The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-02-07

| ADDS, SENIOR DON AUG
meant then? We all knew, and
Jose's face went like ashes = he
was a coward anyway - and he
could hardly say, 81 mi teniente.
And that big fat pig Of Don Au-
gusto, he dropped altogether as
If he had no bones, and he went
down on his knees. But my tent
ente only laughed and said: A
pleasant journey to you, Senior
Don Augusta de los Reyes, and a
relief from the comedies"
And then he took the COM
missary reports, and he wrote on
them all the time till Jose came
back. Jose was shaking and
white and the teniente looked at
him. You are back quickly,
Jose he said. Is anything the
matter?'
The prisoner tried to es-
cape, mi teniente,' Jose said.
That was very foolish my
teniente said. Where is he now,
Jose
"'Across the river, mi tent
ente,' Jose said.
Sergeant, send two men
across the river with shovels,
the lieutenant ordered, and he
tossed Jose a peseta to buy vino.'
Fermin Majusay had forgotten
everything else in thinking of the
man who was his hero, and the
fire was nearly out. He brought
it to a glow and then lay down
on his blanket again. THAT night
while we whispered together in
barracks and that chicken-heart-
ed Jose sat by himself and NUT
tered prayers and drank vino out
of a bottle we named our tent
ente ell Diablito-the Little Devil.
Not because he was little, but be-
cause we loved him, just as An
gel Bantiling calls his wife Chi
quita--tiny one-th0ugh she is
| big as carabao. Ell Diablito |
named him, and we were afraid.
After Don Augusta was dead
all that part of the province was
good, so they sent us to another
place. Barang was the name of
the town where we went. 1t was
a better town; the people were
good; we had nothing to do but
drill. And after drill, often, my
teniente took me to shoot with
him. l would hold an empty bot
tie for beer in my hand - like
that! - and the teniente would
shoot 1t from twenty PAGES with
his revolver. Hoy, he was a devil
at everything, my teniente!
Scores and scores we broke, and
he never hurt me. And he took
me to be his servant in his quar-
ters, and / was very happy there
in Barang."
Fermin Majusay gazed into the
fire again, and his keen animal
face was softened in the flicker
ing light.
"Dios, I was happy there in
Barang! Only one thing I did
not like - that was Isidro Abe
larde. Isidro Abelarde was the
leader of the town, the son of
rich haciendero, young and hand
some. And he became a friend
of my teniente. They would
laugh and talk together for
hours, and ride together, and l
did not like it. We Macabebes
have many enemies - all the
other Filipinos are our enemies
and we have to be suspicious
always. ! began to wonder why
Isidro Abelarde wanted to be my
lieutenant. mi teniente,' I said,
4 do not like 1t that Don Isidro
comes here. 1t is not good that
he can pass the guard at any
time, like a white man. If he
means harm
1.-THE teniente laughed. You
are more bother than wife, Fer
min,' he said. Why should he
mean harm to me?'
He Is the pariente-the rela-
time - of Don Augusta said.
My teniente looked at me, and I
saw that he did not wish to hear
the name of Don Augusta. For
minute I was frightened-he had
terrible eyes sometimes. How do
you know that?' he said.
"I would not tell him - we
have ways Of knowing things
and he got very angry and struck
me. 1t made my eye black, but l
did mot care. He was my lieuten-
ant, anyway, and he had been
drinking. Next day I was glad
of It, for Don Isidro came to din
ner, and he looked at my eye.
Often, when he thought no one
law him, he looked at 1t. Then I
nad an idea. My teniente was
fery short with me because he