The Huttig news., 1914-10-24

work was not quite done. Up at the big house. with the screeching women around her, was Gracia Aragon, and he owed her something for his rough words. To pay her for that he would stay. Whatever she asked now he would grant it.; and If worst came to worst he would take her with him and make good his promise to Phil. He had given his word and that was enough. Now he had only to wait.
 It would not be long, for the barley would soon be over, and if the coward ly rurales surrendered the town to the bandits he would make break for ,ne line and civilization with the girl. It would be hard ride, and alone he would have no fear of the results, but he would chance it even with the girl rather than leave her
 The boy lieutenant, the brothers Mendoza, the superintendent. and Man. uel del Key. all were out on the hill side talking terms with Bernardo Bravo and his chiefs. With the rebels it was largely bluff. since field
 
 cartridges; but they had over thou sand men massed along the ridges and. with courage, could easily take the town.
 Bud knew that courage was the one thing lacking. It was the one thing that was always lacking in these Mex ican fights. The Mexican bandit takes but little chance when he goes to war.
 As for the Mendozas and their So- moran miners, they were properly chagrined at their waste of ammuni- tion and swore by Santa Guadalupe to fight 1t out with hand grenades. Even as their leaders wrangied the Mexican powder men were busily manufactur- ing bombs. and all the while the su- perintendent was glancing to the south, for swift couriers had been sent to Alvarez. the doughty Spanish ha- ciendado of the hot country, to beg him to come to their relief.
 Twice before Alvarez had met the rebels. The first time he spoke them we'll and they ran of all his horses. The second time he armed his YaQuis and Yaqui Mayo rancheros against them and drove them from his domain, infiicting a sanguinary punishment.
 Since then he had been itching to engage them in pitched battle, and when the word reached him he would come. Two hundred and forty Yaquis. all armed with repeating rifles. would follow at his back, and even with his boasted thousands Bernardo Bravo could hardly withstand their valor. So. while the rebels parleyed, demanding ransom of millions and threatening to destroy the town, the defenders argued and reasoned with them, hoping to kill the time until Alvarez should arrive.
 In the open space in front of the house the refugees gathered in an anx- ious group, waiting for messengers. from the front, and as Hooker walked among them he was aware of the ma- lignant glances of Aragon. There were other glances as we'll, for he had won great favor with the ladies by ditching the powder train but none from Gra- cia or her mother.
 Bud would not have admitted that he resented this lack of appreciation on the part of Gracia. In fact he hard ly knew that he. did resent it, but he watched anxiously for any sign of ap- proval from this girl who was to be his pardner's bride should he conduct her safely to the border.
 From the beginning the Senora Ara. gon had treated him as a stranger ac- cording to the. code of her class, and Hooker had never attempted to in- trude But if Gracia still remembered that she was an American girl at heart. che forgot to show 1t to him. To all she was now the proud Spanish lady, thrown with the common people by the stress of circumstances. but far away from them in her thoughts.
 The conference between the leaders dragged on and messengers came and went with the news-then, after hours of debate. 1t broke up suddenly in row and the emissaries came back on the run Even at that they narrowly escaped, for the rebels opened fire upOu tucHl iToul tuC itu6ccs anu OShoio they could get back to cover the dandy, Manuel del Key, received a bull let hole through the crown of his hat.
 grim smile fickered across Buds face as he saw the damage 1t had wrought, for he knew that Amigo was in the hills-and a bullet shot down hill goes high! Some trace of what | Del Key as he halted in the shelter of the house. for he. regarded the Ameri- can sternly as Aragon spoke rapidly in his ear But if they planned ven- geance between them the times were not right. for rattle of arms came from the lower town and the captain was up and away to marshal his men to the dpfenS0