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EIGHT
The Land of Broken Promises
~=~ = =============== By DANE COOLIDGE
A Stirring Story of the
Mexican Revolution
A story of border Mexico, vivid,
Intense, such a« has never before
been written, la this one of Ameri
can adventurera Into the land of
manana. Texan, mining engineer,
Spanish aenor and senorlta, peon,
Indian, crowd its chapters with
clear-cut word pictures of busi
ness, adventure and love, against
a somber background of wretched
armies marching and counter
marching across a land racked by
revolution and without a savior.
f#ontinued from Yesterday.)
’'Heads! 5 bn called, without looking
at It. "What, you got?"
"Heads!" Answered Bud. and I’hll
chucked his money Into the air again
and laughed as It dropped Inin his
palm.
"Heads she Is again!" ho cried,
showing the Mexican eagle; "I never
did an* the time when I couldn't match
you, anyway. So now, old socks, you
can keep right on being a Texan and
hating Mexicans like horny toads, and
I'll denounce the Eagle Tall the min
ute the time Is up. And I won't go
near the Aragon outfit unless you're
with me- is that a go? All right,
shake hands on It, pard! I wouldn’t
quarrel with you for anything!"
“Aw, that's all right,” mumbled Bud,
rising and holding out his hand "1
knoved you didn't mean nothing." He
sat down again after that and gazed
drearily out the door.
“Say, Bud,” b«gan Phil, his eyes
sparkling with amusement, "I’ve got
something to tell you about that dance
lant night. If I didn't put the crushor
on Mr. FVlIz I,una and Manuel del
Beyl Wow! 1 sura wished you were
there to see me d<|>Ul
“This Felix Bung II the son of an
old sugar planter down In the hot coun
try somewhere. He got run out by
the rovoltosos and now he’s up here
trying to mako a winning with Gracia
Aragon—uniting two noble families,
and all that Junk. Welt, sir, of all the
conceited, swelled-tip little squirts you
ever saw In your life he's the limit,
and yet the old Infill kind of favors
him.
"But this Manuel del Rey Is the cap
tain of the ruroJes around here and a
genuine Mexican fire-eater all buck
akin and fierce rnusUrhins. anti smells
like chill peppers snd garlic -and the
twro of ’em were having It back snd
forth as to who got the next dance
with Oracle.
“Well, you know how It Is at a Mexi
can danoe—everybody Is supp<wod to
be Introduced to everybody else anti
when 1 saw those two young turkey
cocks talking with their hands and
eyebrows and everybody else backing
off, I stepped In close snd looked at
tha girl.
"And she's some girl, too, believe
me! The higgled brown eyes you ever
saw In your life, a complexion like
cream, and hair- well, there never
w-as such hair! She was fanning her
self real slow, and In the language of
Ut® fan that means: This don't Inter
est me a bit!' Ho. Just to show her I
was wise, I pulled out my handker
chief and dropped It on the floor, and
when she saw ms she stopped and be
gan to count the ribs In her fan. That
was my cue—lt meant she wanted to
speak with me—so 1 stepped up ami
said;
" 'Excuse me, senorlta. but while
the gentlemen talk—and If the eenom,
your mother, will permit—perhaps we
can enjoy a dance?'
“And say. Bud, you should have seen
tha way ahe rose to It. The girl la a
■port, believe me. and (he Idea of those
two novlos chewing the rag while she
aat out the dance didn't appeal to her
At all. Bo she gars me her hand and
away we went, with all (he old ladles
talking behind their fans and Manuel
del Rey blowing up like a volcano In
a bunch of rarambos or worse. Gee.
H was great, and she could dance like
a queen.
"But here's the Interesting part of
ft—what do you think she asked me.
after we'd had our lltlle laugh? Well.
you don't need to get so grouchy about
lt—ehe asked about you!"
“Awl*
“Ye*, ahe did! Bo you see what you
get for throwing her down!’
“What did she ask?"
"Well, she asked" —here he stopped
and laughed—"she asked If you were a
cowboy!"
"No!" cried Bud, pleased In spite of
himself; “what does she know about
cowboy*?"
