Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-05-18
CHAPTER I-Continued.

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
n evading the law that prohibited gun
unning; for in those days almost any
Inc would take chance with rifle
Torth it's weight in coined silver and
cartridges selling openly for fifteen
Jents 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.
Its 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 Wat is it, 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.
Its firing. mir, l think, off to the
southeast. Ltsten, SIR
1t was firing beyond a doubt. The
men sat with intent faces, listening to
the sporadic sputter Of the shots. The
'cratch of match as man lit ciga-
ette broke the silence.
kynaston raised his right hand over
lis head, the fist clenched, and raised
md 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 well knew,
opened out beyond the trees.
Up, up, up they pushed till the live
oaks gave place to pinyon pines, and
me 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 Che cause of the firing.
Far away against the southern sky
hey saw tho tall hats of the Villa
fevolutionists 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.
Iustinctiveiy, Kynaston looked for
the men at whom they were firing. To
n1s left he saw stirring among the
Doulders; even as he watched he saw
The defenders move out in an attempt
10 gain the American side of the line.
There were about twenty of them;
hey came down the hillside as a tree
fslls, intent only on gaining the sure
refuge of the line of pollard willows
that marked the limit of Mexican ter
Fitory. That the Villistas were after
zbem could not be doubted, for the
Push of maddened horsemen swirled
aown the hill as chips suck into a
whirlpool. The fleeing Carranzistas,
seeing the intent in their enemies
gait. and knowing right well what
would happen should they come to
hand grips with their pursuers, poured
across the international line almost in
front of Kynaston. The leader, a very
much bedraggled captain of infantry,
came forward somewhat breathlessly
Senior captain, kiss your hands
and feet,"
Kynaston had the grace to look at
those selfsame hands and feet, and
ieeing that they were in condition &c
,e embraced as was suggested, grinned
lehind his hand as he made answer:
i am very glad to meet you. Yol
are familiar, l presume, with the re
quirements of international law wher
an armed party crosses the line of {
neutral state? Surrender must bt
made at once, and your party will b.
Interned at some point to be desig
nated later by the proper authorities.
"Of certainty" He reached bacl
and. unhitching bis silyer-mountet
machete, swung it forward gracefully
Senior" he said, behold my it'll
sword!"