Mexico weekly ledger., 1922-11-09


old muskets, swords, pistols with
brass barrels from ancient Spanish
armorles, clubs and pixies that might
have served Cromwell. Some Of the
men looked respectable, others des-
perate; they were Of many nationali-
ties, all anger-smitten and excited.
whats 1t all about2" Drace In
CURED Of a bare-headed old man who
painted beside him.
The carpet-bag devils. They hang
a citizen"
ave are on the right side, anyway"
Shottle cried. "Give me a gun-gve
me something"
Some n gave him an old carbine,
and another gave Drace a cavalry sa-
Der. The man from the North
grasped II, feeling that he was to
fight the scoundrels that cast discred-
1t and reproach upon his native state.
At this time Of mans madness ma
ture could not restrain the introduc-
ton Of her W grim humor. Dogs
gathered In the open space between
the bands Of advancing rioters, and
fought, bowling. the victims Of wounds
without cause.
Not many shots were fired. The
authorities made O criminal Of the
citizen who carried a gun OF concealed
it In his house. 1t was a hand-to-hand
strife, the breaking Of heads, the cut
ting of throats A big, ~red-shirted ne
gro with razor cleaning in the smoky
light made a grab at Drace, who had
just room enough to leap back and
strike with his saber; but the agile
negro lodged, the blow IA caught by
a brick wall and the blade was broken
off at the handle. But with the hilt, q
boxing glove of steel, Drace knocked
the negro down and then passed over
his body, striking right and left, push
ing onward to the front, where the
jagged ranks ~saw.toothed one into the
other.
The struggle 0 was to save the
hanging man, who, without fall enough
to break his neck, was strung up to
strangle. Drace was the first man to
fight his way to him. He dropped his
steel boxing glove, grabbed out his
knife, leaped up, caught hold Of the
limb of the tree with n hand and
cut the man down.
Catching up his weapon, he was
about to mix in the fight again when
the sharp scream Of a woman caught
and held him for a moment. He
glanced hurriedly about; at various
windows were lights and ~sllhouetted
figures of onlookers. But as IL drawn
by some lodestone instinct his eyes
went to a second-story window just
beyond the tree; and there, in the
strong light of a lamp just behind her,
he saw again the face Of the barbaric
rose maid, Nadine la Vitte.
Instantly he whirled and strove to
fight his way to a gate which he saw
In the wall before the house. But now
came q new cry and q scramble for
safety. A troop Of United States cav.
airy came sweeping the thoroughfare
from curb to curb, their drawn sabers
flashing, the aroused anger Of Uncle
Sam ~rebuking q riot. Not to run was
to be trampled to death, but Drace
stood an instant to look about for
Shottle. He could not find him, how
ever, and he had to seek his own safe
ty. for the cavalry were near, spread
ing out upon the sidewalk.
With divers others, he stood NOT
upon the order of his going but ran
back down the street and then hurried
down a side street out Of the path OF
the troopers. There he waited until
the tumult had neutrality-suspicious. ar
hour. Then he made his way back tt
the scene of the riot.
The house at the window Of which
he thought he had glimpsed the face
Of Nadine la Vitte was now dark. Blu
in spite OF the curious glances Of sun
dry loiterers, BRACE took a careful sur
e of it and Of the three oak tree!
III LIOlL-CNCh lClL JA1GAL Jain w 10
miliarize himself with them. At tn,
corner he sought the name Of tn,
street, on the lamp, but the glass hat
been broken, leaving only a red 81
and the fragments and re" But n
matter--he would know where to TURF
would know the house when abreas
Of 1t.
Now brace fastened toward the 81
Charles. The streets were quiet. Blu
a wagon ratified by, and he saw tina
1t was filed with wounded men. FL
thought of Shottle and his spirit wa
oppressed with sorrow. Shottle's Ell
cape must have been impossible. an
tomorrow they would take his bod.
throw it into some oozy hole and cove
1t with mud.
In the lobby Of the st. Charles me
stood In groups, talking Of the fall !
the price OF cotton. The riot, whic
to Drace had meant SO much, was nj
even known, so accustomed was th
town to scenes Of violence. DraC
asked the clerk IL Shottle had come Il
No; his key was in the box, The
brace thought that surely Libert
must be dead or wounded, haule
away to suffer. he went forth agail
to the department Of police. to Il
cavalry barracks, but nothing coul
he learn. Then In his room he 81
sorrowing over his friend and y,
thrilled with q selfish happiness, 4
he had found the barbaric rosemai
He went to bed, tossed, slept, dreame
In a mingiing Of distress and giadnes
and awoke. Shottle was standing