Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 74, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 March 1915 — Page 3

The Land of Broken Promises

A Stirring Story ~r,t - mm ... « Or cfio iWimoflii Revolution

CHAPTER XXlll—Continued. “Now Hie strikes It!” he announced, mm the rumble turned Into a roar; but Ithe roar grew louder, there waa a crash am the trucks struck a curve, end tb#i a greet metal ore-car swung around the point, rode up high as It hit the tueeraa and. speeding by as if ■hot bom a catapult, swept through (the yard; smashed Into a freight car, wad leaped, car and all, into the creek. ~ "They've sneaked my derailer!” said the roedmaster, starting on a run for the shops. "Whorl go with me to put In another one? Or we’ll loosen a rail m the curve—that’ll call for no more khan a dawbar and a wrench!” "Til go!” volunteered Bud and the ■nan who stood guard, and as startled aba spars roused up an every side and (ran toward the scene of the wreck they dashed down the hill together and (threw a handcar on the track. Then, with what tools they could (get together, and a spare derailer on (the front, they pumped madly up the leanyon, holding their breaths at every icurve for fear of what they might see., if there was one runaway car there Was another, for the rebels were beginning an attack. Already on the ridges above them (they could hear the crack of rifles, and * Jet or two of dust made it evident that they were the mark. But with three strong men at the handles they made the handcar jump. The low hills fled behind them. They rounded a point and the open track lay before (them, with something—- “ Jump!” shouted the roadmaster, land as they tumbled down the bank they beard a crash behind them and their handcar was knocked Into kindling wood. It was a close call for all three men, and there had been but an Instant between them and death, a death by the most approved fighting methods of the revolutionists, methods which kept the fighters out of harm’s way. “Now up to the track!" the roadmaster panted, as the destroyer swept on down the line. “Find tools — well take out a rail!” _ * With frantic eagerness he toiled up the fill and attacked a fish-plate, and Bud and the young guard searched the hillside for tools to help with the work. They fell to with sledge and clawbar, tapping off nuts, jerking out spikes, and heaving to loosen the rail —and then once more that swift-moving something loomed up suddenly on the track. “Up the hill!” commanded the roadmaster, and as they scrambled Into a gulch a wild locomotive, belching fa noke and steam like a fire engine, went rushing past them, struck the loose rail, and leaped Into the creek bed. ▲ moment later, as it crashed Its way down to the water, there was an explosion that shook the hills. They

Every Sign of War But the Dead.

cron chad behind the cot bank, and the bra— above them bowed suddenly to the aleak of an Iron haiL “Dynamite!” aried the road master, |i»lni«bl| Mwmph««Hy |g Inn^rall up after the shook; bad whan the faß of tmgmwita had nsssad. and they had Med as If by Instinct from this place, they streak hands on their narrow escape. Bet back at the Mp bouse, with everybody siring thanks Cor their delivery from the powder train, the mas Ipeaiaat Ha knew the sound. Ha knew that dynamite bad not been rasp rsiafhlv for the era* that smote the • "Tans not dynadhT ha yelled. jfctowwrt up. I Mowed np jtrwn the rldpe had driven them all to paver ha atffl nahad to those who

By DANE COOLIDGE

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would listen and clamored that It was the bran. But there waa scant time to hold a post-mortem on No. 9, for on the summit of a near-by ridge, and overlooking the black tank, the rebels had thrown up a wall In the night, and from the security of this shelter they were industriously shooting up the town. The smash of the first wild car had been their signal for attack, and as the explosion threw the defenders into confusion they made a rush to take the tank. Here, as on the day before, was stationed the federal garrison, a scant twenty or thirty men in charge of a boy'lieutenant. Being practically out of ammunition he did not stand on the order of his going, but as his pelones pelted past the superintendent’s house the reorganized miners, their belts stuffed with cartridges from their own private stock, came charging up from the town and rallied them in the rear. Trained by American leaders they were the only real fighting force to be depended upon unless the Americans themselves should take a hand in the game, and that they could not do without the possibility of serious international consequences, a chance they could not take except as a last resort to save the women and children and themselves. In a solid, shouting mass they swept up the hill together, dropped down behind the defenses, and checked the astounded rebels with a volley. Then there was another long-range battle, with every sign of war but the dead, until at last, as the firing slackened from the lack of cartridges, a white flag showed on the ridge abqve, and the leaders went out for a parley—one of those parleys so characteristic of Mexican revolutions, and which in reality mean so little, for both sides know that the words uttered are meaningless, and should one of them, ever result in a surrender the terms of that surrender would not be regarded, once the victims were in the hands of the victors. Properly speaking, Del Rey was in command of the town, but neither the federals nor the miners would recognize his authority and the leadership went by default. While they waited to hear the rebel demands the Americans took advantage of the truce to bring up hot food from the hotel, where Don Juab de Dios stood heroically at his post. Let bullets come and go, Don Juan kept his cooks about him, and to those who had doubted his valor his coffee was answer enough. “W’y, my gracious, Mr. Hooker," he railed, as Bud refreshed himself between trips, “ain’t you going to take any up to those women? Don’t drink eo much coffee now, but give it to the men who fight!” “Ump-um,” grunted Bud with a grin; “they got a skinful of mescal already! What they need is another carload of ammunition to help ’em shoot their first rebel.”