“Oh. wise!" declared Phil;
“•he'a been to school twice In I*>s
Angeles and seen the wild west show.
Yea. ■tr, she's Just like an American
girl and speaks English perfectly. She
told me she didn't like (he Mexican
men—they were loc stuck on them
selves- and say. Bud. when 1 told her
you were ■ genuine Texas cowboy,
what do you think she said?"
"W*y, I don't know,” answered Bud.
smiling broadly in anticipation; "what
did sho say?"
"She said she'd like to know you!"
“She did not!" came back Bud with
■ugden spirit.
Then he laughed the thought away,
| a great burden seemed to he lifted
| from heart, arid he found himself
happy again.
CHAPTER X.
To an American, accustomed to get
ting things done first and talking about
it afterward, there Is nothing so subtly
Irritating as the old-world formalism,
the polite evasiveness of the Mexi
j cans; and yet, at times, they can speak
■ to the point with the best of us.
For sixty days Don (Mprlano Aragon
had smiled and smiled and then, sud
denly, as the last day of their mining
permit passed by and there was no
record of a denouncement by Cruz
Mendez, he appeared at the Eagle Tall
mine with a pistol In Ills belt and a
triumphant sneer on his lips.
Behind him rodn four Mexicans,
fully armed, ami they made no reply
i to Dc Barney's polite “Buenos dias!”
"Take your poor things," burst out
i Aragon, pointing contemptuously at
their tent and beds, "and your low,
Itelndo Mexican and go! This mine
no longer stands In the name of Cruz
Mendez, and I want It for myself! No,
not a word!" he cried, as De I.ancey
i opened hla mouth to explain. "Noth
ing! Only go!”
"No, sennr," said Hooker, dropping
: his hand to his six shooter which hung
low by his leg and stepping forward,
"we will not go!”
"What?" stormed Aragon, “you— ’’
1 "Be careful there!" warned Bud.
suddenly fixing his eyes on one of the
four retainers. "If you touch that gun
| I'll kill you!”
There was a pnnse, In which the
Mexicans sat frozen to their saddles,
and then De l-am ey broke the silence.
“You must not think, Senor Ara
gon,” he began, speaking with a cer
tain bitterness, “that you can carry
your point like this. My friend here Is
a Texan, and If your men stir he will
kill them. But there Is a law In this
country for every man—what Is It that
you want?”
"I want this mining claim," shouted
Aragon, “that you have so unjustly ta
ken from me through that scoundrel
Mendez! And I want you to step
aside, so thut I can set up my monu
ments and take possession of It"
"The Honor Aragon has not been to
the agente mineral today," suggested
I>e lomcey suavely. "If he had taken
the trouble he would not—”
"Enough!” cried Aragon, still trying
to carry It off cavalierly; "I sent my
servant to tha mining agent yeHterday
and he reported that the permit had
lapsed."
"If he had taken the pains to In
quire for new permits, however,” re
turned De laurey, “he would have
found that one has been Issued to me.
1 am now a Mexican citizen, like your
self."
"You!" screamed Aragon, hie eyes
bulging with aatuulßhment; and then,
finding himself tricked, he turned sud
denly upon one ot hi. retainers and
struck h!m with hla whip.
"Hon of a goat!" ho stormed. "Pig!
Is this the way you obey my orders?"
But though he raved and scolded, he
had gone too far, and there was no
putting the blame on hla servant. In
his desire to humiliate the hated grtn
.
“No, Ssnor," Sold HooKor, Dropping
Hl* Hand to Hl* Six-Shooter.
Roa he had thrown down alt hie guards,
and even l>e Lancay u« all too clear
ly what hi* Intentions in the matter
had been.
• Spare your cursing, Senor Aragon,”
he *aid. “and after this," he added,
“you can save your pretty word*, too
—for somebody elsa We shall re
main here and hold our property.”
“Hal You Atusrtcausl" exclaimed
Aragon, as he chewed bitterly on his
defeat “You will rob us of every
thin*—eren our government So you
are a Mexican dtixen. eh? You must
value thjjf barren nrnie vetj highly to
Author of
-THE FIGHTING FOOB," "HIDDEN WATERS,"
"THE TEXICAN," Etc.
