 that 1t would sound like n
number OF riders were racing for the
border. To leave the trail which you
followed south. The other five to do
the work inside"
sand De la Guerra was never to be
taken from the housef'
mo. 1t seemed safer this way"
There was every hazard in it"
Simply because you happened to
be at the rancho" returned Dempton
with little flash OF bitterness Had
there been only the senorlta. 1t would
have been easy to have worked ON her
love for her grandfather"
"And TorreT"
KILLED a man month ago in San
Antonio-is running away from the
gallows. With the money he expected
TO make from this he could buy the
silence OF the one nun who can iden-
tify him as the murderer. II was his
only chance"
"Juarez7"
rs actually rebel captain Tore
was to give him his share Then Tore
was to have commission In the rebel
army. He looked to distinguished IA
vors when the rebels fought their way
into power. Now"
Now whatf"
Now, II he goes into Mexico the
rebels will shoot him as a traitor.
That was another chance he was tax.
ing, He was to give five 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, ut
Stanway'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