The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-06-15

OAs
So he thought, but instead they lin
gered, and when supper was cooked he
decided to 60 to a ow-down-and If
they again refused to eat he would
send them on their way.
Ven amigos" he said spreading
out the tin plates for them. Come and
eat!"
The three low-brows glared at their
leader, who had done what little talk
ing there was so far, and, seized with
sudden animation, he Immediately
rose to his feet.
Many thanks, senor," he said with
a erin ling and specious politeness.
1--WE have come far and the trail is
long, so we will eat The times are
| hard for poor men nOw-this traitor,
Madero, has made us all hungry 1t Is
by him that we poor working men are
driven to insurrection-but we know
that the Americans are our friends.
Yes senior, will take some of your
beans, and thank YOU"
He filled plate as he spoke and
lifted biscuit from the oven, con-
tinuing with his false patter while the
Others fell to In silence
Perhaps you have heard, senor,' he
went on, the saying which is in the
land: Mucho trabajo, pace dinero;
no hay frijoles, viva Madero! Much
work, little money; no beans, long
live Madero!l
That, in truth, is no jest to the
Mexican people This man has be-
trayed US all; he has ruined the coun-
try and set brother against brother.
And now, while we starve because the
mines are shut down, he gathers his
family about him in the city and lives
fat on the money he has stolen"
He ran on in this style, after the
fashion of the revoltosos, and by the
very commonplace of his fulminations
Bud was thrown completely off his
guard. That was the way they all
talked, these worthless bandit beggas
that and telling how they loved the
Americanos-and then, if they got a
chance, they would stick a knife In
your back
lie listened to the big man with a
polite liberation, being careful not to
NH ND .t.
ne waited. but though it was coming
dusk the Mexlcans were in no hurry
to depart. Perhaps they hoped to stop
for the night and GIT him in his sleep,
Still they fingered on, the leader sit.
ting on log and continuing his
harangue.
Then, In the middle of a sentence.
and while Bud was bending over the
fire. the Mexican stopped short and
leaned to one side. A tense silence
fell, and Hooker was walked from his
trance by the warning click Of gun
lock. Suddenly his mind came back
to his guests, and he ducked like a
Hash, but even as he went down he
heard the hammer clack!
The gun had snapped!
Instantly Hooker's hand leaped to
his pistol and he fired from the hin
pointblank at the would-be murderer
With a yell to the others, one of the
Mexicans sprang on him from behind
and tried to bear him down. They
struggled for moment while Bnd
shot blindly with his pistol and went
down fighting.
Bud was a giant compared to the
stunted Mexicans, and he threw them
about like dogs that hang on to bear
With a man In each hand he rose to
his feet, crushing them down beneath
him: then, in despair Of shaking off
his rider, he staggered a few stems
and hurled himself over backward into
the fire.
A yell Of agony followed their fall
and, as the live Goals bit through the
Mexican's thin shirt, he fought like a
cat to get free. Rocks, pots and ket,
ties were kicked in every direction.
and when Hooker leaped to his feet
the Mexican scrambled up and rushed
madly for the creek.
But, though Bud was free the hat.
tie had turned against him. for in the
brief interval of his fight the other
two MeXicanS had run for their guns.
Inc instant he rose they covered him.
Their chief, who by some miracle had
escaped Buds shot gave a shou+ for
them to halt. Cheated of his victim ar
the first he was claiming the right to
kill.
As Hooker stood blinded bv the
smoke and ashes the fellow took do.
liberate aim and once more his rifle
snapped. Then, as the other Navi.
cans stood agape, surprised at the
failure of the shot, the cannonlike
Whang of Mauser rent the air end
the leader crumpled down in a bean
An instant later a shrill yell rose
from up the canyon and. as the two
Mexicans started and stared, Amigo
came dashing In upon them. a splitting
pistol IN one hand and his terrible
wood-chopping' knife braudishsd
high In the other.
tie Be continued.)