The Snowflake herald., 1917-11-02
CHAPTER XXI.
The Priest From MoncIova.


ers it was extremely lax. From some
quarter his men had secured a supply
Of mescal, and, forgetful of Felipe's
unhappy fate, they rendered the hours
hideous. There were singing and quar-
reling, and a shot or two sounded from
the direction of the Outbuildings. Morn
ing found both Alaire and Dolores
sadly OverwrOught. But they felt
some relief upon learning that the gen
eral had been unexpectedly summoned
from his bed at daylight, and had rid
den to the telegraph office.
Profting by his absence, Alaire ven
tured from her room, racking her brain
to devise some means of escape. But
soldiers were everywhere; they lOlled
around the servants quarters; they
dOzed in the shade of the ranch build
ings, recovering from the nights de-
bauch; and an armed sentinel who
paced the hacienda road gave evidence
that, despite their apparent careless
ness they had by no means relaxed
their vigilance. A round of the prem
ises convinced A1aire that the place
was actually guarded, and showed her
the futility of trying to slip away. She
realized, too, that even if she managed
to do so, her plight would be little
better. For how could she hope to
cover the hundred miles between La
Feria and the Rio Grande when every
peon was an enemy?
She was standing in one of the open,
sashless windows when her former
good morning and paused to smoke
cigarette.
"Well, it was a great night, wasn't
it?" he began. "And we have great
news this morning. We are going to
fight you gringos."
ct hope not"
eyes; it will probably go hard with
you. Tell me, this city of Washington
is fine city. and very rich, is it not?"
ooh, yes"
"It's full of loot, Ell? Especially the
presidents palace? That is good. One
can never believe all one hears"
"Why do you ask?" Alaire was Gu
riOus.
81 was thinking it would pay us to
go there. If your soldiers march upon
Mexico City, it would be a brilliant
piece Of strategy for General LongOriO
to invade the United States, would it
not? 1t would be funny to capture
Washington and hold your president
for ransom, eh?"
"Very funny" Alaire agreed dryly.
'HOw would you go about it?"
PanchO shrugged. "That is the
trouble. We would have to march
around Texas I presume"
"ArOund Texas?"
eyes. You see, Texas is bad coun-
try it is full of-barbarians who know
how to fight. If it were not for Texas,
we would have the United States at
our mercy" After some consideration,
he ventured this opinion: eve could
afford to pay the Texans for allowing
us to ride through their country, pro-
vided we stole nothing and paid for
the cattle we ate. Well, LOngOriO is
great one for schemes he is talking
over the telegraph with somebody at
this moment. Perhaps it is the presi-
dent of Texas"
"YOu are q poor man, are you not?'
Alaire inquired.
"Miserably poor"
"Would you like to make great deal
of money!"
"Dios That is why I'm a soldier"
ko
horses"
But old PanchO shook his head Wig
orously. "Impossible General Lon
goriO is going to marry you. We all
got drunk last night to celebrate the
wedding. Yes, and the priest is wait
ing"
81 will make you rich"
"HO wouldn't live to spend a single
peso Felipe disobeyed orders, and
the general shot him before he could
cross himself. Boom! The poor fell
low was passed in a minute. No. We
will all be rich after we win few
battles and capture some American
cities. l am an old man; / shall leave
the drinking and the women to the
young fellows, and prepare for my old
age"
Seeing that she could not enlist Pan
chO's aid, Alaire begged him to fetch
the priest.
"You wish spiritual comfort, Sc
nOra?"
Perhaps"
"Well he doesn't look like much of
a priest, but probably he will do AS
for me, I don't believe in such things
Churches are all very well for ignorant
people, but we Mexicans are too intel
ligent; we are making an end Of them"
The priest was small, white-haired |
man with gentle, almost timid face, I
and at the moment when he appeared |
before Alaire he was in anything but I
happy frame of mind. He had under