The Arvada enterprise., 1914-10-01
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER I.
Tho slow-rolling winters sun rose
ooldly. far to the south. riding up
from behind the saw-toothed Sierras
Of Mexico to throw silvery halo on
Gadsden, the border city. hundred
miles Of desert lay In its path-a waste
Of broken rdgeA dry arroyos. and
sandy plains then suddenly. az
II by magic. the city rose cleaning In
tho sun
1t was a big city. for the West. and
swarmins with trafho and men. Its
broad main street. lined with brick
buildings and throbbing with automo.
biles. ran from the railroad straight to
tho south until, At = line. It stopped
short and was lost In the desert
That limo which marked the sudden
end OF growth and progress was the
border of the United States; the desert
vas Mexico. And the difference was
not In the land. but In the government
AZ the morning air grew warm and
the hoar frost dripped down from tho
roofs the idlen of tho town crept
forth. leaving chill lodgings and stale
saloons for the street corners and the
2un.
Against tho dead wall OF big store
tho Mexicans gathered In shivsring
groups. their blankets wrapped around
their necks and their brown ankles
bare to tho wind On another corner
= bunch Of cowboys stood clannishly
aloof. eying the passing crowd for 9TH
urs Of their kind.
In this dun stream which flowed
under tho morning sun there were min.
ing mon. with hish-laced boots and
bullying pockets: graybeards, with the
gossip of the town In their checks:
hoboes. still wearing their eastern
caps and still rustling for a quarter to
cat on; somber-eyed refugees and SOL
diers of fortune from Me1ico-but
idicrs all. and each seeking his class
and kind.
II any women passed that way they
walked fast, looking neither to the
right nor to tho left: for they. too. be-
ing 30 few. missed their class and
kind.
Gadsden had become a city OF men.
huge-limbed and powerful and with q
Questing look in their eyes; a city Of
adventurous gathered from tho ends of
tho world. A common calamity had
driven thom from their mines and
ranches and glutted the town with
men. for the war was on In Mexico
and from tho farthermost corners Of
Sonora they still came. hot from some
now scene OF murder and pillaga, to
add to the general discomfort.
As tho day wore on the crowd on
tho bank corner. where the refugees
hado their stand. changed It's com.
plexion. grew big. and stretched far up
the street Men stood In shifting
groups. talking. arguing. gazing mood.
lily ut those who passed.
Here were hawkeyed Texas cattle
men, thinking OF their scattered herds
at Mababi or El Tigre; mining men.
with Idle prospects and deserted mines
as far south IN tho Rio YaQui; mill.
men. rnnchers and men OF trades; all
driven in from below tho line and all
chaAnH at tho leash. While hundred
pstty chiefs stood out against Madero
and lived by ransom and loot, they
must cool their heels In Gadsden and
wait for tho end TO coma.
Into this scething mass OF tho dis.
possessed. many Of whom had iost a
fortune by tho war. there came two
moro. with their faccs still drawn and
red from hard riding through the cold.
Thoy stepped forth from tho marble
entrance of the big hotel and swung
OF down tho street to sec tho town.
They walked slowly. gazing into the
strange faces In tho vague hope OF
finding some friend: and Gads6cn, not
To DO outdone, looked them over curl
ously and wondered whence they had
como.
Tho bunch OF cowboys, still lettering
on tho corner. glanced scornfully at
tho smaller man. who sported \ pair
OF puttees-nnd then at tho big mans
feet. Finding them cncased In pros.
pcctor's rhocs they stared dumbly at
his wind-burncd face and muttercd
among themselves.
He was tall. md broad across the
shoulders. with far~seing blue Dyes
und . mop Of light hair: and he walked
on his toes. stif,.lcxgcd. swayinS from
his hips like man on horseback. The
rumb OF comment rose up again Al
no ruckcd past and thon . cowboy
voice observed:
iii bet 70 hes oow-punchl"
Tho big man looked back q them
mockinyly out q The corner q hi eye
80 .~>al m sxf1honf 4 Yo1d