The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-01-22

Americanos-FIee!"
A quarter of an hour before a black
had penetrated to the camp of the
marines and had given the alarm-and,
the whole camp had started off on the.
double quick.
"Boys!" shouted Neal, pressing to
the fore, "American women-don't for
get--come on"
In an upper room in the planters
house Mrs. Hardin shrank back in a
corner with fear. Bullets were rid
ding the walls. Joe Welcher lay face,
down. Inez, with presence Of mind,
had placed a mattress against the
wall and with Joe's aid had placed an
upturned bed against the other. They,
were fairly safe. Besides that, just
once, Inez had found a chance to wave
to Hernandez, and Hernandez had
kept the insurrectos from firing on
that corner of the house. Inez crept'
downstairs-looked about her-saw
Annette and the planter in close con-
versation- then crept back again.
She plucked Joey Welcher by the
sleeve. "Joe," she whispered, ''go
down-pass through the corridor by
the kitchen-open the rear door,"
"Not on your life," said Joe. do
you think l want to die?"
you'll die if you DON'T" she said.
"Come, follow mel"
Once below, Inez cooked her revol-
yer. do as I say" she commanded.
Joe obeyed. With terror in his eyes
he tore and wrenched at the fastenings
of the rearmost passageway. Finally
he stepped back. "Shes unlocked"
he exclaimed. Inez, unafraid, stepped
forward, opened wide the door and
beckoned. It was a signal. Herman
dez saw it and bounded forward.
Follow me, insurrectos," he COM
handed.
A hundred men obeyed. With .
shout they dashed into the huge living
room on the ground floor-with an
other shout they fired a volley into
the backs of the defenders. The
planter, drawing a bead on an insur-
recto without, was seized suddenly
from behind, gagged and bound. A
strong pair of arms seized Annette
and lifted her from the floor and bore
her, screaming, from the room.
Three minutes later she was thrown
into far room in secluded corner of
the house. Into the same room were
thrown Inez and Mrs. Hardin and Joe
Welcher.
With a sudden wrench Annette tore
loose board that barricaded the win
dow. Then her eyes frightened.
'Look!" she cried. "The marines
they come. Neal! Neal!'
Her shout was not heard, Of course,
but it was accompanied with the wave
of white handkerchief. Neal, at the
head of the squad, saw it-and the
squad pressed forward at double
speed.
Below, among the insurreotos, An
nette could hear the panic.
"The Americanos-the Americanos
-fee!"
Neal reached the house-saw who
waved the kerchief. With sudden
bound he leaped upon an arbor, scram-
bled and crawled somehow-with some
naval trick-up the face of the house,
rammed in the barricade and leaped
into the room.
"Annette," he cried.
But at that instant the door Of the
room was burst open and Hernandez,
with Ponto and the Brute and a dozen
insurrectos, darted in.
"Take everybody here-including
him." commanded Hernandez. Take
them-you know where. But remem-
berthe women are mine, not yours"
Neal fought like tiger, but without
success. In five minutes or less the
captives, Neal and Annette included,
were led through dark passageways
to some underground corridor. They
were driven on and on-they knew not
where.
An hour later the squad of marines
reported to their officer.
eve can't find a woman on the
place, except the blacks" they said.
care we all here?" queried the Off
Ger, anxious for his men. "Just call
the roll and see."
"All here" returned a marine, "but
no, not all here. There's one missing
Gunner Hardin, SIR
The officer nodded. wen find Gun
ner Hardin If it takes leg he said.
lTO Be CONTINURQl