The Glenwood post., 1914-05-23
CHAPTER I.

Tho slow-rolIiRg winters sun rose
ooldly. far to the south. riding up
from behind the saw-toothsd Sierras
Of Mexico to throw . silvsry halo on
Ohdsden. the border city. 4 hundred
miles Of desert lay in its PATH waste
OF broken ridges. dry arroyos. and
sandy plains-and then suddenly, -
If by magic. the city roSs cleaning in
the sun.
1t was a big city. for the West and
swarming with tramc and men. Its
broad main street. lined with brick
buildings and throbbing with automo-
biles, ran from the railroad straight to
the south until. at . line. It stopped
short and was lost in the desert
That line which marked the sudden
end of growth and progress was the
border of the United States; the desert
was Mexico. And the difference was
not in the land. but in the government.
As the morning air grew warm and
the hoar frost dripped down from the
roofs the idlers of the town crept
forth, leaving chill lodgings and stale
saloons for the street corners and the
sun.
Against the dead wall of big store
the Mexicans gathered in shiyering
groups. their blankcts wra.r ped around
their necks and their brown ankles
bare to the wind. On another corner
a bunch Of cowboys stood clannishly
aloof eying the passing crowd for 9TH
ers of their kind.
In this dun stream which flowed
under the morning sun there were min.
ing men. with high-laced boots and
bulging pockets; graybeards. with the
gossip of the town in their cheeks;
hoboes, still wearing their eastern
caps and still rustling for a quarter to
eat on; somber-eyed refugees and sol.
diers of fortune from Mexico-but
ialers all, and each seeking his class
and kind.
I If any women passed that way they
walked fast, looking neither to the
right nor to the left; for they, too, be-
ing so few. missed their class and
kind.
Gadsden had become a city OF men.
huge-limbed ana powerful and with
questiGg lock in tleir eyes; city OF
a1venturers gathered from the ends of
the world. A common calamity had
driven them from their mines and
ranches and glutted the town with
men, for the warsrxas on in Mexico
and from the farthe. most corners of
Sonora they still came, hot from some
new scene of murder and pillase, to
add to the general discomfort.
As the day wore on the crowd on
the bank corner. where the refugees
made their stand. changed its com.
plexion, grew big. and stretched far up
the street Men stood in shifting
groups, talking. arguing. gazing mood.
lily at those who passed.
Here were hawk-eyed Texas cattle.
men, thinking of their scattered herds
with idle prospects and deserted mines
as far south as the Rio Yaqui; mill
men, ranchers and men of trades; all
driven in from below the line and all
chatting al the leash. While hundred
petty chiefs stood out against Madero
and lived By rarsom and loot, they
must cool their heels in Gadsden and
wait for the end to come.
Into this seething mass of the dis
possessed many of whom had lost a
fortune by the war, there came two
more. with their faces still drawn and
red from hard riding through the cold.
They stepped forth from the marble
entrance Of the big hotel and swung
on down the street to see the town.
They walked slowly. gazing into the
strange faces in the vague hope Of
finding some friend; and Gadsden, not
to be outdone. looked them over curl
come.
The bs.ch Of cowboys, still lettering
on the corner. glanced scornfully At
tho smaller man, who sported . pair
Of puttees-and then 1t the big mans
feet. Finding them encased IN pros
pector's shoes they stared dumbly at
his wtnd-burned fzce and muttered
among themselves.
He was TAN. and broad across the
shoulders. with farseeing blue eyes
and 8 mop ofliSht hair; and he walked
m lis toes, 'stif-legged. swaying from
his lips like a man ON horseback. The
uCle Of comment rose up again as
ne -acked past and then a cowboy
voice observed:
i bet 70 he's . cow-punch!"
Tie big man looked back 1t than
0ocki1giy out a tAs corner Of his sys
"a went - witAoat Q word.
4 = ~ toase q sswbeys that ~