Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1914-10-01
CHAPTER xxn-cOn.inuee.

Let the BeGicans hght It out" he
said. They might resent II II you
took sides. and that would make II bad
for US. just wait q while-you never
can tell what win happen. Perhaps the
rurales and federals will stand them
OF"
What, that little bunchT" demanded
Bad, pointing scornfuliy ct the Rand
fvi Of defenders who were covering
behind their rock piles. why half OF
them peiones don't know what a gun
vas made for. and the rurales-
-weH. the rebels are the same" sug-
sested lhe superintendent paciHcally.
let them fight II out--we need every
American VIC can get. so tust forget
about being a Mexican"
~Ail right" agreed Bud, as he Yield
ed reluctantly 10 reason. 1T amt be
cause I'm a Mexican citizen-I just
want 20 stop that rush"
He walked back TO the house, jug
Cling his useless gun and keeping his
eye on the distant ridges. And then.
fn chorus OF defiant yells. the men
in the federal trenches began 10 shoot
In an airline the distance was some
thing over a mile. but at the first scat
tering voiley the rebels halted and
fred Folley In return With a Vicious
spang q few stray bullets smashed
against the reverbsSsting steel tank.
but no on. was hurt, and the defend
ers. drunk with vsIor. began to shoot
and yeIl like mad.
The bullets OF the rebels, fred at
random. struck up dustjets In every
direction. and from the lower part OF
the town came the shouting of the non
combatant Mexicans as they ran here
and there fer shelter. But by the
trenches. and In the rear Of the black
tank. the great crowd OF onlookers
persisted. ducking as each successive
bullet hit the tank and shouting en-
couragement as the defenders emptled
their rifles and reloaded with clip after
clip.
The rifles ratified a continuous vol
ley; spent bullets leaped like locusts
across the fat: men ran to and fro.
now crouching behind the tank. now
stepping boldly into the open; and the
defiant shouts OF the defenders almost
drowned the walls Of the women. Ex-
cept for one thing II was battle
there was nobody hurt.
For the ilrst half-hour the Ameri-
cans stayed prudently under cover.
busying themselves at the suggestion
OF q few American women In providing
q first-sld hospital on the sheltered
porch. Then, as no wounded came to
fill II and the rebels delayed their
charge, one man after another climbed
up to the trenches, ostensibly TO bring
down the injured.
AS soldiers and bystanders reported
no one hit. and the bullets few harm
leesIy past, their solicitude turned rap
Idly 10 disgust and then TO scorn.
Strange az IL may seem, they we're dis
appointed at the results, and their re-
marks were derogatory az they com
mented on the bravery OF pelones and
Mexicsns In general
From q dread Of imminent attack. OF
charging rebels and retreating defend
ere, and z fight TO the death by the
house, they came suddenly 10 desire
for blood and battle. for dead men and
the cries of the wounded; and all feai
OF the insurrectos left them.
Come away, boys" grunted thu
burly roadmaster. who up TO then ha'
led in the work; I'VE wasted our tim,
on that hospital-there1l be no wound
ed. Let's take ourselves back to tn
house and have a quiet smoke"
Right you are. Ed" agreed the mai
ter mechanic. as he turned upon hi
heel in disgust This amt war
them Mexicuns think they're workin
for a moying-picture show!"
Il bet you ! can go up on thu
ridge" announced Hooker. and clea
out the whole bunch with my ST.
shooter before you could bat yoS
eye"
But the superintendent was not I
sure.
Never mind, boys" he said. WEI
worth q lot OF ransom money to thot
rebels and they won't give up so qulc
And look at this now-my miners col
ing bscki Those are the boys that W
tight! Wait till Chico and RAM
Mendoza get after them!"
He pointed as he spoke to a strs
CLING band of Sonorans, led By I
nuch-yaunted Mendoza brothers,
they hurried to save the town. and
cheer went up from the trenches
the federals beheld reinforcement
But change had come over the n
eating miners, and they brought 9th
rebels in their wake.
AS they trudged YEARLY into to-
and sought shelter among the hous
great body of men appeared on
opposite ridge, firing down at them
they retreated. The battle rapit
turned into a long-distance shooti
contest. with the rebels on the ridl
and the defenders in tho valley. a
finally. as the day wore on and a tn
defstorm came up. II died out a
gether and the rebels turned back
their camp.
a