Vernon Parish Democrat., 1921-05-26

since lost their novelty; the bloom
was Off the peach, as it were.
Webster went upstairs and helped
himself to another automatic and sew
eral spare clips of shells which he
had left in his trunk. On his return
to the lobby, Dolores saw what a
very nearsighted person, indeed, would
have seen-to wit: that he was not
pleased to remain in the hotel and
with the spirit of adventure strong
within him was desirous of progress
ing still farther toward the firing, in
the hope Of .eliciting some favorable
news as to the progress Of the fight.
She realized, however, that he would
do his duty and remain with her in
the hotel; so she said gayly:
Suppose we walk out little far
ther, Caliph. Many of the side streets
will be as safe and peaceful as one
could desire, and if warfare should
develop in our vicinity we can step in
to some house."
II do not like to have you run the
slightest risk" he began, but she
pooh-poohed him into silence, took
him by the arm with a great air of
camaraderie, and declared they should
go forth to adventure-but cautiously
Webster glanced at Don Juan. 'We
can go half or three quarters av a
mile out the Gale San Rosario, sol" !"
the Irishman answered. "After that
twill not be a pleasant sight for the
young leddy-an' there may be some
shootin'. Squads av the governmint
throops took refuge in the houses an
took to snipin'. Twill be shlow wurrk
roundin' the last av thin up. Even
afther the fight is over, therell be
scatterln' shootin' scrapes all av the
night long, I'm thinkin'."
"At the slightest danger Wen turn
back" Webster announced, and with
Don Juan Cafetero scouting the way
a block in advance they progressed
slowly toward the center Of the dis
turbance.
Soon they passed a horse dead In
the middle Of the street; a little far
ther on one Of the machine-gun
company, a lRnk Texan, sat on
the curb rolling a cigarette with his
left hand. He had a bullet through
his right shoulder and another through
the calf of his leg and had received nc
first aid attention; the fies were both
ering him considerably and he was
cursing softly and fuently, like the ex
mule-sklnner he was.
Farther on another white invader
lay face down in the gutter; for him
begun. In the next block half a doz
en- sandal-foOted Sobranteans, in the
blue and red-trlmmed uniform of the
Guardia Civil, lay sprawled in uncouth
attitudes, where the first blast of q
machine gun had caught them as they
rushed out Of the police station to re
pei the advancing mercenaries.
Seeing that the main street of the
city would assume even a more grisly
aspect the longer they followed it, Dor
Juan led Webster and Dolores a cou
pie of blocks down cross street and
turned out into the Gale de Herman
dez parallel to the. Gale San Rosario
There had been no shooting in this
street, apparently; as they proceeded
not even a stray bullet whined dowI
the silent Gale.
Four blocks from the government
palace they found the narrow side
walks of this quiet street lined witt
wounded from both sides, with a doc
tor and half dozen Of Ricardo's hireC
fighters ministering to them as they
threaded their way between the recum
bent figures they came upon Mother
jerks, brandy bottle and glass in hand
"doing her bit"
"Hah! So here you are, my lamb,
she greeted Dolores. "Right-o. JUS
where yer ought to be, Cor bless vel
sweet face. Let these poor misfor
tunate lads see that the sister o. thC
new president amt too proud to care
for 'em. Ere, lass. old up the 'eat
O. this young cockerel with the ole il
is neck. Ere, lad. Tyke a brace now
'Ere's some O. your own people, not {
lot o. bloomin' yeller bellies, come tt
put something else in yer 'leck-some
think that1l stimulate yer"
The "young cockerel," blond you'll
of scarce 20 summers, twisted his heat
and grinned up at Dolores as she knel
beside him to lift him up. "Here, here
sister," he mumbled, you'll get thar
white dress dirty. Never mind me. IT.!
just flesh wound, only my neck hal
got stiff and I'm weak from loss o.
blood"
Mother jerks winked at Webster al
she set a glass Of brandy to the strick
en- adventurer's lips. "Give me a BIZ
O. the white meat, as my sainted En-
cry used to s'y," she murmured com
ically.
Dolores looked up at Webster. "Tl
stay here" she said simply. I've fOunt
a Job helping Mother jerks. You ant
Don Juan may run along If you wish
know you're as curious as children.
They were. 1t would have been i'm
possible for any man with red corpus
cles in his blood to harken to the shoot
ing and shouts only three city block.