The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-06-02
CHAPTER XVI.

gaIlope0 up the street, to return pres
emily with detachment with stretch
ers, into which Webster and Don Juan
Cafetero were laid and carried up the
palace driveway into the huge golden
reception hall where only the night
before sarros had greeted the bellies
and beaux Of his capital. In the mean
time Mother jerks had succeeded III
restoring Dolores to consciousness:
supported by the ifIdemftable, old
woman the girl Slowly followed the
grim procession until, at the door of
the reception room, they found their
further progress barred by a. sentry.
"The red-haired man is dead" he
Informed them in response to- their
eager queries. "If you want his body"
he continued. hazarding guess as to
their mission. II guess YOU can have
II. There he is." And the sentry
pointed to the stretcher which had
been set down along the wall of the
reception hall. .>,.
"'Ow about the other? Mother
Senks demanded. Don Juan Cafetero
had, unfortunately, been so much Of
. nuisance to her In life that she was
not minded to be troubled greatly
over him tn DEATH although the Spar
tanlike manner of his exit had thrilled
the British bulldog blood In he.
'AThe hi: fellow isn't quite dead yet,
but I'm afraid he's goner. The
surgeons have him in this room now.
Friend of yours, Miss?" he inquired
In tones freighted with neighborly
sympathy.
Dolores nodded.
"Sorry l can't let you in, Miss" he
continued. but the General ordered
me to keep everybody out until the
doctors have finished looking him
over. II I was you, I'd wait In that
room across the hall; then you can
get the first news when the doctors
come out"
Mother jerks accepted his advice
and steered her charge into the room
Indicated. AS they waited, Ricardo
Ruey stood anxiously beside the table
on which John Stuart Webster's big,
limp body rep0sed, while Doctor Pach-
eco. assisted by a, ,Sobrantean con-
frere, went deftly over him with sur
gicaI scissors and cut the blood-soaked
clothing from his body.
"He breathes very gently" the rebel
leader said, presently. "Is there any
hopeT
The little doctor shrugged. II fear
pot. That bayonet-thrust in the left
side missed his heart but not his
lung"
'But apparently he hasn't bled much
from that wound"
"The hemOrrhage is probably in
ternal. Even II that congestion Of
blood In the lungs does not prove fatal
very shortly, he cannot, in his weak
ened state, survive the traumatic
fever from all these wounds 1t Is
bound-hello, how our poor friend still
lives with the hayonet broken OF In
his bOdy-for here is steel-hah! Not
bayonet, but a pistol"
He unbuttoned the wounded mans
coat and found q strap running dag
onal'y ~ across his breast and over
the right shoulder, connecting with
q holster under the left arm The
doctor unbuckled this strap and re-
moved the holster, which contained
Webster's spare gun; Ricardo, glanc-
Ing disinterestedly at the sheathed
weapon, noted small, new, triangu-
lar hole In the leather holster. He
picked 1t up, withdrew the pistol, and
found deep scratch, recently made,
along the blued steel close to the vul-
canite' butt.
When Ricardo glanced at Pacheco
after his scrutiny Of the pistol and
holster, the doctors dark eyes were
regarding him mirthfully.
have been unnecessarily alarmed,
my general" said Pacheco. sour
dear friend has been most fortunate
in his choice of wounds"
Hes lucky Yankee; that's what
he is. my dear Pacheco. A lucky Yam
keew 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 ne happened
to be wearing under bis left arm"
he went on to explain. THAT turned
the bayonet and 1t slid along his ribs,
making a superficial fiesh-wound."
Pacheco nodded. "And this bullet
merely burned the top of his right
shOulder, while another passed
through his biceps without touching
the bone. His most severe wound Is
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
they found little clotted blood from
Q 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
jured" Ricardo interrupted that
laugh.
NJ would die Of fright II I had to
Aght this fine fellow a month from
to-day" the little doctor chIrped. "Tne
man Is In superb physical condition;
II Is the bump on the head that rem
ders him unconscious-not loss Of
blood"
As II to confirm this expert testi-
mony Webster at that moment breath