Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-02-08

'OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOO
be your servant. 1 can conceive of no
greater pleasure than giving the serv-
ice you require"
"And what is that?" inquired
Thorne hurriedly
"That of incapacitating Senior Rojas
for tonight, and perhaps several
nights to come" replied Gale. "Pll
make row in that saloon. I'll start
something. I'll rush Rojas and his
crowd. I'll"
"Lord, no; you mustn't, Dick
you'll be knifed!' cried Thorne.
'I'll take chance Maybe l can
surprise that slow Greaser bunch and
get away before they know what's
happened. You be ready
watching at the window When the
row starts those fellows out there in
the plaza will run into the saloon.
Then you slip out, go straight through
the plaza down the street. It's dark
street, I remember. I'll catch up with
you before you get far"
Thorne gasped, but did not say a
word Mercedes leaned against him,
her white hands now at her breast,
her great eyes watching Gale as he
went out.
In the corridor Gale stopped long
enough to pull on a pair o@ heavy
gloves. to muss his hair, and disar-
range his collar. Then he stepped
f14o i, n
halted in the door leading into the
saloon No one appeared to notice
him. Gales rowing glance soon fixed
upon the man he took to be Rojas.
The Mexican's face was turned aside
He was in earnest, excited colloquy
with a dozen or more comrades, most
of whom we're sitting round a table.
They were listening, talking, drinking.
The fact that they wore cartridge belts
crossed over their breasts satisfied
Gale that these were the rebels He
became conscious of an inward fire
ness Other emotions harried his self
control 1t seemed as it sight Of the
man liberated or created a devil in
Gale. And at the boh'cm Of his feel
ings there seemed to De wonder at
himself, strange satisfaction for the
something that had come to him.
He stepped out of the doorway.
down the couple Of steps to the floor
of the saloon, and he staggered a
little, Stimulating drunk enness. He fell
over the pool tables, jostled Mexicans
at the bar, laughed like a maudlin
fool, and, with his hat slouched down,
crowded here and there Presently
his eye caught sight of the group Of
cowboys whom he had before noticed
with such interest.
They were still in a corner some
what isolated With fertile mind
working, Gale lurched over to them.
If he were to get any help from these
silent aIoof rangers it must be by
striking fire from them in one swift
stroke Planting himself squarely be-
fore the two tall cowboys who were
standing, he looked straight into
their lean, bronzed faces. He spared
full moment for that keen, cool
gaze before he spoke.
I'm not drunk. Tn throwing a
bluff, and / mean to start a rough
house. I'm going to rush that id
bandit Rojas. It's to save girl-to
give her lover, who is my friend, a
chance to escape with her She's in
the house. Rojas is here to get her.
When / start row my friend will try
to slip out with her. Every door and
window is watched. I've got to raise
hi to draw the guards in.
Well, you're my countrymen. We're
in Mexico. A beautiful girls honor
and life are at stake. Now. gentle
men, watch me-"
One cowboys eyes narrowed, blink
ing a little, and his lean jaw dropped !:
the others hard face rippled with a
fleeing smile.
Gale backed away, and his pulse
leaped when he saw the two cowboys,
as if with one purpose, slowly stride
after him. Then Gale swerved, stag
gering along, brushed against the
tables, kicked over the empty chairs
The hum of the many voiceg grew
louder, and when Dick lurched
against table, overturning it and
splitting glasses int the laps of sew
eral Mexicans there arose shrill cry.
He had succeeded in attracting at
tentfon; almost every face turned his
way. One of the insulted men, a
little tawny fellow, leaped TO confront
Gale, and in a frenzy screamed vol
ley of Spanish, of which Gale distin-
guished "Gringo!" Dick swung his
leg and with a swift side kick knocked
the fellows feet from under him.
.whirling him down with a thud.
The action was performed so sud-
denly, so adroitly, it made the Mexi-
can such weakling, so like a tumbled
tenpin. that the shrill jabbering
hushed. Gale knew this to be the
significant moment.
Wheeling, he rushed at Rojas. 1t
was his old Undertaking plunge. Mel
Their Rojas nor his men had time to
move. The black-skinned bandits
face turned a dirty white; his Jaw
dropped; he would have shrieked if
Gale had not hit him. The blow
swept him backward against his men.
Then Gales heavy body swiftly fol-
lowing with the momentum of that
rush struck the little group of rebels.
with +l,o