Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-06-25

these had been going on for weeks be-
fore her arrival nj the ranch.
Occasionally their "Reminiscences
carried these swift sentries of he air
lanes south of the border: but the re-
ports of their observers were invaria-
bly, destitute Of alarming information.
Apparently the Mexican population
was a%pathetic. resigned TO the pursuits
Of peace. There was no more gun-run-
ming that could be discovered. There
was no movement of troops percept-
ible. There were no raids. There was
not ever a lonely case of sniping 10
keep the patrols on the qui vive.
For all that. Patria's preparations
were pushed forward with Undated
energy.
There came n day. several weeks
after Zalaya's futile raid. when this
young woman rode out to review her
modest but wonderfully efficient forces.
She returned TO the hacienda In the
quiet OF evening. weary but exhilar-
ated.
I'm not afraid" she told Donald
with a nod of her head indicating the
Mexican mountains in the south-their
ragged ramparts looming in purple
shades against the silvered skies Of a
perfect moonlight night. LET them
comet !"
He laughed sympathetically. but
shook n reproving head.
Let us not fall into the pit of over
confidence" he said. 81 know how you
feel. Its wonderful To know hat we
have all these fine fellows TO rally to
our defense i'm case of need. But after
all. they're only n handful and what
l fear Is that the next act Of aggres-
sion, when IL comes, will be invasion
In overwhelming forces. We have
gone as far as we can In the matter of
making these men the toughest kind
of hard hitting fighters; but there
aren't enough OF them TO withstand
an army's advance. From now ON we
must devote all our energies 70 the
planning of means IN equaliZe supe-
rior numbers with superior intelli-
gence. We must be prepared TO de
liver a staggering blow before the en-
envy can find out how insignificant our
forces are"
They sat in silence for n little. 10th
gazing out over the Swallowed dis
tances beyond the border.
at Is too quiet-too quiet alto
gether." Parr unused aloud. Il can't
forget that Huroki Is somewhere out
there-hiding, planning. r~estlessly
scheming to serve his country's pur-
revenge for the setbacks he has re
ceived ut U hands"
"Nor can I forget It." the girl re
piled. 'Of one thing we may feel as
sured. II Huroki has any voice In the
councils that are taking place down
there. the blow. when IL comes. will
fall here first of ALL"
The shadow of premonitlon dark
ened her mood transiently. She shiy-
cred a little.
81 wonder" she said. "what iniquI-
ties he Is Matching down yonder?'
There Is a certain psychic sympathy
between the minds OF those that hate
well, even as II IL with those who love;
there was less coincidence than might
be thought In the fact that. at approx-
imately the same time. Baron Huroki
was uttering substantially similar OBJ
servations concerning Patria. at a dis
lance OF something like a days ride
from the hacienda.
The scene was the main room Of an
adobe dwelling Of somewhat more pre-
tentious proportions and appointments
than is commonly to be found in the
wilder sections of inland Mexico.
There were a number of other adobe
houses near 1t; but this was the larg-
est Of the lot and II was further dis
tinguished by a restless going and
coming of orderlies and officers Of SUI
perior rank In the field uniforms of
the japanese army-though there was
not lacking a sprinkling OF others at
tired in the livery Of the troops loyal
to the de facto government OF Mexico
The dwelling was. In short, the
headquarters of General Nogi. com
mander In chief Of the allied Japanese
and Mexican forces which had been
secretly gathered together in this re-
mote retreat and were now marking
time. under arms, against receipt OF
word from Tokyo TO proceed with the
long-planned invasion of the south
western United States.
From the slight cminence on which
the headquarters building stood the
valley sloped away in dimly moonlit
perspective; and as far as one could
see Ii was a city of dust-colored tents
populated by regiment upon regiment
Of highly trained and efficient troops.
Within the headquarters building. in
n large room, brightly lighted and fur
nished with soldierly severity. an in
formal council of war was in prog
ress. General Nogi himself presiding.
He was a man Of nearly sixty, yet
carried his compact and athletic body
with the ease OF twenty-five. His
heavy-lidded eyes We're as bright as
any youths; the network of wrinkles
that inclosed them, with the Wilderness
of his hair, alone betrayed his age.
And the habit of ~incontestable author
ity was distinctively his. A man who
a -