The Augusta herald. (Augusta, Ga.) 1914-current, June 27, 1914, Home Edition, Page FIVE, Image 5

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SATURDAY. JUNE 27. . The Land of Broken Promises A Stirring Story of the Mexican Revolution A etory of border Mexico, vivid, Intense, such as has never before been written, Is this one of Ameri can adventurers Into the land of manana. Texan, mining engineer, Spanish senor and senorita, peon, Indian, crowd Its chapters with cleawcut 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. (Continued from Wednesday.) Bat she waa not his girl and, gazing hack grimly at the seething plaza and the hotel that hkl her from sight, he rode somberly down the road. After all, there was nothing to get excited •boot—every reroltoso in the country was lined up around Agua Negrn and, with four hundred soldiers to oppose them and artillery to shell their ad vance, it would be many a long day be fore they took that town. Twice already Agua Negra had fallen before such attacks, but now It iwae protected by rifle-pits and mar chine guns eat high on mod roots. And then there were the Yaquie, still faith ful to Madeoo. They alone could hold the town. If they made np their minds to fight. So reasoned Hooker, malting power the news that he bed beard. But he watrhwd the ridges warily, tor the -weather was good for raiders. ' A day passed, and then another, and the Mg whistle blew only for the rfdTbii (he lonehms of the hltls op pressed him as he gaced out at the quivering beat. And then, like a toad *ftw a shower. Amigo came paddling into camp on the heels of a thunder storm. Ms sandals hung an his Up and hie Mg Dm* aqmdnMng through the mod. Amo— his shoulders he wore a gay aenpe, woven by some patient woman of his tribe; and in the belt beside Bodh pistol he canted a heavy knife, blactomlthed from a ten-inch file by some Yaqui hi liman. All In all, he was a line barbarian, bvt he looked good to the lonely Bud. “Ola, Amigo!” he hailed, stepping out from the adobe house where he had moved to avoid the rains; and Amigo answered with his honest smite which carried no hint of savagery or deceit Try as he would. Bad could not bring himself to think of his Yaqui as dangerous; and even when he bal anced the Indian’s murderous bowie knife in his hands he regarded It with a grin. It was a heavy weapon, broad across the beak, keen on one edge, and drawn to a point that was both sharp and strong. The bast was wrapped with rawMfle to bold the clutch of the hand. "What do you do wfth this?” queried Hooker. “Chop wood? Skin deer?" “Tee, chop wood I ” answered Amigo, but he replaced It carefully in his belt He looked the adobe house over thoughtfully, listened long to the news of the border and of the rurates’ raid on their camp, and retired to the rocks for the night. Even Bud newer knew where he slept—somewhere up on the hillside—ln caves or clefts In the rooks—and not even the most pressing invitation could make him share the house for a night. To Amigo, as to an animal, a house was a trap; and he knew that the times were treacherous. So indeed they were, aa Hooker waa to learn to his sorrow, and but for the Taqnt and his murderous knife he ■night easily have learned it too late. It waa evening, after a ralnte— day, and Bud was cooking by the open fire, when suddenly Amigo vanished and four man rode In from above. They were armed with rifles, aa befitted the times, but gave no signs of ruffianly bravado, and after a few words Bud In vited them to get down and eat "Muchas graclaa. senor,” said the leader, dismounting and laying his rifle against a log, “we are not hungry." “Then have some coffee,’' invited Hooker, who made it e point to feed every one who stopped, regardless of thetr merit; and once more the Mexi can declined. At this Bud looked at him sharply, for hie refusal did not augur well, and It struck him the man’s face waa familiar. He war tall for a Mexican and heavily built, but with a rather sinister oast of counte nance. “Where have I seen you before?" naked Bod, after trying In vain to place him. “In Fortune ?” “No, senor,” answered the Mexican politely. **l have never been In that city. Is It far?” “Ten miles by tbe trail,” r—ponded Hooker, by no means reassured, and under pretext of Inviting tbem to sat, he took a look at tbe other men. If they had not stopped to eat, what then was their errand while the sun was sinking so low? And why this -Sullen refusal of tbe ootlee which every kfexican drinks? Bud stepped Into the house, as If on aome errand, and watched them un teeg the interior. Seeing them exchange glances then, he leaned