Evening star., 1926-10-06

Meantime in the tunnel, Gaines
and Paul conferred. Well have tt
wait until the service is over" Gaines
whispered to Paul, letting the traI
door drop quietly into place. "Evi
IDENTIFY this tunnel is of many open
ings. but we may find some trace
of Csrolita. What's worrying me
now is those bandits. If they should
take 1t into their heads to police the
Madre's house again and find me
missing. there will be the devil tC
pay"
you'd better get right back there. .
Paul agreed, "and show yourself at
the window. You didn't say what
became Of your men, Gaines. Are
they all with you?"
mo. only one, Two were outside
and got away. but without directions
from me. [ hardly know how they
will proceed. l am sure they are
watching the roads North, and hope
thew have got into communication
with my office and the Los Angeles
police"
Bergen is somewhere around,
Paul commented; "he left Los Angeles
before | did"
Yes. but how much of clue did
he have? Few people know this
place. I doubt If any one will con-
meet 1t either with Walter or Alilana,
while there are a dozen little towns
that any detective would naturally
consider good hiding place for
crooks He may have found trail,
but ! doubt 1t. Wen have to trust
to our. own wits"
"Go back, then, and I'll watch here.
II Uchita can be found l am sure
he'll know something of the situation
H..
rossible. Gaines Good luck"
Again Paul was left alone in the
darkness of the tunnel, listening in
tently for sounds from above. He
calculated that the service would last
about an hour. and at the end OF
that time. which seemed interim
nsble, he again tried the trap door, and
was met by silence. The mass was
over.
Cautiously. without making a
sound, he raised himself through the
opening, and entered the small space
SO recently occupied by Carolita.
where the fresh cake crumbs, the
partially eaten orange, and strands
Of dark brown hair among the straw
convinced him that Caroita had been
secreted in this place not many hours
before.
She was gone! What should be the
next move? No need to try the
opening that led to the church. He
would not find her there. No, some
one had forestalled him. Either
Walter with his diabolical cleverness,
or another experienced hand had re-
moved the girl from her only friends.
He reviewed the hope that Gaines
had expressed. The cha nee that other
friends had rescued her. and always.
In the back of his mind. the haunt
Ing question grow in intensity: Who
was Caroiita? What connection did
she have with Walter and the Rey-
nolds family
The thought of a runaway princess
had eva aporated. The affair was com
ing too closely. Walters hired bandits
being the last link needed to estab-
lish the fact that the girl was part
cf the family skeleton. A deeply laid
trap had been prepared for her COM
ing into the country. and it had
sprung all too faithfully.
He was certain that his presence
on the train had been no mere
chance. but part Of the trap. Per
haps the plotters had even foreseen
that his heart would become involved.
The slim hope that Gaines might
prove supremely efficient was fast
SNGpOIAlplS. bdlhcS vas touShI O.
we'll as Carolita, for if he attempted
TO escape the bandits would be fully
diverted to the pursuit Of the girl.
Gaines was right in keeping their at
tention on himself.
The only thing Paul could do now,
he decided, after a time. was to find
Irchita, and so he retraced his steps
TO the point where the passage di-
verged. picked up his handkerchief
trail. and reached the other end of
the tunnel Nothing of interest ap-