The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1916-12-01
DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT
BY IzoLA FORESTER.


S~~eeeeeeeeeeees~ss ~e~pese~~eeesse3
Just about twenty miles southeast
Of FL Rey Pass lay Tom Madlgan's
ranch. Tom was big and gOod-natured.
The tides of war rumors never RULED
his daily calm or happiness. He had
a tidy bunch of Mexicans working for
him, good fellows every one, and he
didn't see why Uncle Sans argu-
nchts should interfere with their
friendly and sociable relations.
Clarita Gomez flashed her quick
smile at him and accepted his invita-
ton to settle at Sweetwater ranch
with her brother Juan.
"Tbere mint n better cattle man in
hii Texas than Juan" Toni had said,
slapping the tall, lean Sonoran on his
shoulder. I'm going back East in
June to bring back the best girl in the
whole United States of America, and
III leave things here to juan"
He left the first of June just when
the border was bubbling over with
trouble.
"Tll he back by July" he told Juan,
"and Wen have the biggest Knockout
Fourth the old ranch ever saw in
honor of the bride, understand, Juan.
Have everything in good shape"
The first thing Juan did after his
boss took the east-bound train was to
fire the four American cowsboys and
substitute Mexicans. THE boys rode
over the lei Rey Pass and joined the
army.
The happy bridegroom was married
at tile little wtiite church, June 20 TO
Sue Phillips, and all the way west he
told her of the roomy, comfortable
ranch hotse lying in the fertile val
ley below.
Tom had sent on a big supply of
fireworks and flags from New York.
"We'll shoot rockets so high they
tan see them at Fort Lomar," he said.
At the station he hired car TO
take them over. 1t was late and he
had not let Juan know of his arrival.
Just as they were leaving a couple of
soldiers came up the broad steps and
Tom shot out surprised hail at his
old boys, Sue waited impatlently
while he talked to them In low tones.
When he came back, he looked oddly,
not like the goOd-natured Tom she had
known, but a tense, angry man who
meant business. They started away
with the big box Of frewurks strapped
to the running board, and a mile down
from Muddy Ford Tom halted the car
"Tm going up to the ranch alone"
he told Sue holding her in his arms
mud kissing her. "If l amt back for
you in two hOurs-that'll be nine
O'clOck-you set off this bunch Of sky
rockets one after the other, and hop
for town in that car as fast as the hoy
can take YOU"
Ste waited. his last kiss fresh on
her lips, her eyes fixed OH the sill
houette of trees outlined against the
clear, fair moonlight. They marked
the river course where Tom stode on
up to the ranch. And awhile she
turned back from the low shack to find
the boy whistling softly to himself as
he knelt on the ground, making Il lit
tie mound TO rest the rockets against.
"1ts two hours" he told her. Here
goes the first"
"fhey'll see that clear over to the
fort" Sue whispered
As the rocket scared into the night
sky, Tom lay on his back, trussed like
n Thanksgiving turkey, bea,en and
bruised, gagged and bleeding, outside
the ranch house door. inside Juan
and his men were drinking, singing
and bowling densive yells at the
cursed Americans, and they planned
the death of Tom Madlgan ut dawn.
Once a shadow stole out and stood
beside him. A little slippered toe
touched his cheek, and Clarita laughed
at him.
"You have happy bridal hOmecOm-
ing, yes, senOrl Where your wife,
huh? You going to celebrate your
Fourth fine, yes?"
That's ALL the boy said when the
last rocket went up. WED better
hustle now like he said"
Halfway the boy slowed down and
listened.
"Hear 'em coming"-he grlnned-
"the soldiers"
They waited till the detachment
rode up, eager, serlous-faced young
sters in khaki most of them, with Tod
Mason at their head Tod who had
been In every good scrimmage and
chase since the campaign opened;
Lieutenant Tod as the rank and file
called him proudly.