on

ssor was

on'd toldt you dot!" ca

the light about the room and finally

it's im

ot, it is true,

s dead-as dead

peen der trute. Dot man vos teader as a

aring in stupefied amaze

ank, and it seemed that a chill hand touc

th began

red, in a feeble tone of voice. "The exertion

"You vos anodder. Oxcuse me while I

ng. Frank, however, was determined to be thoroughly satisfied, and he again be

beyond a doubt,"

be concealed here, and dead

otch and Hans awaiting his appearan

with a deep breath of re

of course I am. What did you think? Fancy

mself up with an assum

asion as this. You are quite aware that I do not believe in spooks or anything o

ans. "Dot peen

appearance of that cor

a deat man to ged ub un valk avay all

as happened here, pr

Jack Burk's b

e en

m reasonable that he

aype he don'd pelief we vos goin' pack here to bury

other people here afte

odded the

ndi

shn

r the

aps b

is eyes were unusually keen, he was not an expert in such matte

eyond a doubt, prof

ing in a moment. "Of course I'm sure!

best of us are liable to err at tim

e body may have been removed by the b

shnell, Burk

im, although he did not seem to do s

explains e

ryth

y away to give i

ad our trouble

d great waste of time during which he might have been sleeping or smoking. It was robbery, robbery, robbery. It was like the Americanoes. He had a wife and many-very many

a fall to yournseluf!" cried Hans, in di

d in the hut. The old fellow saw how he could make it appear as a clean case of deception on the part of the strangers, and he worked his little game for all there was in it

oing, too," said

is no telling what danger we may en

apout gedding a mofe on," fluttered

ugh Frank was far from satisfied to do so without s

in, across which a cool and refreshing

bandits at any moment. As they approached the town they began to breathe easier, a

y long, white adobe walls, against which grew prickly pears in abu

edly here and there, with earthen pots which were balanc

pots, surrounded by swarthy children and lazy men, w

ntly fast asleep; but Frank noted that glittering, black eyes peered out from between the serapes and the huts, a

d, but now they were flung wide, and the flash of dark eyes or the low, musical laug

ited were astir with life. In the patios beautiful gardens were bloo

threes or fours, dressed in pink and white lawn, with Spanish veils an

st at Frank, but his mind was so oc

tered old man, about whose shoulders was cast a ragged blanket, and whose

ou will have pity on an unfortunate countryman. My story is short. My son came to this wretched land to try to make a fortune. He went into the mines, and was doing well. He sent

as endeavoring to get a fair

ve," agreed t

et my poots on d

king his clinched hand in the air. "Why didn't he

your story," urg

e by the old man. Frank was waiting for the man to cha

eemed too agitated to proc

ppear and pay two thousand dollars ransom money. Two thousand dollars! I did not have it in the world. But I had a little home. I sold it-I sold everyth

on der jump,"

the old man, waving his arms, exc

and groaned as if

Scotch. "My dear sir, you are work

anger. "It is not possible to be cal

"You have not told the entire stor

etter Pacheco-the monster!-sent

as! I don'd told

le! hor

but Frank was calm and apparently unmoved, with h

vos der finger uf

-how could you tell?"

been taken from his left hand, and that Pacheco threatened to cut off his fing

eddled

he handwriting as

cognized somethi

ha

fin

been mistaken in t

as n

o you

rk on th

t sort o

e first and second joints. Besides that, the nail had

enough," nodded

s; "dot peen quid

issing not a word that fell from the man's lips

l seemed to affect the man, who turn

h me? Think of the suffering I have

ng to do now?" ask

aise some money t

ht you did r

, but not

h the

ndits and half-breeds. I did not have three thousand dollars, but I hoped th

you f

man groa

and I have not a dollar left in all

hope to do-what are

ve hundre

ow

any

begg

how. Anyway,

, man," said the professor. "This is a land of b

ountrymen, and I hoped that you mi

pect us to give you

murder him by inches-to cut him up and send him to me

ink id vos!" gurg

d you lose

s rob

wh

che

id it

into his

money without sett

di

it was all you h

that a sco

did he

r have the pleasure of re

g ago wa

ee d

r he

es

ve you been

that time I have recei

wrapped in a handkerchief. With trembling

y human