The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1914-10-09

trail he made the mud-puddles splash
Across the fields to the south Ru
could see the poems running for cove
the insurrectos must be in sight h,
yond the hills.
He was going south, they were NOV
ing west, but 1t was five miles mort
again to the town. Speed was wha
was needed and Copper Bottom CAV
his best. They dashed into Forum,
like whirlwind, and Hooker raise,
his voice In high yell.
"Insurrectos!' he shouted. "Ladro
mes! Pr-onto Fortuna!"
There was rush. moments 81
lence, and then heads appeared from
every window and women ran screa m
ing with the news. Aragon came rush
ing from the store and confronted him
angrily; then, reading conviction in
his tones, he called for horses and ran
frantically fnto the house.
A shrill screech came from the hill.
side, where serving woman had
scampered to view the valley, and, as
she pointed her finger and screamed
mothers laid hold of their little ones
and started up the valley on foot
Still the men ran about in the horse.
pen and Aragon adjured his women.
folk in the house. Burning with i'm.
patience, Bud spurred his way to the
corral where they were fumbling with
reata and rigging and dropped a rope
on the first horse he saw. Then he
snatched a side-saddle from a trem.
bling peon and slapped 1t on the
brute's back. Grabbing up the Bride
he led the horse back to the house and
bridled 1t while he shouted for haste
Still the women tarried, and the
sound Of galloping came from the
south. Then. as all seemed lost, the
Mexicans came humping out from the
stable with the family coach, Aragon
and his wife leaped In, and Gracia,
neatly attired in a riding-skirt, came
tripping down the steps.
Even In such times as these she
seemed to realize her first duty to
herself, and Hooker had to gaze for
moment before he helped her up. She
offered her foot and vaulted lightly
into the saddle; the coach went pound
Ing on ahead; and as the servants
scattered before her she galloped off
at the side of Bud
Behind them the rumble Of distant
hoofs rose up like the roaring Of wa
tiers, and the shrieks of fleeing women
echoed from the roadside, but once
safely In the canyon their lead was
never lessened and, with coach-horses
galloping and positions flashing from
both sides, the whole cavalcade swept
into the plaza while the town Of For.
tuna went mad.
Already the great whistle was blow.
ing hoarsely, Its deep reverberations
making the air tremble as if with fear
Americans were running back and
forth, distributing arms and rushing
their women to cover; Don Juan. his
chin quivering with excitement was
all corners to be calm: and
the Aragons, coming flying up to the
door, added the last touch to the panic
They with their eyes had seen the
rebels; they were riding In from the |
south! Other men, equally excited. |
swore they were coming from the |
north, and a disorderly body Of so.
nora miners. armed as If by magic
with guns which had long lain hidden
banked themselves about the store and
office and clamored for more and moro
cartridges. Then q rip Of gun.fra
echoed from across the CANYON and
the miners made rush to the att.ch
The whistle. which had obscured oil
sound as cloud obscures the llpht
stopped suddenly in its roar and The
crowd at the hotel became calm, Tho
superintendent, wiry, gray.ha,red
little man, with decision In eyorv
movement, came running from h,s
Eort'iike house on the hill and ordered
al the women to take shelter there
aho take their children with them
90 while the rifles ratified and STRAW
ouilets began to knock mud from ths
vans, they went struggling I'D the M,
,'cn ana poor, patrician and naon
while the air was rent by the vail
II the half-lndian Mexican womsn '
Who held themselves as good 90 a
ured by the revoltosos, concs,r vsp :.
Vnose scruples they entertained ue
Illusions. "eu no
!, The women Of the aristocracy noro
ne with more reserve. =. 't w !,
ltting their birth and station. and NJ . oe
americans who gathered about =, .ne
Win their protecting rifles prate ,usla =
nat al would be well; but in t ,ha .
minds of every one was that IN. .ne
error which found expression in same .he :
go wall. wall and while scattered reh .ue
M newly armed miners excb. suels .
olleys on both sides of tho to. 8
ono Americans sought we we a a
very woman and rushed her NJ, n ~ =. .ut Il
ls mouse There, if worst csm ~ 'ae 5
'orst, they could make a lac came to
save them by ransom ' S'and' v
= 30, from the old woman WIN :. o
ne candy stand in the nl,, "no Sept n
ives Oh the miners and the cbor;. .ne !,