The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-07-14
CHAPTER vi.
The Death Game.

The faces OF the advancing revO
tutionists were grave. Two men had
come out of the mesquit and had laid
the body of the dead man upon a sad.
die blanket, which they were carrying
slowly toward their own lines.
"A little while ago, Senior Upton,
said one of the emissaries, gray
bearded old man, we offered you inn
munity ii you would surrender and
thus save bloodshed. You refused.
I'VE now come to tell you that we
now demand more. The man who
was just murdered was Colonel Pes
guiera, and | demand in the name of
General Villa, our commander in chief,
that the man who shot him be sur
rendered to us. He will be accorded
treatment as a prisoner of war and
will receive a fair trial by court-mar-
tial--"
Wilkes frankly laughed.
You call his death a murder! What
name do you give the attempt to kill
us, senor?'
You have brought it on yourselves,
senores; you have rfo business here on
the sacred soil of Mexico. But when
you deliberately kill Mexican citizen,
you shall have justice meted out to
you.
IF the man who killed Colonel
Pesquiera is given up to us, the rest
can go unharmed. If he is not given
up-senores, we have sent for re-en-
forcements. We know that your sup
ply OF water is low. You cannot hold
out longer 1t is but a question of
time l warn you that if we have to
take the place we will show no quar-
ter to anyone
Knowing the Mexican manner of |
making war, | am not surprised at
that, commented Mr. Upton. go on"
1T is solely question of one life |
against all of yours. The one who
surrenders will receive fair and inn
partial trial"
with a conviction already settled
on. Nothing doing in that line, thank
you. Come on, Wilkes, if that's all
they have to say"
Upton strobe angrily off up the hill,
with Wilkes following. The two ex-
changed not word until they once
more entered the shelter of the house.
Then Upton broke the silence.
1--WE are in bad fix and there's no
denying it, Wilkes What the dickens
can we do? Kynaston, come into the
back room, where we can talk over
private matter without interference"
When they entered the council cham
ber Upton lit pipe and strobe up and
down, his brow wrinkled in thought.
Look here, Upton" Kynaston
spoke sharply, Il can't bring those
men Of mine over here even If could
get them. 1t would mean war.
There's no question about that. TO
bring armed forces across the line
will mean war to certainty. That
man was shot by one of us, Upton-I
mean by you or me; and | can't say
which to save my life.
Not that it matters. There can be
only one outcome from the quandary.
You can't surrender Upton, even if
you killed him, because you have your
laughter to look after. will go down !
here and tell them that my troop has !
)rders to come across after me il l am
lot back by daylight, and maybe if \
hey are confronted with a bluff like
hat it may work. What do you say?" :
"Say?' growled Upton. 4 say that
when you are once in their hands you
Won't have any more chance n a 4
nowball in Tophet. No, my boy, you
tay here"
7 think can escape from them
ven II do surrender. No, Upton,
must be done as / say; will accept is
heir terms and go down there" le
You'll do no such fool thing" A
rowled Upton again You don't sup a
ose that I'm goin' to profit that way, tr
o you? No, sir! III tell you what dl
ell do, Kynaston. Wen play for it in
game Of whisky poker for three
hips. Whoever gets three chips first ri
Ives himself up in the morning. What til
. you say?" By
Fair enough" said Kynaston. al
Slightly higher stakes than I'm used m
playing for though" he observed th
'imly as his host took a pack Of cards in
ON the table drawer. when you tr,
'nsider tbs amount OF a lleutenant's an
" VI n tealize the size OF the IL