The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-26
BY lola FORESTER.
Copyright. 1911, by Associated
Literary PreSs.)

Copyright. 1911, by Associated
Literary Press.)
Southwark. the trail led straight
down to Juarez. 1t wound In and
out like serpent's course, straight
down to the town and the sluggish
yellow river.
Nita paused there to catch her
breath. The envelope was inside
her blouse. Unconsciously her hand
pressed 1t to make sure 1t was still
there. 1t was sealed, certainly. and
she had no idea Of Its contents.
Leonard had given 1t to her when
they heard the rurales pounding on
the patio gate. All, but he had been
brave. the tall, lean young American!
And only two days before they had
taken a couple Of his friends to the
prison down at Mendez.
She shuddered and closed her dark
eyes for a moment in prayer. II
was still miles to the reconstruction
Ing golden and hazy.
III they take me. Nfta," Leonard
had told her the night before, as they
had stood out In the old garden by
the stone fountain, you must not
faint, or cry, or show any emotion
You must be brave soldier girl
like all of your family. No Carreno
Is a coward"
II am no coward" she had told
him gravely, her face tense with
feeling. Il shall not faint, senior. be-
neve me. You have known my three
brothers and my father. l am the
same race"
II know, Nita, / know" he had
said. restlesaly, impulsively "Hayen''
l strained that Carreno courage al.
paaAy IN he ytrnoaf NV coming and
planting here for days. when the fel.
lows down yonder at Juarez are
dying for fair shot at me with q
white wall at my back?'
How dare they. shoot an Ameri
cam" she had demanded hotly.
How dare they do anything. dis
rupt Mexico, destroy railroads. burn
murder. steal? Because they are
revolutionists. That covers any Sigh
eccentricity. I have been a desir
able bit Of game for them ever since
Marney and 1 held them OF from thu
arsenal At Piqua, until the govern
ment troops arrived. Oh. Mia, Il
you could have seen us that night
Only four, mind. besides myself. YOU
brothers. and Marney, my staff pho
tographer. We had been taking snal
shots at the town. and general loca
color points of interest. when We
heard the shots on the outskirts, an<
saw the whole crowd riding towarc
us The arsenal Nas the nearest
place OF refuge. We held ii agains
the revolutionists for half an hour
thinking not bit about saving tn
arms and powder stored there, blu
lust the saving OF our own neck
and the pictures to send on 10 TN
papers In the States"
xn,, KIN any onef
Quite a few, I hope he had sale
eheerfully. We tried to. When thu
troops came they scattered. Blu
now comes the interesting situation
We held the deserted armory agains
the revolutionists. and saved 1t
Along came the Mexicans, and swor'
we were captured revoiutionists
seized in the very act OF trying Il
make way with the arsenal. tn
rest got away, Marney with the pic
lures but--weii, l didn't. ] got |
bullet In my shoulder, and you
brothers sent me up here"
'.It was an honor. and JOY
senior" Nita had replied. without
smiiing. In the darkness there wer'
tears on her lashes he could not see
That had been only the night be
fore. Now they had found out hi
hiding place. and had taken hin
down to Juarez TO the prison. AM
the only hope he had given her wa
the letter to the head engineer at TN
reconstruction camp.
He will understand" Leonard has
said.
VIII 1t save your lite7" aske'