Year: 1861

the force-who by this time had lost all his
sang .froid and was standing, looking and appa-
rently bewildered-and asked him what he was
going to do with me.


Il had just ordered him to be shot, replied
the captain.


"Well, returned Dan Francisco Aguilar,
(my friends name) :" / couutermand the order.
This man is my dear friend and you must shoot
me before you shoot him-and as / am your
commander don't think you will do that"


" But how is that have you not sworn to
kill every American we take, asked Captain
Don Alonzo.


True, | have sworn to put to death every
American that my force takes but this man
is exempt from that OATH He is the man who
would, but for the friend that was with him at
the time, have shot down my poor father s
murderer y


In a moment my bitterest enemies had
changed to my warmest friends.


But that the reader may understand the
sudden change that took place in my favor, |
will relate little incident that occurred 10 the
city of Vera Cruz short time previous to my
capture by the guerrillas, and in which was
prominent actor.


One day, about month previous to my
capture, friend-whom shall name Frank
Mercer, and who was an officer in the regulars
and myself were outside the city walls ram
bling along the beach. We were returning to
lunch. He had his side arms and had in my
belt Colts revolver. We were passing
through narrow street, I'm fact all the streets
are very narrow,) and had arrived nearly at
our quarters on the plaza, when we perceived,
about thirty yards from and coming toward US,
two rangers. One of them had short carbine
and the other the never absent revolver A
little more than half way from US to them stood
an old man. He was probably sixty years of
age, for his hair was as white as snow, and he
was slightly bent He appeared to be gen.
tleman and his venerable appearance ought to
have protected him from violence. When the
rangers were within some five or six feet of
him, and my friend and myself probably twice
the distance, he of the carbine motioned the
old man to get off the sidewalk. The old gen.
tleman turned TO obey, but be was not soon
enough, for by the time he had turned to enter
the hause the two fellows were up TO where be
Stood and he of the carbine raised his weapon
and with all his strength brought it down on
the head of the old man. telling him like an OK
and linking the lock of the gun in his skull.
was young then and had never witnessed a
cold blooded murder like that. For an instant
1 was paralyzed with horror, but only for an
instant, when indignation mastered every other
feeling. In another moment my revolver was
out and leveed at the head of the murderer
But he was not to die at my hands as pres
sed the trigger, Frank threw up my arm and
the bullet passed over his head, taking his cap
off. AT the moment, five or six men of Frank s
company came up, and be order them to arrest
the two men, which they did very willingly
Frank and | then ran to the assistance of the
old man, and as | raised him from the ground,
there come to the door young girl of about
twenty years, beautiful as the Mohomedan's
her father in my arms, with his white hairs
covered with blood, she dropped to the ground
as though she had received a bullet through
the heart. My friend rushed to her assistance
in moment, and had raised her in his strong
arms, as though she was no heavier than
child, and carried her into the house, while |
did the same with her father. The cry of ago
ny that the girl uttered, as she tainted, brought
to the door young man. He did not faint,
for he was made Of sterner stuff, although the
sight of his father covered with blood and ap-
parently dead, and of his sister, white as
shrouded corpse, might well have cause him to
lose for awhile all Consciousness OF suffering.


He merely called the servants and ordered
the women to attend to his sister then, while
Frank who bad gone to look for a physician,
was absent, related to him the whole circum-
stance as had seen it. As told my story, l
never in my life saw so many passions contend
ing in one face at the same time There was
a mild, bitter grief hate, and intense purpose
of vengeance. With strong expressions of
gratitude to myself. he grasped my hand and
l told him that it was my pistol he had heard ;
that had tried to kill the murderer on the
spot, and would have done so, but for my cooler
friend /; but that l would be so strong a wit
ness in the couit-martial that he would be SEN
fenced to be either hung or shot,


By the time l had finished, Frank had re-
turned with the surgeon of the regiment. The
latter soon brought the young lady out OF her
swoon. but the father was past human help
He breathed about two hours and then stiff
ened in death. Two days after, Frank and
myself followed the remains to the grave, and
after that we were frequent visitors at the
house of mourning. | was not long in making
the discovery that my gay friend, Frank Mer-
Ger, was as desperately in love with the beauty
as any young officer need desire to be. But as
the old saw hath it, " the course of true love
never yet ran smooth :" and as Franks case
was no exception, will probably at some fu-
ture time, as l have his permission. relate how
! H. aInI, ofIn 10 II r