Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-07-20

also knew right well that the old
miner would leave no stone unturned
| to help him. II he could gain thirty
six hours at most and then manage to
escape, he might still win out.
He was by no means hopeless,
though well-nigh desperate, as he drew
down from the higher ground to the
camp, well sheltered in the valley. He
saw that more men were coming in
presumably the talked-of reinforce
ments.
They saw him as he came down the
hill and entered the fiat on which the
camp lay. The horsemen, in madly
yelling crowd swept forward toward
him, lariats circling, horses frantically
caracoling about him, their riders
striving to see who should be the first
to get rope about the neck Of the
accused gringo.
Mercifully he forestalled their at
tempts by backing up against tall
mesquit bush SO that the loops of their
lariats could not settle about his neck.
Seeing his intention they voiced their
disapproval in a renewed outburst
Of yells.
Further designs upon him were pre-
vented by the opportune arrival of an
officer, who dispersed the crowd by
the simple process of beating them
about the heads with stick.
Have you come from the house
yonder, senor?"
Yes. And claim proper treat
ment from you, sir. You can hardly
claim to treat people in your power de-
Gently when your troops are as out OF
hand as that"
II will take you to Ell General Obs
pc, senor," said the officer courteous
ly. "For your own sake, warn you,
do not anger him. His temper is q
trifie uncertain, owing to his having
to undergo severe privations for the
past week."
A sentry slept in the doorway.
From the interior came the smell of
meal that had evidently just been
served.
Following his guide, Kynaston en-
tered. Ell General Obispo, a squat
little man, whose high cheek bones
and full lips betokened his Indian an
cestry, looked up from the supper
which he was eating by the simple
process of stufing as much carne seco
in his mouth as that organ would hold,
and then cutting off the balance with
q none too clean knife.
Ell general growled out question.
The officer explained who Kynaston
was. In answer the general rose hast
lily from the table, spat the meat from
his mouth, and began such furious
trade of scurrilous epithets as to be-
come nearly epileptic. Kynaston stood
silent.
Take him away! Place him in
the Quartet till consejo de guerra
(court-martial) can decide what the
fate shall be of any accursed gringo
who dares kill one of our gallant
soldiers! Here!"
He tossed a paper to the officer.
Let him see, captain, that even in
his own accursed country, where the
pigs walk On their hind legs and talk
and act as If they were indeed men,
they are beginning to see that the
revolutionary forces Of our land are
not to be withstood-the court-martial
will meet tomorrow afternoon"
HE is in better humor than I
thought" said the officer to Kynaston.
lei viejo diablo (the old deviD gave
you the paper, senior, not because he
wished you to read it, but because he
himself cannot read, and wished to
impose upon you-here is the cuartel
Can l send you some blankets? / fear
the house will not be so comfortable
as ! might wish-Hola, there, hon.
bres! A guard for the Americano!"
And before he even realized that
he was indeed prisoner, Kynaston
found himself showed inside the dirty
interior, the door closed and guard
set outside.
Kynaston, seeing that he might as
well take things ccolly, seated himself
on blanket that a peon threw in the
door, took the paper from his pocket
and disposed himself to read.
The very first thing that caught his
eye was six-column display head:
ARMY OFFICER DISAPPEARS
so DOES PRICELESS GEM
There followed garbled account OF