Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-19
Narpath of the YaQuis and the New York Puffball

7 gained a still denser clump of chapar-
raj. The Indians were quite close now
I could hear them distinctly. even could
make out their faces as they swarrned
into the open depression NOT more than
a hundred yards away.
The man on horseback, evidently the
leader now gave sharp commaEds. Five
gigantic Indians lifted Joe and Wolman
and hurled them TO the ground. One of
the Indians made some remark that was
received by the others with loud whoopS.
The man on horseback sat expression
less, arms hanging loosely by his sides,
the reins of his bride unchecked on his
pony's neck. One of the four Indians
drew out long knife. stopped down.
took Joe's foot in his hand. 1 clutched
at the branch of the spiked shrubs in
front of me. The sunlight fickered in
my eyes, the scene reeled and danced.
There were screams.
How long I lay there l do not know.
Slowly agonizingly. l crawled down
the opposite side of the knoll and ran
like mad man through the chaparral
toward Esperanto. The wild shouts Of
the Indians still came to MY ears,
though much fainter.
x x X
ONCE stopped to listen. The sounds
- had died away 1 looked down
at my shaking hands. They were torn
and bloody from the thorns 1 had
cllttched
The afternoon shadows had already
.2ngthened when reeled into Esperanto.
The commandment gasped to the
first man saw.
He took me to the Quartet on the dead
run. I poured out my story
The commandant paced back and
forth. caught by my emotion
You must do something Immediate
ly," cried We can't waste any time"
Yes, yes" he said and stopped
pacing. He looked at me curiously,
smoothing his hands nervously down
the front OF his mouss-eolored uniform.
We must make memorandum of all
/ the facts.
How many Yaquis did you say there
were?-about a hundred2-and / have
! only IS men"
But IS men, prepared. knowing the
/ country
| He shook his head gloomily. Better
that We go tomorrow morning. It is
| too late now. We can't fight the
| Yaquis in the dark"
But those boys may still be alive.
"Alivel Not if the Yaquis got hold
Of them. They are dead you need
have no fear"
| "You-you-give me a gun, a horse:
| I'll go myself. Tn-In-'
Two orderlies took hold Of me and
| led me out
/ All night sat with my face in my
/ hands, with the horror of the scene
back there by the burning bridge whirl-
ing before me IN enc long. feverish
| nightmare.
| At Sis the orderlies came to take
me to the Quartet
| There the soldiers were leisurely
| clnching up their horses and lashing
en- their supplies motley crew. with
| shabby uniforms and Seraggly ponies.
Thsy dillydallied shamefully
| 1t was $50 before We cantered down
| the lanes Of Esperanto between the
| high. adobe walls, laden with vines
and the overhanging branches Of fruit
| trees. TO the open country.
We found Joe's and Wolman's bat
tered bodies. but no Yaquis Their
tracks led straight away toward a sharp
| cleft in the red mountains.
The commandant leaned nonchalant-
| ly against a manzanifa tree. while half
. dozen soldiers scoopsd out a shallow
grave for the two bodies.
The dead men covered. the COM
mandant remarked We shall now 60
/ back to Eperanza- I have TO write
a report of this. And YOU. senior. where
VIII you go?"
Aren't you going after those fends?"
He shrugged. How can / follow
them? They are up in the mountains
by now. No one could find them: not
in million years would my men fol-
low up into the mountains. They are
afraid of the Yaquis. II I had troops
to NV own liking" He lifted his
left shoulder IN SSrug. drew the cor
ner of his lips and held cut his hands
helplessly. Where viii you go? Back
| to Cajeme2 shall send a squad OF
men with you. II IS dangerous to &c
alone, rs you see"
fCODvrs-ht