The Ordway new era., 1919-09-19
CHAPTER xII-continued.
COPYRIGHT

Senor Stairway. 1 should be glad to
have you accompany me-
Already his foot was upon the first
step. Stairway laid quick hand upon
his arm.
"Surely you do not think of coming
upon them this way"
Surely" smiled the old man. "they
are my guests. l am the host. l am
going to them
He went slowly up the short flight
of stairs, Stairway close at his heels,
wondering. At the top was little
door. De la Guerra raped softly with
the barrel of his revolver.
There was a sudden silence in the
room. voices dropped to whispers. De
Ia Guerra knocked again.
"WellY 1t was Torres voice.
sharp. impatient. "Who Is 1T"
at is 1. Senior Torre," answered the
old man. quietly. "And nm Antonio
de la Guerra. bring my apologies for
being so tardy to walt upon a guest
and come to talk with you"
Again silence. again hurried whls-
pers, then Tore crying out:
"What have you TO say2 / can put
bullet through the door which will
find you'll If you Will open the safe,
let us take the gold and go; you may
keep the silver and stay. What do you
say7"
De In Guerra laughed softly. And
then, seriously. he answered:
II say, my dear Senior Tore, you
are talking bravely; but that you at
last are In no position to dictate. 1t is
1 who dictate. Lot me come in that
we may talk. or shall have to have
Vidal chop down some more Of my
doors. And do not like to do that"
Tore hesitated. why7 Stanwny
thought because he was studying his
men with those keen eyes Of his. trying
to guess how far he could count on
them now.
Evidently not very far. For in q
moment came his soft laugh. and his
short command:
"Nunez, open the door. Let my
kinsman come Just to the threshold.
II any Of his men try to enter-well.
leave them to mel Enter. senorl"
The door slid open. De la Guerra
stepped Just to the threshold. STAN
way close behind him.
"Good evening. caballeros," said the
Oil Spaniard courteously. "Now for
my word with Tore. AL of the men
he has brought with him may go free
and unframed, provided that am as
sured Pedro Celestino. and poor AL
fredO there will live. II any of them
Is to die, then the man who has killed
him is not to gol Juarez may go.
DemptOn may CO."
you are pleased to be gracious,
my high and mighty kinsmanl"
sneered Tore impudently. soho.
Seuor Stairway! You are there. too?
Castro" sharply to black:brOwed
marksman l ever saw. and. besides,
you are an admirable soldier who
knows how to take command. II
the Senior Stairway moves hand or
takes step this way will you blow
his brains out for me?"
Castros answer was to fling down
his revolver so that 1t ratified noisily
on the floor.
You have led us into a trap" he
ret0rted sullenly. II accept the SenOr
de la Guerra's word that 1 may go
free. have harmed no one!
a black frown gathered Torres
brows. A little smile crept into De
la Guerra's stern eyes.
1.-The first sign that you lose. Tor
re-" he said quietly. ''The first sign
that win!''
do you know. my kInsman." re-
piled Tore insolently. struggling his
shoulders at the mutiny Of Castro,
"that may lose and still you not
win? How? Why. to be explicit to
an old man. I can at least have the ex-
quisite pleasure of ending my gay lit
tile existence gaily-and In shooting
you just between the eyes. senor!"
Stairway shuddered. seeing the
deadly earnest threat In Torres low
ilbided eyes. But De la Guerra's gaze
did not waver and he answered:
Even that Tore is denied to
you" He laughed softly. "For.
above all things. you are gambler
and will take gamblers choice! You
can kill me, yes-perhaps! And IL
you did? My vaquerOs would rush in
here and on time for me to see you
die! You know that. There would be
no chance In 1t for you. l offer you a
chance-if you let these men go, II
you throw down your gun and agree to
take the chance I offer youl And be-
ing a gambler above anything else in
the world-why. you will accept the
one little chance I offer you"
Torro hesitated- His hesitation
Tus plain in his attitude. the head
dropped little. the moody gathering
at the brOws. He looked swiftly to