Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-06-30
CHAPTER I-contlnued.

GHAF Ell I-COntinueos
Day after day he had sat by his
tent watching the little parties of rebel
horse riding the line on the lookout
for the Americans who should succeed
in evading the law that prohibited gun
running; for in those days almost any
one would take a chance with rifle
worth its weight in coined silver and
cartridges selling openly for fifteen
cents apiece. And gun running was
made easier by the reason of the fact
that the smuggler must be caught red
handed in the act of carrying the arms
across the very line itself; for any
American citizen could legally own a
thousand rifles within ten feet of the
boundary.
It's the same old tale, Of course"
reflected Kynaston as he trotted lei
surely down the gentle slope that led
to the Santa Mesa flats, from which
the land sloped south to the Great
Ranges. where the miners were pray
ing for peace that should allow them
to work undisturbed the great ore
beds that held the wealth of the ages.
Twenty miles, suppose, and then
= ride back What is 1t, corporal?"
Corporal Welsh had come back from
the point" of three men that was
riding in advance of the party to give
timely warning of any rebels who
might be on the road
zee - a. H,,f- - a. AAn
southeast. Listen, sir"
1t was firing beyond a. doubt. The
men sat with intent faces, listening to
the sporadic sputter of the shots. The
scratch Of a match as a man lit a ciga-
rette broke the silence.
Kynaston raised his right hand over
his head, the fist clenched, and raised
and lowered it quickly thrice. The
little squad automatically formed in
column OF twos and broke into a
steady trot, following closely on the
heels OF their officer as he pushed on
up the valley which. they we'll knew.
opened out beyond the trees.
Up. up. up they pushed till the live
oaks gave place to pinyon pines, and
the pines to powders. There, where
the rocks ran out into scrub and the
red earth showed like a blood-stain
against the setting sun, they saw and
heard again the cause of the firing.
Far away against the southern sky
they saw the tall hats of the Villa
rCvolutionists outlined among the
grass stems and the dark shadows of
the mesquit. Occasional flashes of
red fire from the summit of the hill
showed where their line was formed.
Instinctively, Kynaston looked for
the men at whom they were firing. To
his left he saw stirring among the
boulders; even as he watched he saw
the defenders move out in an attempt
to gain the American side of the line
There we're about twenty of them
they came down the hillside as a tree
falls, intent, only on gaining the sure
refuge of the line of pollard willows
that marked the limit of Mexican ter
ritory. That the Villistas were after
them could not be doubted, for the
rush OF maddened horsemen swirleC
down the hill as chips suck into {
whirlpool. The fleeing Carranzistas
seeing the intent in their enemies
gait, and knowing right well wha
would happen should they come tt
hand grips with their pursuers, poured
across the international line almost ii
front Of Kynaston. The leader, a yer,
nruch bedfaggled captain of infantry
came forward somewhat breathlessly
"Senor captain. | kiss your hand
and feetl"
Kynaston had the grace to look a
those selfsame hands and feet, and
seeing that they we're in condition t,
be embraced as was suggested, CRIME,
behind his hand as he made answer:
Il am very glad to meet you. Yo
are familiar, presume, with the rt
Quirements Of International law whe
an armed party crosses the line of
neutral state? Surrender must b
made at once. and your party will b
interned at some point to be desil
mated later by the proper authorities.
"Of a certainty" He reached bac
and, unhitching his silver-mounte
machete. swung It forward graceful,
"Senor." he said. behold my littl
swordl"
"Confound your little sword, sir.
don't see why the deuce you peopl
can't have your fights 50 far With
your own borders that we will nj
have to mount guard over you. Ever
blessed one OF you, when he starts
fight, gets one foot on the America
line and then thumbs his nose at th
other party. II you did it twent
miles south Of the line you'd be caugh
Gather up those pack mules, CO
poral."
The three loose pack mules, whiC
had been fiogged down the hill |
their owners lest they. too. should ia
into the hands Of the pursuing part
were grazing peacefully at the lin
eagerly snatching such mesquit beal
as they could reach.
Corporal Welsh rounded them
and was driving them well into Anne
ican territory when a shout from Il
pursuing party made him turn. a
officer clad in a French military ca
a Mexican blouse, very dirty viii
trousers, and straw slippers, rode fC
ward, saluting Kynaston punctilious
Il have the honor to request, sil
ne said courteously. that in accor
ance with the terms of the treaty tn
has existed between our two countri