“I thought you said they wouldn’t fight!” twitted Don Juan. “This is the battle of Fortuna that I was telling you about last week.” - “Sure!” answered Bud, "and over there Is the dead!” He pointed to a riot of mescal bottles that marked the scene of the night’s potations, and Don Juan gave him up as hopeless. “A pile of bottles usually represent the casualty list In a Mexican fight,” added Bud as Don Juan moved away. But, jest as he would, Bud saw that the situation was serious, for the foolhardy Sonorans had already emptied their cartridge-belts, and their guns were no better than clubs. Unless the rebels'had been equally reckless with their ammunition they had the town at their mercy, and the first thing that they would demand would be the refugees In the big house. Before that could be permitted the Americans would probably take a hand In the fight, for, while 'the great majority of the women in the house were Mexican, there were a few Americans, and they would 9 be protected regardless of International complications. But Qracla Aragon was not an American, and she could not claim the protection of these countrymen of Ms. The possession of the town; the arms of the defenders; food, clothing •nd homes to ride—none of these .would satisfy them. They would demand the rich Spanish landowners to be held for ransom, the woman first of aIL And. of all those women huddled up in the ossa grande not one would bring a bigger ransom then Qracia Aragon. Bud pondered upon the outcome as the emissaries wrangled on the hillside, and than he went back to the corral to make sere that bis horse was safe. Copper Bottom, too, might be held for rapeora. But, knowing thp rebels as be did. Hooker foresaw a different fate, and rather than see him besoms the mount of some rebel chieftain he had . determined, tt the town samndared, to took* o dash. by night sunup in the bills by day bo eoold pat to the border In two days. AH he needed was a little jerked beef tor the trip and ho would be ready toranythtap.

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSEJiABR. INP*

So he hurried down to the hotel again and was Just making a sack of food fast to his saddle when he heard a noise behind him and turned to fa«e Aragon. For two days the oncehughry Don Ciprlano had slunk about like a sick cat. but now ho was headed far Grade’* big roan, and the look in his eyes betrayed his purpose. "Where you going?” demanded Hooker In English, and at the gruff challenge the Spaniard stopped In his tracks. The old. hunted look came back into his eyes, he seemed to shrink before the stern gmse of the Texan, and, as the memory of hi* past misdeeds came over him. he turneda* if to flee. But there waa a smile, an amused and tolerant smirk, about the American’s mouth, and even for that look of understanding the harried haciendado seemed to thank him- He was broken now, thrown down from his pedestal of arrogance and conceit, and as Hooker did not offer to shoot him at sight he turned back to him like a lost dog that seeks but a kind word. Bud knew that Aragon was entirely at his mercy, that fear had clutched the once arrogant Spaniard by the throat, and it was v almost worth the anxiety he felt for this man’s daughter to see the father cowed. Aragon

“I’m Going to Get Those Papers!"

