Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-02-14
FOURTH EPISODE
Dead or Alive.

Two of the soldiers who saw the
horse ms It reached the camp with its
unconscious rider ran TO the spot and,
carefully lifting the limp form of the
girl from its back, carried her TO the
improvised hospital tent. She was
tenderly placed on "a cot and the COM
pany surgeon was called.
1t was not a serious injury. She had
been shot in the arm.
In the meantime Lopez and his men
were keeping the major and Rutledge
quite busy.
Finally. Lopez realizing that u he
was TO reach Alvlra with any of his
men he would have to get away from
there before he lost the greater num-
Der of them, gave a signal to his men.
They spranG into their saudles and
before the rangers had time to level
their guns at them the Mexicans were
galloping down the road.
An instant later the rangers started
in pursuit.
Wht Liberty revived she gasped
"Alvira with an army of men is go
ing TO attack Discovery tonight. Warn
them--I--"
Then she fell back family against
her pillow and closed her eyes.
The captain stepped to the entrance,
called one OF his men and gave him an
order. Then ne turned TO another
tsT,oU IBo.tarc 20 COLL ntsr,xrar.s hn
commanded.
The telegrapher called again and
again. but could get no answer.
Discovery doesn't answer" said
the orderly as he rushed back into the
tent.
The words crushed Liberty and her
head dropped TO her chest.
The captain rushed from the tent
and a moment later, as Liberty lis
tened, she heard the bugler sounding
the ASSEMBLY" and as she heard the
clarion notes piercing the stiffness of
the night she wondered If they were
sounded too late.
At that moment Alvira and his army
were within a league OF the border
town.
The Mexicans went through that
town like storm through a prairie
village, sweeping everything before
them. They fired into every house
which had an American flag waving
before II and made thorough search
Of the others to make certain no Amer
leans were being hid by sympathiz-
e.S. They broke into the houses, and
If the head of the household made an
effort TO protect himself and family
he was sent to the floor with a Mexi-
can bullet in his body. The street was
filed with confusion. Here and there
lay the bodies of innocent men, WON
en- and children. with American blood
flowing from their death wounds.
In vain the telegrapher at the little
station situated at the entrance TO the
with Colonel Dalton or Captain Lara
bee, but he received no response To his
call. For at that moment the troopers
were on the road toward Discovery.
At last ne gave up IN despair and Il
looked as though every American In
the town was at the mercy of the in
surrectos. All had given up hope of
being saved from the Mexicans. Then
something happened which filled all Of
them with renewed hope. II was the
sound of bugle. and as they looked
they saw troop Of United States
cavalry entering the town. An instant
later the Mexicans had jumped into
their saddles and were turning about
TO meet them. Then the troopers
opened fire on the charging insurrec-
tOs and drove them across the border
and into the open country. Then the
bugle sounded and the men ceased
firing.
Leaving q sufficient number Of men
to guard the town against possible
re-attack, Captain Larabee and the re-
mainder of his men started back for
NOstlnOs. Arriving there the captain
went at once TO the tent where Liberty
had been left In care Of the doctor and
told the story TO them of the battle Of
Discovery.
As he was relating the Incidents OF
the fight to them they heard the sound
Of horses hoofs and a moment later
three men sprang from their saddles,