The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-06-23
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CHAPTER III-cOntlnusd.


Il believe I'll send a detail over
there to see what is going on, sir. Ser.
geant, go and tell the old priest that
the major and | are leaving camp and
shall not return till morning. Report
to me at my tent when you have told
him. Now. major. II you care to go
along I can give you a change of cloth
Ing and a fairly good horse to ride"
The major nodded assent.
"Of course I'll 60 That's what
came down here for-to see for my
self-and tell the general just how
things are going. Here come the
horses now"
Ten minutes later they trotted lei
surely out of the camp, headed south
east.
A horned moon was swinging clear
Of the cloud-capped Buffalo mountains.
Southwark they could see in the
moonlight the dim mountains in old
Mexico, standing like silent sentinels,
looking with grim disapproval on the
scenes Of riot and disorder, of murder
and of pillage that were making the
unhappy land a veritable wilderness.
AS they reached the level ground, the
old sergeant rode back to his young
superior, his hand raised to the brim
of his scouting hat.
What is 1t, sergeant?" asked Kynas-
ton.
There's a littlo fire over yonder,
sir"
The gauntleted hand stabbed the
dark, its finger in the direction of the
fire, and Kynaston's gaze followed. A
blade-shaped flame stood out in the
blackness of the night.
Whats over there? Any houses?
Any Americans live over there?" Ma
jor Updyke's query was as quick as a
shot
Kynaston paused a moment
mo, sir That fires on the Mexi-
can side of the lire. What can it be,
sergeant"
The sergeant puzzled a moment or
two Then:
"Sir, | know Its the Santa Cruz
mine, where the Uptons live. AS sure
as l live, sir, the rebels are attackin
the mine! Don't you remember, sir
Mr.. Upton came through with the two
ladies today? Sure as anything, them
rebels have attacked the place; heav-
en- help the Uptohs!" he calculated,
ANY orders, sir?"
Kynaston turned to Updyke.
81 know, sir, what the orders are.
4 know the orders are very strict that
no American shall cross the line un-
less he has residence there. | wish
you were deaf, dumb and blind for a
few hours"
In the darkness Major Updyke
grinned behind his hand.
"Why?" he asked.
IF you were," sHid Kynaston slowly,
I'D go back to my camp and There
are two American women over there,
ne concluded lameSy.
81 am deaf and blind" said Major
Updyke impressively. "T can neither
see nor hear at night am quite sure
&hat-"
"Twos left aboutl Gallop!"
The orders shot out like the shots
from a machine grn; almost before he
knew 1t the major found himself gal
TOPPING back to the little camp.
Have twenty men saddle up at
once, sergeant" cried Kynaston.
take nothing but canteens, rifles, and
q hundred rounds of ammunition per
man. Get the men ready at once"
The sergeant hssitated and finally
gentured on Liberty that was rare in
deed for him.
"Sir, is the lieutenant goin' to cross
the line?" he asked. "Do you remem-
Der, sir, what the orders are? It'H
cost the lieutenant his commission"
''If it'll cost my commission to help
q couple of American ladies who are
In trouble--then I'll have to pay the
price, sergeant. Hurry up! Tell that
old priest to come over to my tent at
once"
Joyfully the griSzled soldier depart
ed. Soon his men were scurrying
about among the tents. While stuf1ng
his belt full of cartridges Kynaston
was interrupted BY an eager orderly. |
Sir the major presents his compli-
ments and says that the lieutenant had
better turn over to him any valuables
chat he has in camp, If he is going
TO leave for any length Of time"
Kynaston gasped. In the thought Of (
seeing Mrs. Fame again he had forgot
ten the saddlebags and the Jewel. He |
dashed across the tent, seized the sad
dlebags. and hurried to the tent that
had been pNched for the major.