crawled closer to Bud as if for the protection he could not get from his own people. “Ah, senor!" he whined, “your pardon! What?” as he sighted the sack of meat—“you are going, too? Ah, my friend’’—his eyes lighted up suddenly at the thought—"let me ride with you! I will pay you—yes, anything—but if Bernardo Bravo takes me he will hang me! He has sworn it!” “Well, you got it coming to you!” answered Hooker ifeartlessly. “But I will pay you well!” pleaded Aragon. "I will pay you—" He paused as if to consider what would tempt him and then suddenly he raised his head. "What is it you wish above everything?” he questioned eagerly. "Your title to the mine—no? Bien! Take me to the line—protect me from my enemies—and the papers are yours!” "Have you got them with you?" inquired Hooker with businesslike directness. "No, but I can get them!" cried Aragon, forgetful of everything but his desire to escape. “I can get them while you saddle my horse!" “Where?” demanded Hooker craftily. “From the agents mineral!" answered Aragon. “I have a great deal of influence with him, and —" "Baatante!" exploded Bud In a voice which made Aragon jump. “Enough! If you can get them, I cap! And we shall see, Senor Aragon, whether this pistol of mine will not give me some Influence, too!” “Then ypu will take them?" faltered Aragon as Hooker started to go. “You will take them and leave me tor Bernardo Bravo to—" "Listen, senor!" exclaimed Hooker, halting and advancing a threatening forefinger. “A man who can hire four men to do his dirty work needs no protection from me. Yon understand that —no? Then listen again. I am going to get those papers. If 1 bear a word from yon I will send yon to join your four men." He touched his gun as he spoke and strode out Into the open, where he beckoned the mineral agent from the crowd. A word In his ear and they went down the hUI together, while Don Ciprlano watched from above. Then, as they turned Into the office, Aragon spat out a curse and went to seek Manuel del Roy. CHAPTER XXIV. ' mlm In a land of clasa privilege and official graft it la often only In timea of anarchy that a poor man can got hi* rights. For eight months Hooker had battled against the petty intrigue of Aragon and the agents mineral, and then suddenly, when the times turned to war and fear gripped at their hearts, he rose np and claimed his own, holding out Us brawny right hand and demanding the concession of his mine. *•' in d day the whirligig of fortune had turned, and It waa the fighting man who dominated. He spoke quietly and made no threats, bet the look In his aye was snoogh, and the aganto gave him his paper*. Than ho wrote out a reoatpt tor the mining toe and Bud •tapped forth Uhe a kta*

With Us papers inside his shirt and a belt of gold arouatl his waist there warn nothing left in Mexico for him. Once on his horse and headed tor the line and he could laugh at than allin Gadsden he could show title to Kruger, he could give answer for his trust and look the world in the eye. It had befn a long and strenuous fight; a fight made against-seemingly Insurmountable odds; a fight that had cost him much, hut ha had won. Ho had proved the trust Kruger had placed In him, and it had been a fight worth winning. Yes, ho waa a man now—but bis work waa not quite done. Up at the big house, with the screeching women around her, was Gracia Aragon, and he owed her something for his rough words. To pay her for that he would stay. Whatever aha asked now ha would grant it; and If worst came to wont he would take her with him and make good hie promise to PhlL He had given his word and that waa enough. Now he had only to wait It would not be long, for toe parley would soon be over, and if the cowardly rurales surrendered the town to the bandits he would make a break for the line and civilisation with the girL It would be a hard ride, and alone he would have no fear of the results, hut he would chance it even with the girl rather than leave her. The boy lieutenant, the brothers Mendoza, the superintendent, and Manuel del Rey, all were out on the hillside talking terms with Bernardo Bravo and his chiefs. With the rebels it was largely a bluff, since fieldglasses had shown them to be short of cartridges; but they had over a thousand men massed along the ridges and, with courage, could easily take the town.