Illustrations by DON J. LAVIN
iCopyright, 1911. by Frank A. Munsey.)
give up the protection of your govern
ment. But perhaps you are acquainted
with a man named Kruger?” he
sneered.
"He would sell his honor any time
to defraud a Mexican of his rights,
and 1 doubt not it was he who sent
you here. Yes, 1 have known It from
the first—but 1 will fool him yet!
"So you are a Mexican citizen, Senor
De Bancey? Bien, then you shall pay
the full price of your citizenship. Be
fore our law you are now no more than
that poor pelado, Mendez. You cannot
appeal now to your consul at Gads
den you are only a Mexicah! Very
well!"
He shrugged his shoulders and
smiled significantly.
“No,” retorted De Bancey angrily;
"you are right I caunot appeal to my
government! But let me tell you some
thing, Senor Mexirano! An American
needs no government to protect him —
he has Ills gun, and that is enough!"
“Yeg,’ added Bud, who had caught
the drift of the last, “and he has bis
friends, too; don't forget that!" He
strode over toward Aragon and men
aced him with a threatening finger.
“If anything happens to my friend,"
lie hissed, "you will have me to whip!
And now, senor," he added, speaking
In the idiom of the country, "go with
God—and do not come hack!”
"Pah!" spat back Aragon, his hate
for the pushing foreigner showing In
every glance; “I will beat you yet!
And I pray God the revoltosos come
this way, 1/ they take the full half of
my cattle —so long as they get you
two!"
"Very well,” nodded Bud as Aragon
and his men turned away, “but be
careful you do not send any!"
"Good!" he continued, smiling grim
ly at the pallid Phil; "now we got him
where we want him —out' In the open.
And I’ll just remember them four pal
sanos he had with him —they’re his
handy men, the boys with nerve—and
don't never let one of 'em catch you
out after dark."
De Bancey sat down on a rock and
wiped his face.
"Heavens, Bnd,” he groaned, “I
never would have believed It of him —
I thought he was on the square. But
It Just goes to prove the old saying—
every Mexican has got a streak of yel
low In him somewhere. All you've
got to do Is to trnst blm long enough
and you'll find It out. Well, we're hep
to Mr. Aragon, all right!”
"I never seen one of the«e potlta,
palavering Mexicans yet.” obnerved
Bud sagely, “that wasn’t crooked. And
this feller Aragon Is mean, to boot
But that's a game,” he added, "that
two can play at. I don't know how you
feel, Phil, but we been kinder creeping
and slipping around so long that I’m
all cramped up Inside. Never suffered
more In my life than the last sixty
days—being polite to that damn Mexi
can. Now It's our turn. Are you
game?"
"Count me Ini* cried De Loncey,
rtstng from his rock. “Whst*s the
play ?"
"Wall, we’ll go Into town prettjr
soon,” grinned Bud, "and If I run
across old Aragon, or any one of them
four bad Mexicans, I'm going to make
a show. And ae tor that big biindie
dog of his- -well, he*e sure going to get
roped and drug If he don't mood
his ways Come on, let's ketch up our
horses and go In for a little *lrael"
*TU go yon!" agreed Phil xrlth en
thusiasm, and half an hour hater, each
on his favorite horse, they were clat
tering down the canyon. At the turn
of the trail, where It swung Into the
Aragon lane. Hud took down hla rope
and smiled In anticipation.
“You (o on ahead.” he Hid, shaking
out his loop, “and Fll try to put ths
catgut on Hrtndle.'’
“Off like a flash I “ answered Do
lance*, and. putting; ths spurs to his
fiery bay, he went dashing down ths
street, scattering chickens »iyt hey*
In all directions. Hehlnd came Hud,
rolling Jovially In his saddle, and as
the dogs rushed out after his pardner
he twirled bis loop onoe and laid It
skilfully across the big brtndle** back.
