The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-18

81 believe III send detail over
there to see what is going on, SIT ger
paant 90 and tell the old priest that
| the major and ! are leaving camp anu
shall not return till morning. Report
to me at my tent when you have toiu
him. Now. major, if you care 10 90
along can give you change oil cioln,
ing and a fairly good horse to rue
The major nodded assent. .
"Of course I'll go. That's what
came down here for-to see for my
self-and tell the general just no"
things are going. Here come tne
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.
The shadows Of the mesquit looked
large across the plains as they trotted
down the trail, headed for the level
lands of the mesa across which the
old priest had so painfully made MS
way the day before.
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 it, sergeant" asked Kynas-
ton.
There's a little 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 fame 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 Next
can side of the line. What can it be,
sergeant"
The sergeant puzzled a moment or
two. Then:
"Sir, | know. IT'S 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 Uptons!" he calculated.
ANY orders. sir?'
Kynaston turned to Updyke.
II know, sir, what the orders are.
| know the orders are very strict that
no American shall cross the line I'M
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" said Kynaston slowly.
I'D go back to my camp and There
are two American women over there. "
he concluded lamely.
Il am deaf and blind" said Major
Updyke impressiveiy. u can neither
see nor hear at night am quite sure
that"
"Twos left about! Gallop!"
The orders shot out like the shots
! from machine gun; almost before he
knew it the major found himself gal.
Looping back to the little camp.
Have twenty men saddle up at
once, sergeant" cried Kynaston
Take nothing but canteens, rifles. and
a hundred rounds Of ammunition nor
man. Get the men ready at once"
The sergeant hesitated and finally
ventured 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? m
cost the lieutenant his commission
III it'll cost my commission 70 heir
a couple Of American ladies' WIN are
in trouble-then I'll have to nav the
price, sergeant. Hurry up! Tell that
old priest to come over to my tent a,
| once"
Joyfully the grizzled soldier depart
ed. Soon his men were scurryinp
ABOUT among the tents. While stufin,
MS belt full of cartridges Kynastor
was interrupted by an eager ORDERLY
SIR the major presents his comnl,
ments and says that the lieutenant hat
peter turn over to him any valuable,
that he has in camp If he is goin,
10 leave for any length of time"
hynaston gasped. In the Thought n
seeing Mrs. Fame again he had forgot
ten the saddlebags and the Jewel II,
oasned across the tent, seized the sad
uleDags, and hurried to the tent thu
nao been pitched for the major.
Here it is, sir. I'm glad Va,
thought of it. I'd have gone and las
II on the moor OF my tent II II had No
Oeen Tor you. Here 1t Is"
he unbuckled the bags and turnA,
out upon the little camp table the mn
saVory mass Of dirty oiled rags m.
ne mad so curiously unwrapped a few