Mexico Missouri message., 1918-06-20
CHAPTER xI.
When the World Ran Backward.

Esteban went about his plan Of de
stroying PRncho Cueto with youthful
energy and zest. First he secured, al
some pains, half-stick of dynamite, O
cap and fuse, and q gallon or more OF
kerosene; then he assembled his fol.
lowers and led them once again into
the San Juan.
La Joya was still tenanted when
early In the evening its rightful owner
arrived; the house and some of its out
buildings showed lights. Esteban con-
cealed his men. While the horses
cropped and the negroes rested he fit
ted fuse and cap to his precious piece
Of dynamite.
Now while Esteban was thus busled,
Pancho Cueto was entertaining an un-
welcome guest. In the late afternoon
he had been surprised by the visit of a
dozen or more volunteers, and mas
much as his relations with their colo
mel had been none Of the friendliest
since that ill-starred expedition into
the Yumuri, he had felt chill Of ap-
prehension on seeing the redoubtable
CODO nlmSelt at tnelr neaQ.
The colonel had explained that he
was returning from q trip up the San
Juan, taken for the purpose of round
ing up those inhabitants who had been
dilatory In obeying the new orders
from Havana. That smoke to the south
ward was from fires of his kindling:
he had burned good many crops and
houses and punished good many peo-
pie, and since this was exactly the sort
Of task he liked he was in no unpleas-
ant mood. He had demanded of Cueto
lodging for himself and his troop, an
nouncing that part of his command
was somewhere behind and would re-
join him later In the night.
Cueto had welcomed his visitor in
all humility; he put up the soldiers In
the bate Of the sugar mill, and then
installed Cobo In his best room, after
which he ransacked the house for food
and drink and tobacco.
When Cobo finally took himself off
to bed Cueto followed In better spirits
than he had enjoyed for some time.
For one thing, 1t was agreeable to look
forward to night of undlsturbed re-
pose. PanchO's apprehensions had fat
tened upon themselves, and he had
been living Of late in a nightmare of
terror.
But II seemed to him that he had
barely closed his eyes when he was
awakened by a tremendous vibration
IL
floor, undecided whether he had been
hurled from his bed or whether he had
leaped thither. Still in a daze, he heard
shout from the direction of Cobo's
room, then din of other voices, fol-
lowed by rush of feet; the next in
slant his door was flung back and he
saw, by the light of high-held torches,
Esteban Varona and ragged rabble
of black men. Cueto knew that he
faced death. He lodged a blow from
Esteban's' dubbed rifle only to behold
the fash of machete. Crying out
again, he tried to guard himself from
the descending blade, but too late; the
sound of his hoarse terror died In his
throat, half born.
Quick Soak the bed with oil and
fire It," Esteban directed; then he ran
out into the hall 10 investigate that
other shouting. He found the chamber
whence 1t issued and tried to smash
the door; but at the second blow he
heard a gunshOt from within and the
wood spllntered outward almost into
his face. simultaneously, from some
where outside the house, arose the
notes of a Spanish bugle-call.
Young Varona waited to hear no
more. Nor did his men; realizing the
peril into which they had been led,
they bolted from the house as fast as
they could go. There was no need for
questions; from the direction of the
sugar mill came beloved orders and
the sound Of men shouting to their
horses. Evidently those were troops
and trained troops, too, for they took
no time to saddle; they were up and
mounted almost before the marauders
had gained the backs of their own ami
mails.
Instantly there began a blind battle
In desperately cramped quarters.
Riders fought stirrup TO stirrup with
clubbed rifles and machetes; saddles
We're emptIed and the terrified horses
bolted. Some Of them lunged up the
banks, only to tumble down again,
their threshing limbs and sharp-shod
hoofs working more havoc than blows
from old-time battle-hammers.
OF course, after the first moment Of
conflict, Esteban had not been able to
exert the least control over his men
In fact, he could not make himself
heard. Nor could he spare the breath