The evening world., 1914-04-24


his friends, TO view the
sports and contests and then-oh'
glorious news!--to celebrate the VIC
tory Of Spain over tho pigs Of Amen'
cans.
Al Mans horse ambled easily
through tho soft sand OF tho road
leading into tho square. she saw Its
sides lined with tho old men. tho
women and children Of tho village
and all tho country round. while
every youth who owned or couid
borrow Q horse was dashing cabai-
lero.
And anxious to attract attention TO
himself, each In his vanity spurred
his horse deep. and held It hard with
the cruel Mexican bit. that tho be-
w,idered animal in Its pain might
prance and cavort.
But a group OF horsemen Mt the
far. end Of the square seemed to be
the centre OF interest, and they were
being discussed with much excited
gesticulation. They were making
ready for race. Nan thought. or Tor
some feat OF Mexican prowess. so she
pulled hor horse far TO ono side and
rode at Q leisurely gait into the plaza.
Instantly she more than divided at
tention with the horsemen at tho
other end, though she was familiar
sight on horseback to them all.
There was no friendliness In tho
rows Of black eyes turned intently
upon her: derision. mockery. scorn or
the gringo. but no longer FEAR or
respect. Had not the Spain lick the
America? and had they not Juan os-
pino's word for It? Nan heard their
scofiing tones, then u jeer. u boot as
she passed, and her blood tingled.
But there was only ono thing for her
to do, and that was to ride ON with
her head high and ignore The insults.
At . shrill command tho horses
grouped at the end OF the plaza
leaped forward. With thunder Of
hoofs and their riders shrieking like
madmen. they came headlong. In the
centre Of the square the foremost
swung downward from his saddle and
made q frantic swoop With his out
stretched hand at the bobbing head
OF a rooster buried to the neck In the
sand.
The spectators hooted and howled
their derision. The leaders face.
dark with chagrin at his failure.
grew still darker at their ridicule.
He lifted his eyes to see Nan.
Infamed with much wine. the sight
of her at this moment Of his failure
maddened him and. with frcnzied
yell. he swung his horse and rode
straight at her. flashing and squirting
furiously.
In the second that It took him TO
cover the distance between them Nan
recognized the mal0~olent face OF
Ignacio BojarQues. She read his p'ir-
pose In his eyes before the horses
crashed together. The impact OF the
oncoming horse against the shoulder
Of her own knocked It's legs from
under II, and horse and rider fell.
Boarqjues's horse staggered ana went
on.
Then the fallen horse. still dazed.
struggled to it's feet. but Nan did not
rise. OF all the throng, only Bob.
who had witnessed II from Rileys
doorway, and little Rosario Richards,
reckless in her fright for Nan. ran TO
the limp heap In the sand.
The avalanche OF horsemsn swept
by, grinning, and their enjoyment
was reflected In the faces OF the spec
tators.
Bob, as pale AZ Nan herself. lifted
her head and shoulders to his knee.
"Can you get me some water.
Rosario?" His quiet voice was I'M
steady,
"Pronto. senor!" and she was on
like a deer.
Tho flying horsemen had swept on
unable yet to check their horses,
leaving behind them a cloud OF dust
which had not settled when whoops
In a different key--whoops which
came only from lusty American
throats-were heard on the road
which led into the square from the
other side OF the village.
The Erins faded. Women gathered
their children beneath their shawls
and scuttled for their doorways. the
men looked at each other uncertainty.
They were oonquerers. the Spain had
lick tho America. but the vanquished
were still uncommonly handy with
their guns,
II might he as we'll perhaps, to