Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-08-02
FOURTEENTH EPISODE
A Modern Joan of Arc.

While the Major, with his brave lit
tie band, was making their last stand
against the insurrectos, in Diablo pass,
Liberty, escorted by the small detach-
ment of Mexican soldiers was on her
way to the prison at Chihuahua, ac-
cused of having murdered Manuel and
Therese.
AS she rode silently along, with a
grim-faced greaSer on either side OF
her, she wondered whether this was
the work of Lopez Possibly he had
sent the Mexicans to the hut for the
purpose of charging her with the crime,
in order that he might have her at his
mercy, and thus seek to try and OBTAIN
from her q liberal sum for her free
dom. She could not lead herself to
believe that these MeXicans really con-
sidered her the guilty one. And yet,
if they really were serious in their
accusation she had little hope OF es-
tablishing her innocence AS far as
she knew, no one but herself had seen
the tragedy, and to combat her story
of how it all occurred was the revolv-
er, which belonged to her and had her
initials on it. This indeed was u very
damaging piece of evidence.
There were two roads leading to
chihuahua, one of them was cut along
the rocky gorge, rising at times sew
elal hundred feet above the fertile val
ley below, and the other crossed the
mountains, to the eastward of Diablo
pass. 1t was this road which had been
chosen by the Mexicans, and it took
the party through some of the lonelieSt
sections of the country.
= I. ATa<x
cans were jabbering among themselves
in their native tongue, pausing occa-
sionally to cast furtive glances at
their beautiful prisoner, who appeared
to be unintereSted in them
Suddenly the little party assembled
one of the hilltops and, as they turned
a sharp bend in the road, clear view
was obtained through an opening be-
tween two peaks. Great clouds of
smoke were rising from below, and at
tracted tie attention of Liberty and
her captors. AS they watched. the
sound of guns reached their ears. The
fire was incessant. and aroused the Gu
riosity of the detachment. One of
their number leaped from his horse,
and, getting down on his hands and
knees, crept to the edge of the steep
cliff and looked down. Far below him,
in the valley, party of MeXicanS, full
Il two hundred strong, We're battling
with a handful of Americans. The
fire of the MeXicans was terrific, and,
in addition to their regular arms,
they were using machine guns, while
the Americans We're depending only
on their army rifles. With such ire
mendouS advantage, the MeXicans
were, naturally. driving the little col
umn back. The American camp was
filled with dead and dying, while the
enemy had lost only few.
The other members of the detach-
ment, with the exception of two, who
were left to guard Liberty. jumped
from their saddles and ran over to
where their comrade was sprawled
out, and throwing themselves on their
stomachs, they stared down into the
valley.
THE gringos are getting beaten this
time, eh?" said one of them.
Yes, damn them,' replied another.
I'VE show them the Mexican can
fight" shouted third. 'See, See
There goes some of them DOWN."
That's Winston's band" said one
of them.
Liberty heard this. and the news
crushed her more than the realization
of her own position. Lopez must have
succeeded in making the attack, as
planned But, she wondered what had
happened t. Pedro? He had started
to warn the Major, when he escaped.
and, surely he must have had time to
reach the camp before Lopez and his
followers began their march for Diab
10 pass, She knew the Major was
far outnumbered. for Lopez had been
planning for this attack for two or
three days. and had REINFORCED his
band for this purpose. If the Major
had been warned he would have man.
aged TO escape; for he knew that Lo-
peg had more arms and ammunition,
in addition TO machine guns Liberty
concluded something had gone wrong.
somewhere but the more she thought