his rifle Just inside the door and went about his cooking. It was one of the chances he took, living out in the brush, but he had come to know this low-browed type of semi-bandit all too well and had small respect for their courage. In case of trouble Amigo was close by in the rocks somewhere, probably with his gun in his hand —but with a little pa tience and circumspection the unwel come visitors would doubtless move on. So he thought, but instead they lin gered, and when eupper was cooked he decided to go to a show-down —and if they again refused to eat he would send them on their way. “Ven amigos," he said, spreading out the tin plates for them. “Come and eat!” The three low-brows glared at their leader, who had done what little talk ing there was so far, and, seized with a sudden animation, he immediately rose to his feet “ Many thanks, senor,” he said with a cringing and specious politeness. “We have come far and the trail is long, bo we will eat. The times are hard for poor men now—this traitor, Madero, has made us ail hungry. It is by him that we poor working men are driven to insurrection—but we know that the Americans are our friends. Yes, senor, I will take some of your beans, and thank you.” He filled a plate as he spoke and lifted a biscuit from the oven, con tinuing with hie false patter while the others fell to in silence. “Perhaps you have heard, senor," he went on, “the saying which is in the land: Muoho trabajo, paco dlnero; no hay frUoles, viva Madero! [Much work, little money; no beans, long live Madero!] “That, in truth, 1b no Jest to the Mexican people. This man has be trayed us all; he has ruined the coun try and set brother against brother. And npw, while we starve because the mines are shut doWn, he gathers his family about him in the city and lives fat on the money he has stolon.” He ran on in this style, after the fashion of the revottosos, and by the very commonplace of Ms fulminations Bud was thrown completely off his guard. That was the way they all talked, these worthless bandft-beggare —that and telling how they loved the Amactoaaos —and then, if they got a chance, they would stick a knife in your hack. He listened to the big man with a polite toleration, being careful not to torn Ms back, and ate a few bites as he waited, but though it was coming dusk tbe Mexicans were in no hurry to depart. Perhaps they hoped to stop for the night and get him in his sleep. Still they lingered on, the leader sit ting on a log and continuing his harangue. Then, In the middle of a sentence, and while Bud was bending over the fire, the Mexican stopped short and leaned to one side. A tense silence fell, and Hooker was waked from hts trance by the warning click of a gun lock. Suddenly his mind came back to Ms guests, and he duoked like a flash, but even as he went down he heard the hammer clack! The gun had snapped! Instantly Hooker's hand leaped to his pistol and he fired from the hip polntblank at the would-be murderer. With a yell to the others, one of the Mexican* sprang on him from behind and tried to hear him down. They struggled for a moment while Bud shot blindly with his pistol and went down fighting. Bud was a giant compared to the stunted Mexicans, and be threw them about like dogs that hang on to a bear. With a man in each hand he rose to his feet, crushing them down beneath him; then, in despair of shaking off his rider, he staggered a few steps and hurled himself over backward Into the fire. A yell of agony followed their fall and. as the live coele bit through the Mexican's thin shirt, he fought like a cat to get free. Rocks, pots and ket» ties were kicked In every direction, and when Hooker leaped to his feet the Mexican scrambled up and rushed madly for the creek. But, though Bud was free, tbe bat tle had turned'against him, tor in the brief Interval of his fight the other two Mexicans had run for their guns. Tile Instant be rose they covered him. Their chief, who by some miracle had escaped Bud's shot, gave a shout for tbem to halt. Cheated of his victim at the first ha waa claiming the right to kilL As Hooker stood blinded by the smoke and asbea the fellow took de liberate aim— and once more his rifle snapped. Then, as the other Mexi cans stood agape, surprised at the faliura of tbe shot, the cannonlika whang of a Mauser rent the air and the leader crumpled down in a heap. An instant later a shrill yell rose from up the canyon and. as the two Mexicans started and stared. Amigo came dashing in upon them, a spitting pistol In one band and bis terrible "Wood-chopping” knife brandished Author of “THE FIGHTING FOOL,” “HIDDEN