The Huttig news., 1914-10-03

tHe CdHsoH, anu lHeH two more, ana two more. It was a column of men, ! all armed with rifles, and they cast envious eyes at Copper Bottom as they halted before the camp As for Bud he saluted gravely, for he knew them for what they were
 These were the lost forces of Der nardo Bravo and Salazar, Rojas and the other bandit chiefs, and they marched as he well knew, upon For tuna. They marcbed quietly, and the great whistle had not blown.
 It would make rich prize, Fortuna if they could take it by surprise, The ransom for the Spanish hacendados alone would amount to thousands of dollars, and the mineowners could afford to pay anything in order to save their works
 A box of dynamite under the giant concentrator and the money would be produced at once, and yet the scoun- drels halted at oneman camp to steal single horse.
 A flicker of scorn passed over Hook CTS face as the leader came dashing up, but the Texan greeted him with a slow smile.
 "Buenos dias, general" he said; "y ou have many men,"
 Enough" observed the general" hurriedly. but some in the rear are cn foot. As I suppose you are in sym
 4thy ' our great cause, will asl. you for that horse Of course, will give you receipt"
 He fetched out a blank book as he spoke and motioned to ragged beg. gar at his heels. Bud checked the mans rush with look.
 One moment" he said, and as the soldier turned back his general glanced up sharply
 Only this, Senor General" an swered Bud You are welcome to anything l have-food, blankets, mon ey-but 1 cannot give you that horse"
 But. senor," protested the general. regarding him with arrogant pig eyes that glinted wiekedly this poor sol dier's feet are sore. Surely you would not make him walk Only name your price and 1 will give you a receipt for him. but my man must have the horse'
 There was pause and men began to dismount and move in closer. At I a word from their commander any l one of them would draw and kill him as Hooker very we'll knew, but his love for Copper Bottom made him ob durate.
 If the man is lame," he said, q will give him another horse-but he cannot have this sorrel.'
 He stepped quickly over to the cor ral and turned with his back to the gate. while the commander spat out orders Tn Spanish and armed men came running
 "Senor," he said, advancing brusque- ly upon the defiant Hooker "I must trouble you for that pistol.
 No, senor." answered the cowboy, keeping his hand upon his gun. not to you nor no man-and I'll never give 1t up to Mexican!"
 "Carai!" exclaimed the officer impa- tiently, you are an Americano-no?"
 Not only that" rumbled Bud. draw ing himself up in his pride, "I am Tejano also, and if any man touches that horse I'll kill him!"
 His voice trembled with anger but his hand was steady and the Mexicans did not deceive themselves.
 "Ha, un Tejano!" murmured the men who stood about, and one or two who had started to climb the fence thought better of it and dropped back to the ground
 Bud knew the fate of several men who had proclaimed themselves Ameri- jeans to the surrectos-boastfully done, it was said to be the quickest way there was of drawing Mexican bullet But to be Texan was differ ent--somehow the very name suggest mo fight to the death. Hooker saw that he had made an impression. and he was not slow to follow it up.
 "If you need a horse," he said to the general, let your man go up that arroyo and he will find one hobbled on the fiat. Then give me your receipt for two hundred dollars gold and l will contribute saddle.''
 It was a reasonable concession, un- der the circumstances, and. best of all, it saved the generals face. The hid eous frown with which he had regard ed the American changed suddenly to look of pompous pride. He jerked an imperious head at his ragged re- tainer and drew forth his receipt-book with a flourish.
 While he waited for the horse to ap- pear he turned upon his snooping men and drove them to their mounts with curses. Evidently 1t was no sinecure to command In the army of the liber- ation, and the yelled mutterings of his followers showed that they were little better than tigers in leash.
 Mounted upon horses, mules. and even burros: armed with every con ceivable weapon from a musket to standard repeating rifles. they were a tatterdemalion army, more fit for treason, stratagems and spells" than 1f