The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-10-17
Dice of Destiny
BY JACKSON GREGORY
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were running toward them. And then,
as several men shot into view:
"Stopp cried Stairway, loudly, his
aand knocking Vidal's weapon up-
ward. ''It Is Gaucho and his menr'
where are they?r cried Gaucho, ex-
citedly 'The master? The senorlta?
You did not find them7"
"You did not meet them?" In sharp
| cry from the rancher.
/ 1--WE met no oneW Gaucho answered,
look Of wonder In his eyes.
i "Then there Is another door. They
have fooled US. Comet They can't
| get out Of the house,
They turned, rushing back toward
the room they had just quilted. And
at the instant Stairway plunged back
through the doorway he knew where
were these men OF Torres.
For he heard Torres voice shouting
loudly just above hfs head where he
had already judged the drawing room
must be; he knew that through some
other passageway the men they had
thought to trap had made their way
there, and he remembered that his own
orders had been for one man only to
watch over the bound Tore and
Juarez.
"Nunezl Castrop Tore was cali
ing, his tones ringing out clear, the
tones of command, calling for haste,
for swift obedience. "There is one
man here only. XIII him! Ahw
There was the crack of revolver,
cry, the sound Of body falling
"Nowp and again Torres voice
rang triumphant. "Cut these damned
ropes, Castro You others free Juarez.
. Watch the doors. Guard the passage
way. BY the lord of hell, we'll win
this game yeti"
"They are too many" painted dis
senting voice. We"
Coward and fool" cried Torres
echoing voice. "Give me that gun.
Now, listen. / have found where the
De la Guerra banco Is It's just yon-
der In the old mans bedroom. It's
| full of gold, c0mpaneros. And then
watch the doors, amigos Then cross
the border with our pockets full"
There came answering shouts, the
noise of heavy furniture being dragged
across the floor and piled at the doors,
Torres voice giving commands.
"But where Is the master?" a va
quero whispered anxiously. 'They
have killed him."
"And the senorita?" cried Gaucho.
They ran about the ROOM seeking
sign of that other passageway which
4 had led these men directly into the
\ drawing room.
I eve had better go back" commands
ed Stairway crisply, after a short
search which showed nothing. "We
can break down the door into the room
1 where they are. Gaucho, Mentor, vi.
cannot play hide-and-seek with lis
1 again."
| Pardon, senior. You are very kind
already owe you much. But now
shall take care of these bandits"
: 1t was the old Spaniard, Senior Dor
Antonio de la Guerra, his old-fash
Toned black coat faultlessly clean of Q
speck of dust his fine white mustacht
curled nicely. his eyes glowing very
10 brightly. for moment gentle and full
10 of gratitude as they rested upon the
'e rancher, then very hard as they turned
u toward the ceiling.
His vaqueros cried out sharply al
y the sight of him standing there so un
TX expectedly in their midst From hin
10 they looked to the slender form of the
whlte-faced girl at the door of a little
ls closet which De la Guerra had sud
denly thrown open.
D. "You, senorm cried Stairway, as
W founded. "Not hurt?"
ne 81, senor?n De la Guerra lifted on,
white hand, showing for a momen
the revolver In it. "At your attack
seized this. One man / quieted. Ii
the rush got Teresa into the close
there. She, too, is unhurt. And now
IN Again his fine old face hardened. hi
or eyes were burning black pools of mer
y CHESS rage. He stepped across thu
is ROOM set his hand to spot which hi
III thumb found readily, and marrow
rs door flew back, showing stairway.
ITO BE CONTINJEDA