WATERS,” “THE TEXICAN,” Etc. Illustrations by DON J. LAVIN (Copyright, 1914. by Frank A. Munsey.) high in fne other. ~ In the dusk his eyes and teeth gleamed white, hie black hair seemed to bristle with fury, and the glint of his long knife made a light as he vaulted over the last rock and went plunging on their track. For, at the first glance at this huge, pursuing fig ure, the two Mexicans had turned and bolted like rabbits, and now, as the Yaqui whirled in after them, Bud could hear them squealing and scrambling as he hunted them down among the rocks. It was grim work, too, even for his stomach, but Hooker let the Indian fol low his nature. When Amigo came back from his hunting there was no need to ask questions. His eyes shone so terribly that Hooker said nothing, but set about cleaning up camp. After he had washed the from his eyes, and when the fury had van ished from Amigo’s face, they -went aa by common consent and gazed at the body of the chief of the desperadoes. Even in death his face seemed strange ly familial-; but as Hooker stood gaz ing at him the Yaqui picked np his gun. “Look!” he said, and pointed to a bullet-splash where, as the Mexican held the gun across his breast, Bud’B pistol shot had flattened harmlessly against the look. It was that which had saved the Mexican chief from in- Btant death, and the Jar of the shot had doubtless broken the rifle and saved Bud, in turn, from the second shot. All this was in the Yaqui’s eye as ho carefully tested the action; but, when he threw down the lever, a cartridge rose up from tbe magazine and glided smoothly into the breech. With a rifle fun of cartridges the ignorant Mexican had been snapping on an empty cham ber, not knowing enough to jack up a shell! For a moment Amigo stared at the gnn and the man, and hie mouth drew down with contempt. “Ha! Pendejo!” he grunted, and kicked the corpse with his foot. Threw Them About Like Doga That Hang Onto a Bear. But if the Mexican had been a fool, he had paid the price, for the second time he snapped his gun Amico had shot him through and through. CHAPTER XX. In a country where witnesses to a crime are imprisoned along with the principals and kept more or less in definitely in Jail, a man thinks twice before he reports to the police. With four dead Mexicans to the Yaqul’s account, and Del Rey in charge of the district, Hooker followed his second thought—he said nothing, and took his chances on being arrest ed for murder. Until far into the night Amigo busied himself along the hill side, and when the sun rose not a sign remained to tell the story of the fight. Men, horses, saddles and guns—all had disappeared. And, after packing a little food in a sack, Amigo disap peared also, with a grim smile in prom ise of return. The sun rose round and hot, the Bame as usual; the south wind came up and blew into a bellying mass of clouds, jvblch lashed back with the ac customed rain; and when all the earth was washed clean and fresh the last trace of the struggle was gone. Only by the burns on his hands was Hooker aware of the fight and of the treachery which had reared its head against him like a snake which has been warmed and fed. Nowhere but in Mexico, whefe the low pelado classes have made such deeds a subtlety, could the man be found to dissimulate like that false assassin-in-chlef. To pause suddenly in a protracted speech, swing over and pick up a gun, and halt his victim for the shooting by tho preparatory THE AUGUSTA HERALD, AUGUSTA, GA. ■By DANE COOLIDGE of the lock-—Uiat Indeed caTled for a brand of cunning rarely found in the United States. There was one thing about the affair that vaguely haunted Hooker—why was it. that a man so cunning as that had failed to load his gun? Twice, and with everything in his favor, he had raised his rifle to fire; and both times it had snapped in his hands. Certainly he must have been inept at arms —or accustomed to single-shot guns. The reputed magic of the swift-fir ing rifles evidently had been his undo ing, but where had he got his new gun? And who was he, anyway? With those two baffling questions Bud wres tled as he sat beside his door, and at evening hie answer came. (To Be Cj.itiiiued Tomorrow.) use herald" want ads il /V, u , TnHU TUI , A fin ATS EASYIf CHEF THAT WAS A GREAT ' P H h J .