The Lamar register., 1920-06-09
ever pursuit became dangerous.

had been extended and changed by no
small labor. What deeds of violence
must have happened here; what
scenes of unbridIed debauchery this
desert rendezvous must have wit
messed. She shuddered at the thought,
cOmprehending that these cells had
never been chiselled without a pur-
pose, and that she was utterly help
less in the hands of a band of thieves
and cutthroats, to whom murder
meant little enough, II 1t only served
their ends. Mendez, no doubt, was
brute and monster, yet 1t was Juan
Cateras whom she really feared-he
was cruel, slimy. seeking to hide his
hatefulness behind that hideous smile;
and he had already chosen her for
his victim. Who would save her
Mendez2 Lacyf She did not know;
and somehow neither of these was the
name which arose to her lips. almost
in the form of prayer; the name she
whispered with a faint throb Of hope
In its utterance-Jim Westcott
The big miner was all she had to
rely upon; he had been In her mind
all through the long ride: he arose
before her again now, and she well
throb OF expectation. Those people
back there could not conceal for long
her absence from him; If he lived he
would surely seek her again.
Her womanly instinct had read the
message In the mans eyes; she was
of interest to him. he cared: II was
no mere ordinary friendliness which
would bring him back: moi not even
their mutual connection with the case
Of Frederick Cavendish. Her eyes
frightened, and flush of color crept
into her cheeks. She believed In him.
In his courage-he had appealed to
her as man.
Suddenly she seemed to realize the
yearning of her own heart. her utter
faith in him. He would come, he
must come; even now he might have
discovered her sudden disappearance,
and suspected the cause. He would
never believe any lies they might tell
that she had departed without a
word. without a message-he would
find out the truth somehow; he was
not the kind to lie down. 10 avoid
danger when It confronted duty-and.
besides, he cared. She knew this,
comprehended without question: there
had been no word spoken. yet she
knew.
Suddenly the girls slender body
grew taut, and her thin. white. deli
cate hands clutched the granite wall
tnt hAK
crept the light of terror. a terror that
was new and strange to her. name
less clutching fear that her varied ex.
periences In the city had never
brought her, an insldious. terrible
fright for her bodily safety. Her deli.
cate ears, strained under their spun
brown covering of hnir-there was nc
doubt OF II; she heard footsteps In
the passage way. Juan Cateras with
his leerlng. lustful smile was coming
back.
The uncertainty was OF scarcely an
instant The key turned in the loci
and the door opened. Cateras, smil
ing, stepped within, calmly closed the
door behind him, and then turned tt
greet the lady. She met his bow witt
eyes of firm resolve, though her hear
ached-
"Why do you come. senor7" she
asked so quietly that the man in sur
prise halted his step forward.
"To keep my word" and his white
teeth cleaned in an effort at pleas
antness II am always truthful with
your sex; and told you l would re-
turn shortly"
"Yet why?' she insisted, anxious
Dnly to keep him away as long as pos
slble, and yet enchain his interest
"If I am prisoner here. am not your
prisoner. Do you come. then, to serve
me2"
"Can you doubt that. senorita p
still endeavoring to retain the mask
he had first assumed. Because cir
.umstances make me defy the lava
mere love of adventure. no more-is
10 reason why I should be devoid OF
heart and sympathy" He took a step
nearer. II care nothing for this Bill
Lacy-nothing." and he snapped his
fingers derlsively. why should II
But. Instead would be your friend
The senorita Is AN American. and to