The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1895-01-22
HIS FIRST RAID.

presidio, suddenly menaced by In
E <liaps, and on his arrival found his
own son, Ignacio dc Ortega, tramp
h ing to and fro, with gun reversed, in
front of the Quartet, or soldiers
quarters. The young cavalrynan
was in disgrace.
The conandanto's face darkened,
but he took pains to stare at any
body rather than at the offender and
1nade his way directly to his own
Aquarters. Heat once placed himself
Nhind large, square writing table
mi q room set apart for public bust
Hess and was ready to receive the re-
Sdrt of his sergeant, the officer he
had left in temporary charge of the
1s6st.
a The sergeant briefly but fully in
formed the comandante of the pre-
cautions taken against a sudden at
tack by the rebellious Indians. The
comandante then nodded curt dis
1nissal. Yet the sergeant was re-
xalled in the act of withdrawing.
Zone moment How many of our
men are under arrest?"
-Four, Senior Comandante.
Any serious case?"
THAT fellow Ramon has been plot
nting again
To desert, eh? And the others?"
1.-Two breaches of discipline, one
Asack of respect to superiors. The
43nor Comandante's som
Let us waive particulars. Send
these three fellows to me, one by
one.
Five minutes later the comandante
had got rid of two of the culprits,
having dismissed each with this ex-
hortation:
"a Z Yonr punishment is suspended
until the present crisis is past. The
/ honor of the king on this frontier
vind the lives of helpless women and
children are in the keeping of mere
handful of soldiers You are one of
the handful A faithful obedience to
! orders may go far to wipe out your
Vault.
The quick, clean step of the third
delinquent Fastening in caused a
queer humping in the comandante
breast The youth dashed up to the
very edge of the table, paused and
saluted.
The comandante Logan at once up
on the speech which he had given
twice already, but the words were
no longer the same. They rushed
forth big with new meanings, and
he kept on without pause.
For my sonny son Ito be
among the shutters in the time Of
sharp need! For my son to pretend
disrespect for an officer that he
might be placed out of danger under
arrest. Do you stare at me, boy?"
! Ignacio must certainly have been
looking amazed but at his fathers
words he instantly dropped his long
fringed eyelids and held them down,
a piece of behavior which served
only to increase the commentaries
irascibility
Il have known such soldiers be-
fore now, but never before now of
my own blood. Gay as a paroquet
in the sunshine, but in a storm, in
danger, it's hola, sirs! Let me get
out of this, anyhow, anywhere-aye
even into the guardhouser
The comandante had been roaring
80 loud that something within him
seemed to snap. He jumped up to
try to control himself, rushed to
the open doorway of an inner room
and met the mute but eloquent re-
proach of his wife's dark eyes.
Dona Maria de Ortega had, in fact,
been listening to the bitter speech
of her husband with a heart that
burned to enlighten him as to the
Night cause of their boys heavy
punishment. Yet the first glimpse
Of her husbands countenance disor-
dered by the CRIME and sweat of
travel, filled her with pity.
The comandante went into the
room, closed the door behind him
and addressed her at once:
THAT young rascal, bold as
stork on his long legsl Don't think
him a bit abashcd, Maria, thar !
should find him undergoing a hunili
ating discipline. /"
Thou art weary unto del
Jose, said his wife softly "lhs
hast been riding night and Z
Thou art in need of food and 50
The comandante showed TIL :
slant expansion Of his ratu@
touch of sympathy bv9s2t@
word from his wi'c2s nonih
Look you, MARI n
ready for blows Oh s7