The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-02-11
CHAPTER XVI

unconscious Webster one of his aides
galloped up the street, to return pres.
emily with a 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 In
restoring Dolores to consciousness
supported by the indomitable 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.
81 "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
It. There he is.''I5 And the sentry
pointed to the stretcher which had
been set down along the wall Of the
reception hall. q: M. IA. IA 4s
= Sow about the other?" Mother
jerks demanded. Don Juan Cafetero
had, unfortunately, been so much Of
Il, nuisance to her in life that she was
not minded to be troubled greatly
over him in death, although the Spar
tanlike manner OF his exit had thrilled
the British bulldog blood In her.
.'The bis fellow isn't quite dead vet
but I'm afraid he's a gofer. The
surgeons have him in this room now.
Friend OF yours, Miss?" he> inquired
in tones freighted with neighborly
sympathy. + < rs ~,
Dolores nodded. ~ .2$
Sorry I 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. If I was you, I'd wait in that
room across the hall; then you can
get the first news when the doctors
come out" s< .-s,s5 &&,.zsgs 3;
Mother jerks accepted his advice
and steered her charge into the room
indicated. AS they waited, Ricardo
1tuey stood anxiously beside the table
on which John Stuart Webster's big,
limp body reposed, while Doctor Pach-
eco. assisted by a. Sobrantean con-
frere, went deftly over him with sur
gical scissors and eut the blood-soaked
clothing from his body. Is a-5
He breathes very gently" the rebel
leader said, presently. Is there any
hopew -,at IL, A zse8
u The little, doctor shrugged. II fear
not. That bayonet-thrast in the left
side missed his heart but not his
lung" "a
AS But apparently he hasn't bled much
from that wound" as INF
~ 1.-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 frieDd still
lives with the bayonet broken off In,
his body-for here Is steel-hah! Not
a bayonet, but a pistol"
He unbuttOned the wounded mans
coat and found a strap running dag
onally up across his breast and over
the right shoulder, connecting with
holster under the left arm. The
doctor unbuckled this strap and re-
moved the holster which contained
Webster's spare gun; Ricardo, slancS.
ing disinterestedly Mt the sheathed
weapon. noted small, new. triangu-
lar 5holeSin the leather holster He
picked It up, withdrew the pistol, and
found deep scratch, recently made,
along the blued steel close to the vul-
canite butt.
When Ricardo glanced at racheco
after his scrutiny Of the pistol and.
holster. the doctors dark eyes We're
regarding him mirthfully.
II have been unnecessarily alarmed,
my general said Pacheco. sour
dear friend has been most fortunate
in his choice of wounds"
tsHe's a lucky Yankee; that's what
he IS. my dear Pacheco. a lucky Yam
keel'' Ricardo leaned over and eS-
amined tue bayonet-wound in Web
ster's left side. He took the point
of the steel on his pistol he happeneh
to be wearing under his left arm,