Hut roping dogs is a difficult task at
beet, and Hud was out of practise. The
sudden blow struck Hrlndle to the
ground and the loop cams away un
filled. The Texan laughed, shifting In
his saddle.
“Coma again!” commented Bud,
leaning sidewise as he colled hit rope,
and as the womenfolk and idlers came
rushing to see what had happened he
turned Copper Bottom In his tracks
and came back tike a streak of tight
“Look (*ut you ugly man's dog!” he
shouted, whirling hie rope as he rode;
and then, amid a chorus of Indignant
protests, he chased the yelping Hrlndle
down the lane and through a hole In
the lance. Then, with no harm dona
he rode beck up the street, smiling
amtahly and looking far mors dogs to
rope.
In the doo of the store stood Ara
gon. pals with fury, hut Bud appeared
not to see him. Hit eywe were turned
rather toward the house where, on ths
edge of the veranda Oracta Aragon
and bur mother stood etarlng at bis
antics
“flood morning to you. ladles!" he
s-illited, taking est his sombrero wtib
fHE AUGUSTA HERALD, AUGUSTA, GA.
'a flourish; "lovely weather, ain't It?”
And with his tongue in his cheek and
a roguish glance at Aragon, who was
struck dumb by this last effrontery, he
went rollicking after his pardner, send
ing back a series of Joyous yips.
“Now that sure does me good,” he
confided to Phil, as they rode down
between cottonwoods and struck Into
the muddy creek. “No sense in It, but
it gets something out of my system
that has kept me from feeling glad.
Did you see me bowing to the ladles?
Some class to that how—no? You
want to look out—l got my eye on that
gal, and I'm sure a hard one to head.
! Onl£ thing is, I wouldn't like the old
man for a father-in-law the way mat
| ters Btand between us now.”
He laughed boisterously at this wit
ticism, and the little Mexican chil
dren, playing among the willows,
crouched and lay quiet like rabbits.
Along the sides of the rocky hills,
where the peons had their mud-and
rock houses, mothers came anxiously
to open doors; and as they Jogged
along up the river the Chinese gar
deners, working In each separate nook
and eddy of the storm-washed creek
bed, stopped grubbing to gaze at them
Inquiringly.
"Wonder what's the matter with
them chinks?" observed Bud, when his
happiness had ceased to effervesce;
' they sit up like a village of prairie
dogs! Whole country seems to be on
the rubber neck. Must be something
doing,”
“That's right,” agreed Phil; "did you
notice how those peons scattered when
I rode down the street? Maybe there's
been some lnsurrectos through. But
say—listen!"
He stopped his horse, and In the
silence a bugle-call came down the
wind from the direction of Fortuna.
“Soldiers!” he said. "Now where
did they come from? I was In Fortuna
day befors yesterday, and —well, look
at that!”
From the point of the hill Just ahead
of them a line of soldiers came Into
view, marching two abreast, with a
mounted officer In the lead..
(To Be Cjutinued Tomorrow.)
Annual Meet of Georgia |
Bar Ass’n on at Tybee
Savannah, Ga. —The annual meeting 1
of the Georgia Bar Association is being
held at Tybee Island. The meeting was
i ailed to order this morning by Robert j
t\ Alston, of Atlanta, the president, i
who read his annual address. It dealt i
with the development of the federal :
constitution. The principal address of !
the meeting is to be delivered by Judge
Alex P. Humphrey, of Louisville, Ky„ j
who will speak upon "The Court of
Terror " He is to deal largely with the
beheading of Marie Antoinette. Raw- 1
yers from all sections of the state are I
present for the purpose of attending
the meeting. A commission on the re
vision of Georgia Judicial system and
procedure will make a report suggest- i
ing many changes in the methods of
holding courts In the state.
NEW KENTUCKY SENATOR.
Washington.—Johnson M. Camden,
Democrat, today took the oath as sen- i
ator from Kentucky, to succeed tho
late Senator W. O. Bradley.
L. L. D. FOR ELIOT.
Providence, R. I.—Brown University
Conferred the degree of doctor of laws !
at its commencement today, upon
Charles W. Eliot, president emeritus of
Harvard University.
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