Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-09-24
By LOUIS TRACY

campaign may be passed over without
comment. 1t is one thing to whoop
up preparedness" in public meeting,
but quite another to lead troops
against the enemy. Burton had a
great deal to learn and much to oc-
cupy his mind, and many a day OF
hard routine work had to pass before
stony-eyed general adjudged him
and his men adequately fitted to stop
a gap in the fighting line.
Even then there was neither sight
or sound of the foe, because such is
the pleasant way of Mexican bandits
who are ever ready to swoop down
on defenseless communities, but van
ish into thin ait as soon as the serried
ranks of American regulars appear
on the skyline. Still, there was scout
ing to be done, with the conscious
ness that the unexpected might hap
pcned and any narrow cleft in the
hills produce veritable enemy.
One day, day differing in no re-
spect from many others which had
gone before, John was asked to sane
ton bit Of scout work along noun
tain track leading we'll into the in
terror An experienced sergeant was
anxious for the duty, but, to the young
commanders open dismay, Madge
/ Kerr was wisliful to accompany him,
The sergeant promised that the
lady would not be allowed to run
any needless risks, so, against his
better. Judgment, John gave the re-
quisite permission. In so doing he
quite unwittingly fired train which
metaphorically blew up a powder
magazine, because Madge and the
sergeant were captured, and by no
less important person than Sebas-
tian Pancho himself
1t was a singular fact that when the
pair was brought into the outlaws
camp, and Pancho discovered that one
of his prisoners was woman, there
could not be the slightest doubt that
the two had never met beforel The
sergeant was treated roughly, and
bound in merciless cowhide thongs,
but Pancho affected an almost chival-
ric air in addressing Madge.
You are not engaged in woman's
work, snora," he said, sweeping of
his sombrcra with flourish, but far
be il from me to offer the slightest
incivility to one Of your beauty, And
i now that ! can look at you closely,
let me congratulate you on being a
most charming soldierp
| He ran bold eye over her fault
less lines, but Madge did not finch.
Here was a man, a mere male crca-
ture whose untamed passions and un.
pleasant attributes were very much
on the surface, and well she knew
how to handle him. She smiled de-
family.
| your repute has gone before you,
senor," she cried. mo one has ever
imagined that you make war on wo-
men"
| Assuredly, the situation was match
less in its irony. Here was Madge
Kerr, the new Joan of Arc who had
enflamed her country with her cry OF
["Get Panchop telling that arch villain
himself that he was regarded by his
opponents as sort OF Chevalier Bay
ardl And here was the man who had
wronged her quite evidently the will.
ing slave of an unknown goddessl
/ There was only one tent In the tum.
bledown camp, and the rebel leader
indicated with a fine gesture that il
was wholly at the senorita's disposal
| With much ceremony and florid words
he lifted the flap and bowed her
within.
Madge did not know that Pancho's
fatuous admiration had been witnessed
with acute disfavor by handsome
half-castc girl who approached while
these courtesies were being ex-
changed. Had Rogers been present
he could have warned her, because
Pancho and Rogers had become very
intimate during the latter's visit to
Chihuahua, and everyone knew that
the wildly pretty Juanita was deeply
enamored Of the bandit.
| Meanwhile, Burton was not only
much worried by the failure OF the
sergeant and Mrs. Kerr to return, but
lad been given further cause for dis
comfiture by regrettable discovery
made that day. A neighboring picket
had surprised small group of rebels
and captured several of them. These
men were brought in, and their arms
were examined with interest. Their
rifles, very serviceable weapons, were
marked with the letters "B" and "R, y
inclosed in diamond-shaped device
In word, they were the output OF the
Burton & Rogers foundry!
How had these guns reached Mex
leo! 1t was question hard to an
swer. When John put 1t to his man.
ager, the latter protested the utter.
most bewilderment. He counseled
reticence, however.
There's no use in making a song
about It," he said doggedly. Gun
running is nothing new on this from
tier, and our stuff may have passed
through many hands before it reached
those Of Pancho."
| Perforce, John had to remain con-
tent, but he knew in his heart that the
explanation was a lame one, and de-
termined to sift the matter to the ut
most at more convenient period
Strong patrols were sent out, but no
news Of the missing pair was received
until the sergeant himself rode in AT
sunset on the second day. He told
an exciting story.
MRS. Kerr has managed to get into
the good graces OF Pancho," he an
llnounced. But she's in nastier fix
than she guesses, because Pancho's
girl, Juanita, is mad with jealousy, and
even let me escape so ! might guide
troops to the camp. BY that means