Gilpin observer., 1914-11-12

on.
So he thought, but instead they lin
/ gered, and when supper was cooked he
decided to go to show-down-and II
I they again refused to eat he would
/ send them on their way.
Ven amigos" he said, spreading
| out the tin plates for them. "Come and
eat!"
! The three low-brows glared at their
leader. who had done what little talk.
ing there was SO far. and, seized with
sudden animation, he Immediately
rose to his feet.
Many thanks. senor." he said with
erin 5ing and specious politenesA
I'VE have come far and the trail is
long, SO we will eat. The times are
! hard for poor men now-this traitor.
Madero, has made US all hungry. 1t is
by him that we poor working men are
driven to insurrection-but we know
that the Americans are our friends
Yes, senor, I will take some of your
beans, and thank you"
He filled plate as he spoke and
lifted a biscuit from the oven, con-
tinuing with his false patter while the
others fell to in silence.
Perhaps you have heard, senor." he
went on. the saying which is in the
land: Mucho trabajo. paco dinero;
no hay frijoles, viva Madero, much
work. little money; no beans. long
live Madero.1
THAT, in truth, is no jest to the
Mexican people. This man has be-
trayed US all; he has ruined the coun-
try and set brother against brother
And now, while we starve because the
mines are shut down, he gathers his
family about him in the city and lives
fat on the money he has stolen"
He ran on in this style, after the
fashion of the reyoltosos, and by the
very commonplace of his fulminations
Bud was thrown completely off his
guard. That was the way they all
talked. these worthless bandit-beggars
that and telling how they loved the
Americanos-and then, if they got q
chance, .hey would stick a knife in
your back.
He listened to the big man with a
polite federation, being careful not to-
turn his back, and ate a few bites as
he waited, but though it was coming
dusk the Mexicans were in no hurry
to depart. Perhaps they hoped to stop
for the night and get him in his sleep.
Still they fingered on. the leader sit
ting on a log and continuing his
harangue.
Then, in the middle of a sentence,
and while Bud was bending over the
fire. the Mexican stopped short and
leaned to one side. A tense silence
fell. and Hooker was walked from his
trance by the warning click of gun
lock. Suddenly his mind came back
to his guests. and he ducked like a
flash, but even as he went down he
heard the hammer clack!
The gun had snapped!
Instantly Hooker's hand leaped to
his pistol and he fired from the hip
pointblank at the would-be murderer.
With a yell to the. others. one of the
Mexicans sprang on him from behind
and tried to bear him down. They
struggled for a moment while Bud
shot blindly with his pistol and went
down fighting.
Bud was a giant compared to the
stunted Mexicans, and he threw them
about like dogs that hang on to a bear.
With man in each hand he rose to
his feet, crushing them down beneath
him; then. in despair of shaking Off
his rider, he staggered a few steps
and hurled himself over backward into
the fire.
A yell of agony followed their fall
and, as the live Goals bit through the
Mexican's thin shirt, he fought like a
cat to get free. Rocks, pots and ket-