Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1914-10-22
CHAPTER xxlI-continued.

CHAPTER XXil-Continued.
Let the Mexicans fight it out" he
said. ''They might resent it if you
took sides, and that would make it bad
for us. Just wait a while-you never
can tell what will happen. Perhaps the
rurales and federals will stand them
off"
What, that little bunch?" demanded
Bud, pointing ~scornfully at the hand
full of defenders who were covering
behind their rock piles. why half of
them pelones don't know what a gun
was made for. and the rurales-"
Well, the rebels are the same" sug-
gested the superintendent Practically.
Let them fight it out-we need every
American we can get, SO just forget
about being a Mexican"
All right" agreed Bud, as he yield
ed reluctantly to reason. ut amt be-
eaus I'm a Mexican citizen-I Just
want to stop that rush."
He walked back to the house, Jug
Cling his useless gun and keeping his
eye ON the distant ridges. And then,
In a chorus OF defiant yells, the men
in the federal trenches began to shoot.
In an airline the distance was some
thing over a mile. but at the first scat
tering volley the rebels halted and
fred a volley in return. With a vicious
spang a few stray bullets smashed
against the reverberating steel tank,
but no n was hurt, and the defend
ers, drunk with valor, began to shoot
and yell like mad.
The bullets Of the rebels, fired at
random, struck up dust-jets in every
direction, and from the lower part of
the town came the shouting of the non
ombatant Mexicans as they ran here
md there for shelter. But by the
trenches, and in the real of the black
+ank, the great crowd of onlookers
persisted, ducking as each successive
bullet hit the tank and shouting en-
enlargement as the defenders emptied
heir rifles and reloaded with clip after
clip.
The rifles ratified a continuous vol
ley; spent bullets leaped like locusts
across the fiat; men ran to and fro,
now c%rouching behind the tank, now
stepping boldly into the open; and the
etiant shouts of the defenders almost
.rowned the walls Of the women. Ex-
sept for one thing it was a battle
there was nobody hurt.
For the first half-hour the Ameri-
ans stayed prudently under cover,
busying themselves 1t the suggestion
of a few American women in providing
a first-aid hospital on the sheltered
porch. Then, as no wounded came to
fill it 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 flew harm
lessly past, their solicitude turned rap
idly to disgust and then to scorn.
Strange al 1t may seem, they were dis
appointed at the results, and their re-
marks were derogatory as they COM
mented on the bravery OF p~elones and.
Mexicans in general.
From a dread of imminent attack, of
charging rebels and ~retreating defend.
ers, and a fight to the death by the
house, they came suddenly to a desire
for blood and battle, for dead men and
the cries Of the wounded; and all fear
of the insurrectos left them.
Come away, boys" grunted the
burly roadmaster, who up to then had
led in the work; 1--WE wasted our time
on that hospital-there1l be no wound
ed. Let's take ourselves back to the
house and have a quiet smoke"
Right you are, Ed" agreed the mas
ter mechanic, as he turned upon his
heel in disgust. This amt war
them Mexicans think they're working
for a moving-picture show!"
Il bet you ! can 60 up on that
RIDGE announced Hooker, and clean
out the whole bunch with my six
shooter before you could bat YOU
eye"
Dub tue superintendent was not SO
sure.
Never mind, boys he said. We're
worth a lot OF ransom money to those
rebels and they won't give up SO quick.
And look at this now-my miners com
ing back! Those are the boys that will
fghti Wait till Chico and Ramon
Mendoza get after theIn!p
He pointed as he spoke to a strag-
Cling band Of S~onorans, ledl by the
undetermined Mendoza brothers, as
they hurried 70 save the town, and a
cheer went UP from the trenches as
the federals beheld reinforcements.
But a change had come over the Are
eating miners, and they brought other
rebels in their wake.
AS they trudged YEARLY into town
and sought shelter among the houses
a great body Of men appeared on the
opposite ridge, firing down at them as