The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-08-15
b'....uf fear chased them.
N.crOss Aragon's face az ne


stood. but Bud walked proudly by.
"Good morning, senor!" WAS all Bud
said. bu. the sloeb In his eyes was
eloquent OF o grim hereafter
And Instead OF hurrying back to
guard his precious mine Hooker loi.
tered carelessly about town. His
mine was safe now--and he was safe.
Aragon dared not raise hand. So be
sat himself down ON the broad veranda
and listened with boyish interest to
Don Juan's account of the war.
What, have you not heard OF the
battle?" cried portly Don Juan. delight.
ed to have q fresh listener. Aqua
Negra has been taken and retaken.
and tho railroad will soon be repaired.
My graciouni have you been out in
the hills that long? Why, 1t was two
weeks ago that the rebels captured
the town by coup. and eight days
later the federala took 1t back.
"Aii. ,Inere has heen real war, Mr..
Bud! You who have laughed at the
courage Of the Mexicans. what do you
pathy with our great cause, will ask
you for that horse. or course. will
give you receipt"
He fetched out blank.book as he
spoke and nouoned to ragged beg
gar at his heels. Bud checked the
mans rush with q look.
"0ne 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 have--food, blankets, mon
ey-but I1cannot give you that horse"
But. senor!"- protested the general,
regarding<him with arrogant pig eyes
that glinted wickedly. this poor sol.
dier's feet are sore. Surely you would
not make him walk. Only name your
price and I.will give you receipt for
him. but my man must have the
horse"
There was pause and men began
to disnount and move in closer. AT
word from their commander any
one of them would draw and kill him
as Hooker very well knew, but bis
love for Copper Bottom made him OBJ.
durate. So
'If the man ia lame" he said. ~
will give him another horse-but he
cannot have this sorrel."
He stepped quickly over to the cor.
raj and turned with his back to the
gate. while the commander spat GU,
orders in Spanish and armed men
came running. 4! n.
uGonnr 70 >, a ,S1S
ly upon the defiant Hooker. II must
trouble you for .that pistol"
mo. senorI" answered the cowboy,
keeping his hand upon his gun, mot
to you nor no man-aad I'll never give
It up to Mexicanl"
"Carai!" exclaimed the officer fmpa.
tiently.. you arel an, n,Americano-no?"
mot only thhtasTumbled bud. draw
ing himself Up il .i..sss .i;..sss ,rrilis. = s:n 2
Te1aEo also, and II any man touches
that horse Ill kill: himi" !.
His voice trembled with anger, but
his hand was steady and the Mexicana
did not deceive themselves.
"Ha. un Tejano!" murmured Ghc
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. 1'tl.
Bud knew the fate of several men
who had proclaimed themselves Amerl
leans to the insurrectos -boastfully
done. 1t was said to be the quickest
way there was OF drawing Mexican
bullet. But to be a Texan was differ.
ent-somehow the very name suggest
ed trouble to their minds and an Ala.
mo fight to the death. Hooker saw
that he had made an Impression, and
he was not slow to follow 1t up. i.
'If you need q 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 ]
will contribute saddle
1t was-aAreasonable, concession, un
der the circumstances. and, best of ALL
It saved the generslAs face. The hid
eous frown with which he had regard
ed the American changed suddenly tc
q. look of pompous pride. He Jerked
an impefibus head at his ragged re-
tainer and drew fortl, ais receiptboos
with a flourish. ;.
While he waited for the horse to ap
pear he turned upon his ssnopp,ng men
and drove them TO their MOUNTS with
curses, Evidently II was no sinecure
to command In the army OF the Iiber
alton. and the yelled mutterings Of
his followers showed that they were
little better than tigers in. leash.
q Mogatad upon .horssG mules. and
even burros; armed with every con
ceivable weapon ifom q musket IA
standard repeating rtfias, they we're a
tatterdemalion army. more At fol
treason. stratagems and ,spoils' then
athe sterner duties. OF war.
h Bud looked them over closely, " all