Bud knew that courage was the one thing lacking. It was the one thing that was always lacking in these Mexican fights. The Mexican bandit takes but little chance when he goes to war. As for the Mendozas and their Sonoran miners, they were properly chagrined at their waste of ammunition and swore by Santa Guadalupe to fight it out with hand grenades. Evdn as their leaders wrangled the Mexican powder men were busily manufacturing bombs, and all the while the superintendent was glancing to the south, |or swift couriers had been sent to Alvarez, the doughty Spanish haciendado of the hot country, to beg him to come to their relief. Twice before Alvarez had met the rebels. The first time he spoke them well and they ran off all his horses. The second time he armed his Yaquls and Yaqui Mayo rancheros against them and drove them from his domain, inflicting a sanguinary punishment. Since then he had been itching to engage them in a pitched battle, and when the word reached him be wbuld come. Two hundred and forty Yaquls, all armed with repeating rifles, would follow at his back, and even with his boasted thousands Bernardo Bravo could hardly withstand their valor. So, while the rebels parleyed, demanding a ransom of millions and threatening to destroy the town, the defenders argued and reasoned with them, hoping to kill the time until Alvarez should arrive. In the open space in front of the house the refugees gathered in an anxious group, waiting for messengers from the front, and as Hooker walked among them he wqs aware of the malignant glances of Aragon. There were other glances as well, for he had won great favor with thb ladies by ditching the powder train, but none from Gracia or her mother. Bud would not have admitted that he resented this lack of appreciation on the part of Gracia. In fact he hardly knew that he did resent it, but he watched anxiously for any sign of approval from this girl who was to be his pardner’s bride should he conduct her safely to the border. From the beginning the Senora Aragon had treated him as a stranger, according to the code of her class, and Hooker had never attempted to tor

ONE PHASE OF MARRIED LIFE

Seeming Unhapptnees Most Probably Due to Lack of Something to , Talk About. ■ _,;x \ It Is the eternal tete-a-tete of mar* rtod life that moat critics of that bliseful condition, find fault with. From it spring boredom and dull, sodden silence, assort these cynics. Therefore, a hint for escaping this one depressing quality of marriage should base our host attention. To illustrate, you will see It frequently on the trolley, when a man and his wife are sitting side by side—it Is almost perpetual silence. They hare nothing-to say to one another. Perhaps the wife will emit a cheerful peep, but the husband will respond with a n<sd of the head or a hesitating yes or no. It is most always that way. No common interest observed. In fact, it looks as If they are mad at one another; as If they were bored. A young mtn or woman looking on the couple would he apt to say: “O. yon married life.Bpt they are not mad. Let some «*i*rm4fig lady aegonintaace come In •adrit down by the haabaadandhe hi

trod* But n Grade stfll NnnbM* that she «u aa American girl at heart, •he forgot to show It to him. To all she was now the proud Spanish lady, thrown with the common people by the stress of circumstances, bat far away from them In her thoughts. The conference between the lenders dragged on sad messengers came and went with the news—then, after hours at debate, it broke up suddenly In a row and the emissaries came beck on the ran. Even at that they narrowly escaped, tor the rebels opened lire upon them from the ridges, and bstors they could get back to cover the dandy. Manuel del Key, received a bullet hole through the crown of his hat A grim smile flickered screes Bud's face as he saw the damage It had wrought, tor he knew that Amigo waa in the hills—and a bullet shot down hill goes high! Some trace of what was In bis mind must hare come to Del Rey as he halted In the shelter of the house, tor he regarded the American sternly as Aragon spoke rapidly in his ear. But If they planned vengeance between them the times were not right, tor a rattle of arms came from the lower town and the captain was up and away to marshal his men to the defense. So far In the siege Del Rey had kept under cover, patrolling the streets and plaza and letting the volunteers fight, but now the .war had shifted to his territory and his rarales were running like mad. For, treachery against deceit, the rebel leaders had sent men around to slip up near the town and at the first fusillade from the hillside they came charging np the creek. Then it was that the ever-watchful rurales proved their worth. As the rebels appeared in the open they ran to the outlying houses and, fighting from the flat roofs, checked the advance until the miners could come to their aid. But in the confusion another party of rebels had rushed down the gulch from the west, and while the fight was going on in the lower town they found lodgment in a big adobe house. And now for the first time there was fighting in earnest —the house-to-house fighting that is seen at its worst In Mexico. While women- screamed in the casa grande and the Americans paced to and fro on the hill, the boom of a dynamite bomb marked the beginning of hand-to-hand. If there was to be a casualty list In this long-looked for battle of Fortuna, the time was at hand when they could begin counting the dead. With a fearleseness born of long famlliarity with explosives the Sonoran miners advanced valiantly with their hand grenades—baking powder cans filled with dynamite and studded with fulminating caps. Digging fiercely through wall after wall they approached un perceived by the enemy and the first bomb, flung from a roof, filled the adobe with wounded and dead. A dense pall of yellowish smoke rose high above the town and, as bomb after bomb was exploded and the yells of the miners grew louder with each success, the stunned Invaders broke from cover and rushed helter-skelter up the gulch. Then there was a prodigious shouting from the Sonorans and more than one triumphant grenadier swung his can of giant powder by the sling and let it smash against the hill in a terrific detonation. In the big house all was confusion. Soon the cheers of the defenders herald ’ victory and, In spite of all efforts to restrain them, the wives of the miners rushed into the open to gass upon the triumph of their menfolk. On the hilltops the Ineffective rebel riflemen rose up from behind their stone wall to stare, until suddenly they, too, were seized with a panic and ran to and fro like ants. Then, around the curve below the concentrator, a tall man came dashing up on a port white horse, and behind him, charging as he charged, came the swarthy Tar quls of Alvarez, their new rifles gleaming in the sun. (TO BE CONTINUED.)

