Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1914-10-29

80 NA HE
cartridges from their own private
stock, came charging up from the town
and rallied them in the rear. 1
Trained by American leaders they
we're the only real fighting force to be
depended upon unless the Americans
themselves should take a hand in the
] game, and that they could not do
without the possibility of serious in
ternational consequences, a chance
they could not take except as a last
resort to save the women and children
and themselves.
In a solid, shouting mass they swept
up the hill together, dropped down be-
hind the d~efenses, and checked the as
founded rebels with a volley. Then
there was another ~long-range battle,
with every sign of war but the dead,
until at last, as the firing slackened
from the lack of cartridges, a white
flag showed on the ridge above, and
the leaders went out for a parley-
one of those parleys so character
istic of Mexican revolutions, and
which In reality mean so little, for
both sides know that the words ut
tered are meaningless, and should one
of them ever result in a surrender the
terms Of that surrender would not be
regarded, once the victims were in the
hands of the v%ictors.
Properly speaking, Del Rey was in
command of the town, but neither the
federals nor the miners would recog-
nlze his authority and the leadership
went by default. While they waited to
hear the rebel demands the Americans
took advantage of the truce to bring
up hot food from the hotel, where Don
Juan de Dios stood h%eroically at his
post. Let bullets come and go, Don
Juan kept his cooks about him, and
to those who had doubted his valor his
coffee was answer enough.
Wy, my gracious, Mr.. Hooker" he
rallied, as Bud refreshed himself be-
tween trips, "ain't you going to take
any up to those women? Don't drink
so much coffee now, but give it to the
men who fight"
"Ump-um," grunted Bud with a grin;
they got a skinful of mescal already
What they need is another carload of
ammunition to help 'em shoot their
first rebel"
i thought you said they wouldn't
fight!" twitted Don Juan. "This is the
battle of Fortuna that l was telling
you about last week"
"Sure!' answered Bud, and over
there is the dead"
He pointed to a riot of mescal bot
ties that marked the scene Of the
nights potations, and Don Juan gave
him up as hopeless.
"A pile Of bottles usually represent
the casualty list In a Mexican fight"
added Bud as Don Juan moved away.
But, jest as he would, Bud saw that
the situation was serious, for the fool
hardy Sonorans had already emptied
their cartridge-belts, and their guns
we're no better than clubs. Unless the
rebels had been equally reckless with
their ammunition they had the town at
their mercy, and the first thing that
they would demand would be the refu.
gees in the big house.
Before that could be permitted the
Americans would probably take a
hand in the fight, for, while the great
majority of the women in the house
we're Mexican, there were a few
Americans, and they would be pro.
tected regardless of international com,
plications, But Gracia Aragon was
not an American, and she could moi
claim the protection of these country
men of his.
The possession Of the town; the
arms of the defenders; food, clothing
and horses to ride-none of these
would satisfy them. They would de
mand the rich Spanish landowners tC
be held for ransom, the women frs
Of all. And of all those hud
died up in the casa grande not on,
would bring a bigger ransom than Ora
ella Aragon.
Bud pondered upon the outcome a:
the emissaries wrangled on the hill
side, and then he went back to tn,
corral to make sure that his horse wa,
safe. Copper Bottom, too, might b,
held for ransom. But, knowing tn,
rebels as he did, Hooker foresaw
3 different fate, and rather than see hin
become the mount Of some rebel chief
tain he had determined, if the tow
surrendered, to make a dash.
Riding by night and hiding in tn,
hills by, day he could get to the borde
in two days. All he needed was a littl
jerked beef for the trip and he woul,
be ready for anything.
, So he hurried down to the hote
again and was just making a sack o
food fast to his saddle when he hear
a noise behind him and turned to fac,
Aragon. For two days the once
naughty Don Cipriano had skunk abou
:. like a sick cat, but now he was headeI
for Gracia's big roam, and the look Il
his eyes betrayed his purpose.
Where you going?" demande
Hooker in English, and at the grui
, challenge the Spaniard stopped in hi
tracks. The old, hunted look cam
back into his eyes, he seemed t
, shrink before the stern gaze Of tn
, Texan, and. as the memory Of his pas
, misdeeds came W him, he turned a
. If to fee.
But there was a smile, an amuse
4 and tolerant smirk, about the Amer
: cans mouth, and even for that loo
of understanding the harried hacier
dado seemed to thank him. He wa
broken now, thrown down from hi
pedestal Of arrogance and conceit an
as Hooker did not offer to shoot bill
1 at sight he turned back to him like
! lost dog that seeks but a kind wor'