The Little River news. (Ashdown, Little River County, Ark.) 1897-current, 1920-11-03
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Copyright. By Peter B. Kyns)

Ties q ldcRy Yankee; that's what
he is my dear Pacheco. A lucky Yam
keel" Ricardo leaned over and ex-
amined the bayonet-wound In Web
| ster's left side "He took the point
of the steel on his pistol he happened
to be wearing under his left arm"
he went on to explain. 'That turned
the bayonet and it slid along his ribs,
making superficial fiesh-wound."
Pacheco nodded. "And this bullet
merely burned the top of his right
| shoulder, while another passed
| through his biceps without touching
| this jab in the hip"
! They stripped every stitch of cloth
ing from Webster and went over him
carefully. At the back of his head
thew found little clOtted blood from
small split in the scalp; also they
found lump Of generous proportions.
Pacheco laughed briefly but con-
tentedly. ...
"Then he is not even seriously in
juredY Ricardo interrupted that
laugh.
81 would die of fright if 1 had to
fight this fine fellow a month from
today" the little doctor chirped. 'The
man is in superb physical condition;
it is the bump on the head that rem
ders him unconsciOus-not loss Of
blood
AS il to confirm this expert testi-
mony Webster at that moment breath
ed long and deeply, screwed up his
face and shook his head very slightly.
Thereafter for several minutes he
gave no further evidence of an active
interest in life-seeing which Pacheco
decided to take prompt advantage of
his Inconsistencies and probe the
wounds in his arm and shoulder for
the fragments of clothing which the
bullets must have carried into them.
After ten minutes of probing Pacheco
announced that he was through and
ready to bandage; whereupon John
Stuart Webster said family but very
distinctly, in English:
''Tm awfully glad you are, Doc.
It hurt like HI! Did you manage
to get bite on that fishing trip
slack Webster, you scOundrel !"
Ricardo yelled joyously, and he shook
the patient with entire disregard Of
the latter's wounds. "Oh. man, I'm
glad you're not dead"
"Your sentiments appeal to me
strongly, my friend. Pm-too-tired
to lool1-at you Who the devil--are
your
Fell silence. while Webster pre-
pared for another speech. "Where
am IY'
"In the palace. We won pulled
up, and that forty-thousand dollar bet
of yours is safe. I'll cash the ticket
for you tomorrow morning"
OBJ the forty thousand. Where's
my Croppy Boy?"
"Your what?"
my wild Irish blackthorn, Don
Juan Cafetero."
81 hope, old man, he has ere now
that which all brave Irishmen and
true deserve-a harp with a crown.
In life the Irish have the harp with
out the crown, you know"
"How did he die?" Webster whis-
pered.
"EIe died hard, with the holes in
front--and he died for you"
Two big tears trckled slowly
through Webster's closed lids and roll
ed across his pale cheek. poor, lost
| lonesome misunderstood wreck" he
murmured presently. 'he was an ex-
tremist in all things. He used to sing
those wonderfully poetic ballads OF his
people, remember one that began :
| Green were the fields where my fore
| fathers dwelt.' think his heart was
| in Kerry-so Wen send him there.
| He's my dead, Ricardo; care for his
| body. because Fm-going to plant
Don Juan with the-shamrocks They
! didn't understand him here He was
an exile-so I'm going to send him
| home"
"IIe shall have military funeral"
Ricardo promised.
"FrOm the cathedral" Webster add
ed. "And take picture Of it for
his people. He told me about them.
want them to think he amounted to
something, after all. And when you
4 get this two-by-four republic of yours
going again, Rick, you might have
your congress award Don Juan a
thousand dollars orc for capturing Sar-
ros. Then we can send the money to
his old folks"
4 But he didn't capture SarrOs,
= Ricardo protested 1.-THE man escaped
when the guards cut their way
through"
i HE didn't. That was a ruse while
: he beat 1t out the gate where you
found me. saw Don Juan knock him
cold with the butt of his rifle after
4 I'd brought down his horse"
do you think he's there yetr'
q ''He may be--psovided all this didn't
happen the day before yesterday. II
wanted him, I'd goedown and look
{ for him, Rick"