Evening star., 1926-10-06

| he carefully HfteO the tfdp opChihs =
into the hut. Voices, low ana eager;
met his ear. Foreign voices: Diu
| one of them belong to Uchlta!
He could not tell. The discussion
was long, increasing in intensity, and
Paul caught the name of Reynolds,
the ONLY word distinguishable.
While he waited, uncertain of his
! next move the sound of loud voices
| penetrated the tunnel, shouts were
| heard! The bandits had discovered
the hiding place.
| The tunnel was no place to be
| caught Better to take his chances
above ground, and hurting open the
| trap door he pulled himself up into
| the hut, confronting Uchita and a
stranger engaged in violent argu-
ment.
Quick, Uchita, into the car and
away" And fiinging down the trap,
Paul grasped the Japanese by the
arm. tore him from the hut, into the
car. threw off the brakes, and shot
ahead.
They're after u.s. he cried,
(which way did the girl go? Who
took herr"
missy safe, with Sake. Uchita
sure, Sake steal her from old wom-
ans bed, hide somewhere, run away"'
Yes, Uchita, I know. l know! But
when? When did they make their
escape?"
Think last night, not sure, but
hope. Sake no go straight, Mr.. Paul!
Sake go long way around. Uchita
know. Uchita follow. Catch missy"
"Who was that in the hut?" Paul
continued. Was he a friend?"
Yes. Uchita think. Who In tunnel.
Mr.. Paul?"
."The bandits, I'm sure. They are
Mr.. Walters hired men, aren't they.
Uchita? What did you find out?"
"Uchita learned Mr.. Walter hire
muchly bandits, what you call rough
necks. They no from this town and
not know Madre's house! Muchly
stupid as well, not to follow Sake
and missy, but stay to keep others
inside.'
But they'll follow now" Paul
set his lips grmly. Can we beat
them?"
Sure we can, They not know the
way! They just rough necks, Mr..
Paul, Mr.. Walter hire cheap. He
think they make trouble and keep
missy from Mr.. Paul, but he no can
do. He no pay enough! Soon they
use money and laugh at Mr.. Walter.
Muchly joke, Mr.. Paul"
"Muchly joke" Paul repeated bit
terly Yes, IL they don't get her
first"'
MIR. Paul not worry! Uchita find.
He drive now. yes?"
The men changed seats and Paul
rela psed into deep thought, his nerves
quivering. The bandits must have
overtaken Gaines in the tunnel. They
would find the exit into the hut.
return to the Madre's house for their
comrades and start in pursuit--that
s., if they had means Of pursuit. Were
they horsemen or had Walter pro-
vided automobiles? That point was
open to question. but there must be
at least two cars in the vicinity OF
the Madre's Milana's and that
driven by Gaines and his men.
"Uchita, Is it possible that Walter
might have other bandits lurking
along the way. watching for Miss
Carolita?"
Think yes, Mr.. Walter, he no
take chanc and Sake" he paused.
And Sake what?"
L "Sako he get in trouble. too, may
be- not know"
What do you mean, Uchita?"
Sake he sometime run rum, sir.
yes. He most huntable by Govern
ment."
"A rum runner. Good Lord! Then
he's likely to be stopped on his own
account
muchlv smart. Uchita know Sake
take much boys clothes. maybe dress
missy like boy. We watch out"
Here was fresh food for thought,
and Paul struggled to reach some
conclusion, unraveling the mass of
tangled evidence seething in his brain.
He noted that Uchita was driving by
another route. evidently much
longer one. He tried to calculate the
speed at which they must travel to
overtake Sake. Paul looked at his
watch and found that it was 3 o'clock.
They had left the hut about an hour
before. so that Sake must have had
at least IL hours. possibly IS hours,
start.
If the Japanese were able to make
the journey without interruption he
would reach Los Angeles long before
he would be overtaken.
"Uchita. will Sake go to Santa
Barbara or Los Angeles"
II think Sake go to Mr.. Burnsl
Sake afraid of Mr.. Walter in Santa
Barbara
Then it is Mr. Burns who offers
the reward for Miss Carolita?" Paul
eXcla lined while a great light broke
upon him.
Yes, yes," Uchita assured him.
Mr. Burns for Mr.. Reynolds
SO that was it, Back went Paul's
memory to childhood days. He saw
his grandmother enter his bedroom
one evening, coming as usual to hear
his prayers. a telegram in her hand.
Paul dear I have such lovely news
for you. you have a little sister-born
in Paris
Paul had never seen that sister.
Less than two years later the child
had been mysteriously stolen from
his fathers house. He remembered
vaguely that she had been searched
for in every corner Of the globe, and
given up for dead. His gra ndmother
had told him not to speak of the
matter to his father or Cynthia, and
now he understood the queer word
ing of his fathers will, the provision
made for Cynthia 8 third to be passed