The Savannah morning news., 1904-05-29

and through the rip was exposed a
strip of red cloth.
Next day Diablo was missing. He
was hunted for for miles about, but
unsuccessfully. The search was
abandoned in the afternoon on orders
that every man prepare himself for
the march at once. 1t was some hours
before sunset when the company fell
in and marched out of town toward
the river, the Colonel with them. Out
side of town they were joined by ma
tive in a blue coat and red trousers
the cavalry uniform of the insurgents.
Then the boys knew what was in the
wind.
In half an hour they struck the river
and followed it's bank up into the tow
ering mountain crags that piled up in
the interior. The ground rose and be-
came difficult to traverse, while the
river dropped below them. At last the
command to halt was given and every
man lay down. Only the Colonel and
the native remained standing. They
were examining some nipa thatches
that barely showed through the foliage
Again the men climbed on, split into
two parties now, the Captain and Col
onel going with one, the two lieuten-
ants with the other. The men were
quivering with nervous expectation.
Once more the Captains party halt
ed now just above the nipa thatches.
They could see men walking among
the huts; men who wore striped white
and blue uniforms. They waited. The
first lieutenant's party had gone on a
detour.
Suddenly there came a splintering
crash of a volley from below. Men in
white and blue uniforms rushed heller
SHELTER out on narrow road along the
side of the bluff, only to be fired upon
by the men in brown above them.
AT 'em, boys!" shouted the Captain,
and down the Americans dashed in
among the panic crazed insurgents,
most of whom were without guns.
1t was all over in no time-ten in
surgents killed, some wounded and
hfty prisoners, few escaped among
the crags. The Americans entered the
hidden village. OF their own number
none was hurt. Stretchers were made
for the wounded and the march back
by the trail began. The captives scowl-
ed fiercely at the yellow man in red
trousers.
The sun was setting and cast a red
glow over the tops of the jutting
crags. Over the river below the shad.
ows grew deeper blue. On one side
of the descending trail rose a sheer
bluff, on the other, sixty feet below
roared the river
The marching men were in shadow
now Above the irregular top of the
bluff was sharply outlined In the red
sunshine. Suddenly the first sergeant
cried out:
Look, fellers. above!"
All, even the native prisoners. looked
On the top stood the form of a huge
goat, even his horns and beard nlain-
ly silhouetted with the rest of his body
against the blazing sunset sky.
They cheered to him, but he did NOT
move. They called by name, first the
Americans. then those who had given
it to him, his first friends, the natives
The misfortunes and fortunes of war
we're forgotten for the moment-they
all wanted Diablo to come down.
Finally the black shadow moved
then sank into the dark space below
BY shading their eyes with their hands
they saw him coming down the face
of the bluff as only his kind could come
Even the wounded prisoners in the lit
tiers cheered.
At last he stood only fifty feet above
them on rocky ledge. He paused
grave, dignifed. his tremendous bulk
evenly balanced on the jutting stone
Again they called, but he stood immov-
able, thoughtfully regarding the men
below him. A prisoner volunteered to
crawl up and coax him down. and was