* H pJr S WE WILL / Dish would You kindly , S Consult me( lEU.MT wirE how IT.S S (cooked? V- (sUSi) \ l COOK, IT WE COULD * L ’ S—n .... ' First YquTake six raw ecqs-a quart of onr prepares \ rice-4 PJQS ears 3 DoZ£N SHoeSTKincs NFVsI DISH ( ) 4 LBS OF TRW-STIR SOFTD/ Tilt IT y »HE INfcVsj DISH v j j ( HoW Do You ) i < 7chm! n Ujk f Aw6IJMNCiL IT ' r ( STORY OF A CONVICT’S LOYAL WIFE In the July American Magazine appears another “Boston Bluckin” story told by Numbe 6606, at present a convict in a western penitentiary, in the course of his story he tells, as follows, about “Three-Fingered” Mac who was sent up for fifteen years. After nine years he was let out be cause his conduct in prison had been good. All that time ‘'Three-Finger ed'' Mac’s wife remained loyal to him. The story goes on as follows: “ ‘Fifteen years is what they gave him. It was a bank safe job. Fifteen years! That's nine years, five months solid, allowing for good conduct “cop per.” A Judge can say fifteen in a fraction of a second, hut it's a long, long stretch when you have to do it — one day at a time. “ ‘Mac haw a woman, loyal and true as steel, who did his jolt, too, on the outside —one day at a time. That's the worst of this rotten business. Our women have to do our time tHe same as we do, if they’re worth while, which Mae’s wife was. Almost all the money he’d laid away went to his "mouthpieces” (lawyers) at the trial, so she opened a little millinery shop and took care of herself and the kid while Mav was “buried.” She wrote every week and never missed a visit ing dny in nil of those long years. “Well at last he got his lime in and they turned him out «.t the gate to start life with a five-dollar gold piece and a “con” suit. I ran across them on the train to the city—Mac, his wife, and a long-legged boy who had been an infant when Mac went across. I was looking for a man to SUCH IS LIFE fill in my "mob” just then, and felt him out. He shoik his head. “' “Blackie,’’ he said, “I’m done. 1 haven’t lost my nerve and you know I’ve always been ‘right.’ But look at that little woman there. She’s wait ed and worked for me for nine years and five months. She's saved enough to buy us a little chicken ranch and I'm going in for the simple life, with her and the boy to hold me straight when I get. restless for the old, ex citing days.” ’ ” HOW TO BECOME A NAGGING WIFE in the July American Magazine a man who has been married for twen ty-five years contributes “A Hus band's Story,” in which he describes, as follows, a period in which his wife nagged him: "In her nervous condition she com menced to take extreme dislike to my friends and to demand JJiat I give them up. 1 had made friends in the city, ninny of whom I enjoyed, who broadened my views and gave mu ideas that were useful. During that (Period, if I mentioned the fact that someone was my friend my wife in stantly was prejudiced against that person. As a result I ceased to In vito friends to our apartment; but. many of them asked us to attend lit tle affairs. Several time I had half accepted such invitations, and when my wife refused to go I was com pelled to withdraw the acceptance. Soon we found ourselves cut off from any social Intercourse and closer and closer drawn within our own circle — which consisted of four persons, in cluding the cook. All the while my wife maintained that I was out "hav By T. E. POWERS ing a good time’ at sny work, while she had to remain at home with the baby. “To avaid wrangling I assumed an apologetic manner, pretending to admit a degree of guilt iistead of contradicting her. I strove to calm and soothe her by admitting that she was in the righa, even when she was mosit wrong. Thi3 proved perhaps my most serious blunder. One friend, a doctor specializing in nervous trou bles, seriously advised me to rebuke hor sharply and to make her under stand. I dreaded giving her the pain I knew such a course would cause. It would have been better to do it then, for she began to consider me weak because I yielded to her, and to take advantage of this supposed, or perhaps real, weakness. So the habit of complaining and of adopting an accusing manner toward me grew upon her unconsciously. “I always could divert the argu ment by reverting to two sjubjects: the baity ami the home we were to have. We always agreed upon these things. I did not. realize then that they were the only two things in which she really was interested, and that the proper way to have averted most of the trouble was to get her in terested in more things. She was rebelling, unconsciously, against the narrowness of her life, and resented my broader life in business.” SUMMER PROBLEMS. ’What aro the women of the family discussing yonder so gaily?” ‘What they are going to wear.” "And tlie men of the family, what ars they discussing so earnestly?” ”lfow they are going to pay for It.” SHOULD HAVE SOME. “Alcohol Is said to have a certain amount of food value.” “How about chewing tobacco?” FIVE