The Arvada enterprise., 1923-08-16

S'ANeS Va STEWART, dCCuSlu MN over
again OF that Greaser murder last fall.
stewart made him look like fool
showed him up as Main scared OF the
bandits or hevin some reason fer
slopin' or the trail. Anyway, the row
started all right, an 1t might hev
amounted to fight. In the thick Of
It, when Stewart was drivin' Pat an
his crowd or the place, one of them
de-pooties lost his head an went fer
his gun. Nels throwed his gun an Grip
pied the feller's arm. Monty jumped
then an throwed two forty-fvcs, an
fer second or so 1t looked ticklish.
But the bandlt-hunters crawled, an
then lit out"
Stillwell paused In the rapid dcllv.
cry OF his narrative; he still retained
Madeline's hand. us II by that he might
comfort her.
After Pat left we put our haids to-
gether." began the old cattleman. with
long respiration. I'VE rounded up
lad who had seen dozen or so fellers
he wouldn't say they was Greasers-
breakin' through the shrubbery to the
back Of the house. That was while
Stewart was ridin' out to the mesa.
Then this lad seen your servants all
runotn' down the hill toward the vii.
lage. Now. heah's the way Gene fig
gers. There sure was some deviltry
down along the railroad, an Pat Have
trailed bandits up to the ranch. He
hunts hard an then all to onct he quits.
Stewart says Pat Have wasn't scared,
but he discovered signs Of so1nethin'. or
got wind In some strange way that
there was In the gang Of bandits some
fellers he didn't want to ketch Sabe?
Then Gene, quicker'n 4 flash. springs
his plan on me. He'd 60 down to
Padre Marcos an hev him help to md
out all possible from your Mexican
servants. was to hurry up hyar an
tell you-give you orders, Miss Males
ty. Amt that amazin' strange? Wal.
you're to assemble all your guests In
the kitchen. Make q grand bluf an
pretend, As your help has left, that It'll
be great fun fer your guests to cook
dinner. The kitchen II the safest room
In the house. While you're joshln' your
party along. maxim q kind Of picnic
out Of II, I'll place cowboys In the long
corridor. an also outside In the corner
where the kitchen Joins on to the main
house. It's pretty sure the bandits
think no ones wise to where they're
hid. Stewart says they're in that end
rOOD whoro TIA aIP.lfs L. an thavs1l
slope In the night. OF course, with me
an the boys watchin', you.all will be
safe to 20 to bed. An we're to rouse
your guests early before daylight. to
hit the trail up into the mountains.
Tell them to pack outfits before goin'
to bed. Say a. your servants hev
sloped. you might a. well 20 campin'
with the cowboys. That's all. II We
hev any luck your friendsrl never
know they've been sittin' on q powder
mine. Now. Miss Majesty. I've used up
lot Of time sxplainin'. You'll sure
keep your nerve7"
YES" Madeline replied. and was
surprised at herself.
Better tell Florence. She'll be q
power Of comfort to you. I'm goin'
now to fetch up the boys"
Instead Of returning to her room
Madeline went through the ONCE into
the long corridor. 1t was almost a
dark as night. She fancied she saw q
slow-gliding figure darker than the sur.
rounding gloom and she entered upon
thu P,,lNllvpoo< ~ har M - ~ th> MI. -
In something like trepidation. Her
footsteps were noiseless. Finding the
door to the kitchen. and going In. she
struck lights. Upon passing out again
she made certain she discerned q dark
shape. now motionless, crouching along
the wall. But she mistrusted her vivid
Imagination. 1t took all her boidness
to enable her unconcernedly and natur-
ally to strike the corridor light. Then
she went on through her own rooms
and thence into the patio.
Her guests laughinEly and gladly IN
tered into the spirit Of the occasion.
They trooped merrily into the kitchen.
Madeline. delaying At the door. took .
sharp but unobtrusive glance down the
great, barnlike hall. She saw nothing
but blank dark space. Suddenly from
one side. not . rod distant, protrudsd
. pale, cleaning face breaking the
even blackness. Instantly It flashed
back out OF sight Yet that time was
long enough for Madeline to see a pair
Of Elittering eyes, and to recognize
than a. DOn Carlos'