The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1916-05-18
CHAPTER l-Continued.


ut watching the little parties of rebel
'rse riding the line on the lookout
II the Americans who should succeed
evading the law that prohibited gun
cunning; for in those days almost any
one would take q chance with rifle
worth Its weight in coined silver and
cartridges selling openly for fifteen
cents 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 tho arms
across the very line itself; for any
american citizen could legally own q
thousand rifles within ten feet of the
boundary.
us the same old tale, of course"
Tellected Kynaston as he trotted lei.
surely down the gentle slope that led
10 the Santa Mesa flats, from which
the land sloped south to the Great
hanges, where the miners were pray
ing tor peace that should allow them
10 work undisturbed the great ore
oeds that held the wealth Of the ages
Twenty miles, 1 suppose, and then
a ride back What ia 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, sir, think, off TO the
southeast. Listen, SIR
1t was firing beyond doubt. The
men sat with intent faces, listening to
the sporadic sputter Of the shots. The
scratch Of match as man lit ciga.
rette broke the silence.
Kynaston raised his right hand over
his head, the fist clenched, and raised
and 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
the pines to bowlders. 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 the cause Of tho firing.
Far away against the southern sky
they saw the tall hats Of the Villa
revolutionists 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.
lnstinctively, Kynaston looked for
the men at whom they were firing. To
MS left he saw q stirring among the
Doulders; even as he watched he saw
the defenders move out in an attempt
to gain the American side OF the line.
There were about twenty Of them;
they came down the hillside as a tree
rails, intent only on gaining the sure
refuge of the line Of pollard willows
that marked the limit OF Mexican ter
ritory. That the Villistas were after
them could not be doubted, for the
rush OF maddened horsemen swrled
down the hill as chips suck into a
whirlpool. The fleeing Carranzistas
seeing the intent in their enemies
salt, ana 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 verv
much bedraggled captain of infantry.
came forward somewhat breathlesslv
"senor captain, kiss your hands
and feet!"
Kynaston had the grace to look at
those selfsame hands and feet ond
seeing that they were in condition to
DC embraced as was suggested, grinned
behind his hand as he made answer.
i am very glad to meet you. You
are familiar. l presume, with the re-.
quirements Of international law when
an armed party CROSSES the line of q
neutral state? Surrender must be
made at once. and your party will be
interned at some point to be desie.
mated later by the proper authorities"
or certainty" He reached back
and, unhitching his Esilver.mounted
mtlaechete, tle swung It forward gracefully,
t'enor' he said, behold my little