The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1917-01-12

had unflinchingfy gone forward 10
avenge the wrongs that had been done
to American men. women and chill
dren on the border Instead, they
had given their lives. But, out there
In Diablo Pass, in the stiffness of the
night, surrounded by the dead, the Ma
jor made a solemn vow that the death
Of every one of his troopers would be
avenged. Lopez would pay for this
days work, with his\ miserable life,
and, unless the inevitable hand OF
fate prevented him, the Major would
collect the debt and see to it that he
was paid in full.
These thoughts and the dishearten-
ing spectacle before him. together with
his wounds and long period of fasting,
seemed to unbalance the mind OF the
brave man. He managed to pull him
self out of the pit dug for him by ms
men and staggered to one of the bod
les. He stopped and taking the can
teen from the poor fellow, quenched
his thirst. 1t refreshed him. But 1t
did not ease his puzzled and tired
brain. His wound panied him, and he
was conscious of peculiar feeling In
his head. Strange objects seemed to
appear before his gaze. They came
quickly and departed as suddenly. Mys-
ferrous visions seemed to haunt him.
as he stood there helpless and alone.
1t must be a sickness. Perhaps it was
the fever He had seen thousands of
soldiers afflicted with this dreadful dis
ease he had seen hundreds die with
it. Just then, he would have wei
coined anything that would have re
lieved him from his pain.
For some time he stood there Won
dering i'll Which direction to go. He
knew the canyon for had he not led
his troops TO this very spot? But, his
memory slowly failed him, and, though
he racked his poor fevered brain he
was at loss to know which way
to turn. Finally, dazed and delirious,
he wandered aimlessly into the desert
, The poor slave Pedro, who had been
dragged to the torture chamber by
/ the Mexicans, had been tortured al
t most to the point of death. One OF
the guards pressed a button, which re-
7 leased one of the huge blocks in the
' wall. They picked up his body an6
5 threw it through the aperture. II
5 struck large opening, and then sic
e down between the walls into pool II
S an underground chamber. 1t was thu
/ room where Liberty was being helt
a prisoner, and, just as Pedro's bod.
: struck the water, she was about tt
: scoop up some of the water to quencl
t her terrible thirst.
AS the dark object struck the wa
n ter she drew back in terror. Then, a
: it rose to the surface, she was startle,
O as she recognized the slave. He wa
II too injured to try to save himself
q and Liberty rushed to his aid AM
dragged him out of the pool, and as
I sisted him to his feet. But the mex
instant he fell in heap on the GROUND
During this time, Rutledge and hi
comrades were out in the deser
searching for some signs of Winston
troops The insurrectos had bee
i completely fooled by the rangers, an
it was some time after Bob and hi
companions escaped before they rea
| lied the futility of their fire. At frs
the Mexicans believed they had wipe
Il out the remainder of Rutledge's mel
| the mission. Finally one of thei
l number was sent ont to investigate
y He approached the ruins under cove
n of the Mexican 'volley, and, as h
I neared the spot he dropped on hi
hands and knees and crawled cautious
II ly up. Slowly he raised his hea
i above the ruined walls. 1t was de-
perate move, ana he was taking a bi
chance Of having his head blown t
n pieces. But, as he peered over til
n tSp all was silenk within, for, all itha
i he saw WAS the bodies of the dea
II rangers, and Rutiesdge was not anon
thean.
| Zee hastily returned to his compal
| ions and informed them of the wa
! in which they had been baffieS by tt
Americans. They Were enrased an
the ader was given immediately I
start m pursuit. After searching fl
a several hours for BNb and his me
Id the insurrectos gave ifsup and rehnrne
n to join Lopez and his hand.
VI ~
~ The morning of thse fourth de
found the Major still staggering on, il
5t body wrecked and his mSnd shattere
Is His canteen was empty. and in I'll
e. frantic ELECTS to find watSr he fell {
10 the sands and began to dig with h
he naked fingers. Sinking coyotes no
IS cred about, while oyerheaG the eve
ID watchful buzzards circled. Final
d. from sheer exhaustion he stretched II
n, conscious where he fell. There he la
at impotent against the carbon huntir
y creatures of land and air which gaze
ig with hungry eyes at his prostra
e form. Encouraged by the quietne
of the body, the coyotes CAREFUL
It. drew nearer.
IS At that moment small group
n cavalry appeared three or four mile
" away on the edge of the desert. Sloy
lie ly they approached and found the III