Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1916-10-13


to flight and If they concluded to re-
main they would have at least an hour
for preparation.
Ingersoll was for immediate flight.
His wife was not so minded. They
could not take with them their funi-
tue or other effects which they had
been a long while accommodating, and
the woman could not bear to give them
up even II she risked the lives of all
of them by remaining to protect their
property. She had given much thought
to making their fortress effective. but
leaning. womanllke, to deception In
stead of force. She advocated remain
ing and trying the effect of certain
ruse she had contrived.
About II o'clock at night Nunez, with
his detachment, came IN sight of Inger-
soils premises. One OF lngersoll's
children, girl Of twelve, was hiding
at an outpost and ran back home by
short path to report their coming.
When the bandits came within a few
hundred yards of the stoneyard Nunez,
who was at their front, suddenly saw
light ahead of him. 1t was not
bright light. but enough to reveal to
him the head and shoulders of man
In the uniform of a Mexican soldier
standing with his musket leaning
against his left shoulder and with
both hands screening burning match
from the wind. He held the flame
over pipe he held in his mouth and
lighted his pipe. Even the little puffs
Of smoke were visible Then tho
match went out as suddenly as 1t had
been lighted, and all was dark again.
Nunez halted, and his men did the
same. When the light went out no
turned and said
ut seems that the place is defended
by force OF regular troops"
"And fortificntion," put I'm one of
the men. Didn't you see that the man
stood on parapetT
At that moment there came from the
stoneyard the notes OF bugle sound
ing TAPS"
eve are not out for soldiers" said
Nunea, ~ am quite sure the captain
would not approve OF our bringing on
a fight that might land us at the end OF
a rope and interfere generally with his
plans"
Certainly not" called u voice from
the rear.
"But, since we must pass the place."
said another, 1--WE may get n nearer
view"
very WELL" said Nunez. LET us pro,
coed"
Now every one on the premises, ex-
pecting an attack, was listening, and
when the tread OF feet was heard at a
convenient distance up the r0nd Tommy
Ingersoll youth whose figure was
much smaller than the one on the ram
part stationed himself behind IL with
a match In his hand. Ingersoll, at his
wife's suggestion, had dug hole from
the back OF the stone soldiers neck TO
his mouth and inserted rubber tube.
A tobacco pipe had been placed be-
tween the lips, and by suction at the
other end OF the tube the figure would
appear to smoke. When the bandits
were heard approaching Tom used his
Ohh VI lHt bblultl ~ w
strike a match and hold It over the
pipe, His father. ut the other end OF
the tube. did the smoking, and the sol
der seemed to the bandits TO relight
his pipe. The light, however, was 80
small that they got n view not much
better than before.
One Of the articles the American had
Int 10, Fnr Ia. 40 Ia o., .fp
was n drum. 1t belonged to n little
boy In the neighborhood and was not |
In itself an important weapon. But It |
ia not the cannon, the rifle, the sword |
alone In war that are useful. As In |
the shrlll tone OF the bugle, no In the
beat OF drum there IL inspiration. |
The Ingersoll garrison did not intend |
their drum as means Of keeping up |
their courage. but TO inspire their enc
my with terror.
The Ingersols could hear faint |
sounds made by their enemies and did |
not know but that they were crawl |
ing up upon them A hurried council |
OF war was held and the question dis |
cussed M to what auxiliary to the |
6LOhG BDIulti NOuIu Df uuDIJltu. w mo |
they were debating Tom seized the |
drum and began TO beat the long roll, |
which IL n signal In all armies for the |
men TO turn out TO repel an attack. As |
an adjunct to this Ingersoll himself |
sang out, Fall inr In a number OF |
different tones, TO lead the bandits to |
suppose that the orders came from DIFF |
ferent officers
Nunez gave an order TO tread softly |
and pass the place without word, lest |
the garrison be aroused so the ban |
dts went stealthily by the stone sol
der with stone gun, the only de-
fender Of the IngersOll premises MI |
nez led them into the town, where they |
found the main force plundering, and |
they Joined their comrades in the work. |
When II had been finished and they |
were marching on the chief asked |
Nunez how much he had acquired from |
the Ingersoll stoneyard
Nothing" replied Hunez. "The |
gringO succeeded In getting protection
from the troops. did not think It pru-
dent 10 arouse them, since II might |
have led to Interference In sackIng the
town. ! led my men by the place
"A wise decision" replied the chief.
Ingers0ll remained In Mexico TIL the
raids 10 tho United States occurred,
when he thought II better TO leave his
property and save the lives OF himself |
and his family. Having reached the
Texas border with his wife and family.
rngersoll took part In the punitive ex-
petition that stnrted In after the ban.
ditS.
a..