The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-11-12
III.--THE BRITISH NJ. P.

appTORCneu the uOOE anu hhbthtH
upon il. and moment later.
S,udeley found himself inside 1
low room. in which Il solitary man
was drinking aguHrdien;c at the
table. while Il dark haired woman
OF EypSyiSh good looks. was cook
ing food over brazier. The floor
OF the place was earth. and a mule
was stabbed at one end Of the lir-
ing room. Al the other. behind a
kind o. counter. skins Of wine
hulged in the ire glow.
Aplngton J. Studcley was very
fastidious man. and at first his
SURROUNDINGS filled him with dis
gust. but an excellent meal was
soon placed DeIora him and after
it had been washed down with
equally excellent wine. he was
conducted TO bed OF pine boughs
covered with sheep skins. AID here
he soon lost himself in the depths
OF slumber.
He was very heavy sleeper.
and, as are many such, was when
he awoke. slow TO pick up the
thread Of his living existence. But
now, as soon as he did so. his
acute and highly trained mind
sprang at once TO vivid attention.
He still lay upon the bed OF boughs
and skins, but he was slowly
aware that his hands and feet
were bound. and that a particu-
larly yilliaInous looking Spaniard.
whom he had never seen before,
sat smoking 4 cigarette and watch
ing him with intense interest.
As his eyes opened. the watcher
beside him cried out something In
the mountain dialect. and at once
! four more men crowded into the
room. One OF them was the man
he had seen smoking in the posada
on the previous night. and one OF
them was his guide. Gaspar, All
carried weapons and wore the
alpargatas-the rope-soled shoe
Of the mountaineer.
What IS the meaning Of this?"
demanded Studeley. in the rasp-
ing voice which had so usten
brought confusion upon d retrac-
tory witness.
Gaspar shrugged his shoulders.
The senior lnglese will forgive
me-" said he. but his presence is
wanted above there" He waved
his hands toward the mountains.
But l wish 10 proceed at once
TO Castelleno."
Studeley got no farther. One
OF the bandits. while he was speak
ing. had Strolled round the head
OF his couch and this man slipped
a gag into his mouth. Never be-
fore had leading X. c. been SO
effectively silenced.
The sun was not half an hour
high in the heavens before the
next act in the drama in which
Studeley was the central figure.
unfolded itself. The Ave man came
in. unbound his legs. and utterly
refusing all his efforts to remove
the gag and allow him TO speak.
they carried him out and tied him
upon the big overo horse which he
had ridden on the previous eve
ming.
All day the cavalcade travelled
on over the widest and toughest
paths. marching with each hour
deeper into the grim and gloomy
defileS.
II am delighted. senor." said
Don O.. ito have the pleasure OF
welcoming you into our noun
/ tains."
Studeley. who had been led into
! the brigand's presence by Gaspar.
placed his pince-nez upon his nose
and grlmly surveyed his captor.
| 1T is a pleasure, said he, for
which you will have to pay very
dearly. DO you know who ann"
Don Q. waved deprecating
hand.
Il am awaiting for you to en-
tighten me, senior" said he.
I My name is Studeley-Aping-
ton J. Studeley. am an English
man. O Kings Counsel"
| The brigand opened book.
and taking up a pen. wrote down
his prisoners name.
And the amount OF your in
come
/ Studeley started az if he had
been stung.
What is that to YOU" he cried
in his most raspinK voice.
"a very great DEAL" answered
| Don 0. gently. "A great deal.
Senior. to both you and to me, You
see. senior. it has always been my
wish 10 be- just and unless | know
the amount OF your income it Is
impossible for me to assess your
! ransom"
Ransom" cried Studeley. "As
soon as il is known that | have
! disappeared regiment or two Of
soldiers will come to look for me.
You would do well to let me go.
should you do so. will perhaps
speak a word to the authorities
which will cause them to mitigate
your sentence.
Up TO this. Don Q. had been
courtesy and geniality itself. but
now his face changed.
Senior" said he. YOU are
!aboring under dreadful decisions.
You see this book" In il l have
the names OF more than one hun
dred and fifty prisoners whom |
have held TO ransom here in the
sierra. To these one hundred and
nifty prisoners one Of the two
things has always happened.
And what may those TWO al'er
natives be-" demanded Studelcv.
Either they have paid their
ransoms or they have remained in
the sierra"