The Huttig news., 1914-10-10

wearily into town and sought sne1cer among the houses & great body of men appeared on the opposite ridge, firing down at them as they retreated. The battle rapidly turned into a long-distance shooting contest, with the rebels on the ridges and the detendefs ii tae valle. send finally, as the day wore on and thun- derstorm came up. it died out alto gether and the rebels turned back to their camp.
 Except for one lone federal who had shot himself by accident there was not a single defender hurt. and if the enemy had suffered losses it was only by some such chance. But when the Sonoran patriots. holding up their empty belts, came clamoring for ann intuition, the men by the big house took in the real catastrophe of the battle.
 Seventeen thousand rounds of the precious thirty-thirties had been de- livered to the excited miners and now. except for what few the Americans had saved, there was not cartridge in camp. Very soberly the superintendent assured the leaders that he had no more; they pointed at the full belts of the American guard and demanded them as their right; and when the Americans refused to yield they flew into a rage~and threatened
 All in ali, 1t was pitiful exhibition of hot-headHlness and imbecility. and only the frmness of the superintend- ent preversed real spilling of blood. The Mexi,<,ns retired in a huff and broke into the cantina, and as the night camo.on the valley re-echoed to their drunken shoutings.
 Such was war as the Soporans con- ceived 1t. When Hooker standing his guard in the corredor, encountered Gracia Aragon on her evening walk, he could scarcely conceal grin.
 What are you laughing at, Senor Hooker?' she demanded with asperity. .'Is 1t so pleasant. with a houseful of frightened women and screaming chill dren, that you should make fun of our .plight?"
 No, indeed" apologized Bud; ."noth- ing like that. Sure must be bad in there-I stay outside myself. But l reckon it'll soon be over with. The Mexicans here in town have shot of !, all their ammunition and reckon tht rebels have done the same. Like al not they'll all be, gone tomorrow, an< then you can eo back home. = "Oh, thank you for thinking about | mel" she returned with a scornful curl of the lip. But if all men were as open as you. MT. Hooker, we women would never need to ask a question. This morning you told me 1 did not know what I, was talking about-now presume you are thinking what cow ards the Mexicans are!
 "Oh, know! You need not deny 1t! You are nothing but a great big-Te- jano! Yes, was going to say 'brute,' but you are friend of dear Phil's. and so I will hold my tongue. If it wasn't for that, I'd" She paused, leaving him to guess.
 "Oh, l do wish he were here," she breathed, leaning wesrily against the white pillar of an arch and gazing down through the long arcade.
 '1t was SO close in there,- she con- tinued. T could not stand it a minute longer. These Indian women, you know-they weep and moan all the time. And the children-I am 90 sorry for them. I cannot go now, because they need me; but tomorrow-if PhH were here--I would leave and ride for the line.
 Have you seen Del Key today? No! Then all the better-he must be polio ing the town. It Is only of him am afraid. These rebels are nothing-I agree with you! No! am not angry with you at all now! But tomorrow, just at dusk, when all is still as 1t Ia at this time. then, if Phil were here l would mount my brave horse and ride out by the western pass"
 She ended rather inconclusively, let ting her voice trail off wietfully as she waited for him to speak, but something within moved Hooker to hold his peace. and he looked out over the town without commenting on her plans. It was evident to him that she was deter mined to enlist his sympathy and in- volve him in her wild plot, and each time the conversation veered In that direction he took refuge in a stubborn silence.
 CONTINUED IN NEXT ISSUE.