Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-09-24
. The Grip of Evil'''

| magic, except tor number OF bodies,
both Americans and Mexicans, some
lying ominously still, while others
were dragging painfully to the shell
ter of building or an inclosed yard.
From doorways and windows came
scattered shots. The men of San
Jose were at least striking a blow
in defense OF their homes and fami-
lies.
1t was a singular moment to think
of poetry, yet four lines of one OF
Kipling's jinsling ballads hammered
on Markham's brain with a curious
insistency:.
| A foray In q border station.
A gallop down a dark deflc,
| Two thousand pounds Of education
Drop to ten-rupee lezail
But it was no Anticipated rife these
Mexican cut-throats carried, Mark
ham recognized at once that they
were armed with thoroughly up
to-date weapon, equal II not superior
to the cavalry carbine, and he found
himself wondering vaguely how it was
possible that gang of nondescripts
could have obtained such servicable
equipment.
And now the United States troop
ers took deadly toll of the oncoming
enemy. Pancho quickly found him
self advancing alone. An incompar-
able horseman, he swung hardy
mustang almost at rightangle as he
changed his course. He must have
borne charmed life, since bullets
passed through his hat and Jacket,
and lodged repeatedly in the heavy
Mexican saddle, without inflicting any
serious wound on either man or AMI
mai.
Thenceforth, of course, discipline
established its superiority. The cav
alrymen advanced in open order, and
machine gun detachment brought a
whitening fire to bear along the main
street.
! The savage pandemonium passed
away almost as speedily as it COM
menced. Soon San Jose was quiet,
save for the weeping of women and
children and the groans of the
wounded, while the rebel band fed
over the hills, closely pursued by the
infuriated troopers. By Markham's
side rode the stcrn-visaged sergeant
major. They drew rein for a mo-
ment when they came upon crump-
led body lying in the scrub. 1t was
the sentry who should have given
warning OF the encmys approach.
He had been stabbed between the
shoulder blades. Creeping snakelike
through the sage, some Mexican out
law had flung himself on the unsus-
pecting soldier and murdered him ere
he could utter cry or fire single
shot!
A desultory fight went on till dusk
fell. Scattered units of flying rebels
and Infatuated Americans crossed the
Rio Grande by ford and passed far
into Mexican territory on the right
bank OF the river. At last. when
darkness set in, Markham recalled his
men by long-drawn trumpet blasts. A
hasty roll call revealed that there
were no stragglers. The ranks Of the
little company had been sadly de-
pleted, but every missing man could
be accounted for only too accurately
On the, way back to the town the
young officer ascertained the facts of
the raid from prisoner, He was i'm
mensely relieved to find that the re-
port brought by the patrol was cor
rect in every detail. Pancho had dou-
bled back from the frontier, only to
turn again under cover OF the night,
and cross the river at point we'll
above the line for which B troop was
responsible. Then, we'll served by
spies and traitors among the half
breeds claiming American citizenship,
he secreted his ftv.e in canyon un-
til the hour seemed ripe for the as
sault on San Jose.
The plan was boldly laid. 1t mis-
carried only at the last moment, and
then merely because OF Mexican Gu
pidity and the sheer lust of murder
ing unarmed people. Save for its dead
and its dying, the little town recov-
cred its sang-froid with singular
rapidly. 1t was not San Jose but
the remainder of the United States
which seethed with indignation next
Markham, fully exonerated from
the slightest shadow of blame when
his commanding officer had investi-
gated the affair, not only confessed
that he and his men had enjoyed the
time of their lives, but was openly en-
WED by every officer in the regiment.
Another man, young as Markham, en-
thusiastic as he in love OF country,
ready as he to spend and be spent in
that country's cause, glowed with
righteous wrath when he read the
news flashed in a faraway eastern
city.
John Burton, tenth marquis Of
Castleton, had never been so angry
in his life. All that had gone before,
the insults and rebuffs he encountered
in a vain struggle against the evil
which seemed to be inherent in hui
mainly, were innocuous as dust in a
summer gale compared with the lash
of this national indignity. American
men, women and children had been
slain, an American town given over
to ruthless brigandage, merely be-
cause few statesmen in Washing
ton allowed common sense to be
overruled by Utopian dreams. John
Burton read, and his stern face
whitened with rage and determine
ton. He picked up telephone.
That you, Rogers" he said, ad-
dressing the manager of a rnanufac-
turing plant in which he had con-
trolling interest.
yes, Mr.. Burton" came the an
swer, for John had forbidden the use
Of his title.
do you know of this scandalous
affair in Texasi'
why, yes and the voice almost
chuckled. Haven't / been trying for
weeks to persuade you that some
thing must be done? During my trip
(-I.l...ix L