all smiles and has plenty to aay. Then he is a cordial companion. He is a changed man. And the same it would be with the woman. Now, don’t misinterpret the scene. When that man and wife get back home they drop their trolley manners and act sensibly and lovingly again. Mad—he would Just as likely be mad at the evening star or a bush full of rosea. But you wouldn’t think it on the trolley.—Now York Tribuna. »

Pouring Houses to Be Great Sport.

Pooling booses, not pouring tea. Is going to be the great sport of worn* en’s clubs in the next decade, according tq Mrs. Isa Hand Ilsen, lecturer and only woman representative of Thomas Al Edison. And a pleasant time the guests are going to have,** she said. “All they'll have to do la sit and watch a porch drip oat here, a geegaw decoration there, or criticise the else of the refrigerator or the fanny little window In the den. It won’t take more than an hour." Mrs. Ilsen if proud of the fact that she is tb* only woman representative of the “Wizard." She admits there are 6,000 men who get for hirfc hot that does not diminish her

[?]IS LUCKY HUMBER

By MARY GARLAND KNIGHT.

(Copyright IMS. by W. O. Chapman.) When the nncle of Willie Templeton died leaving ten thousand dollars “to his beloved nephew,** the latter felt like the richest man in the world. He did not start out on a mad spendthrift riot That was not hie natural pace. He had missed real home life since his parents died two months previously. Young Templeton quietly set out to find a wife. He was not after style, money or position. Some sweet humble little woman who could appreciate a comfortable home was his ideal. “There seems to be none such in Eladene,” he decided, after every, for-tune-hunting girl in the county had set her cap at him. “Business is what yon want to think of, old boy,” declared his lawyer, a young man who was really loyal to his Interests. WBlis considered many business propositions. Then came a wonderful chance to increase his few thousands to a million, according to Vance Trafton. This latter was a cousin. He had been a scapegrace in his youth. Later Willis had heard he had figured as promoter and speculator. He had appeared at Elsdene about a month after his succession to the fortune. Willis had been pestered to death with mean, Indigent and really deserving relatives. He had more or less got rid of most of them according to their deserts. When Trafton appeared, it was an enjoyable relief to Willis to find someone who was not scheming to beg or borrow of him. “I'm north closing a big deal,” reported the fashionably dressed relative who bore all the earmarks of permanent prosperity. "Went to Florida ten years ago, bought one thousand acres of swamp land at two dollars an acre. We’ve sold it all out at twenty and I’m trying to buy a tract from a man In the city. You’d ought to see how we’ve made the wilderness blossom as the rose. Think of it — ninety thousand pineapples this year’s crop, some of them weighing as much as nine pounds. Juicy, mellow— I want yon to come back with me and see a real climate, Willis.” By degrees the wily, specious Trafton worked on Willis until the latter was actually anxious to buy an interest in the wonderful proposition. It was finally agreed that he should Invest eight thousand dollars for a onefourth share In the new land about to be opened up. "I’ll go to the city and arrange to get the deeds for the land,” announced Trafton. “In the meantime I’ll have a choice half dozen of our pineapples shipped to you, Just to show you what magnificent fruit we raise.” In a day or two along came a crate directed to Willis. As he opened it, wrapped in tissue paper were half a dozen pineapples. Certainly they were superior and standard. More than ever In love with the proposition, the elated Willis was about to hasten to distribute the luscious fruit among his friends and possibly influence other investors to go Into the enterprise, when he noticed a neat-looking card 1 In the bottom of the crate. Beside It lay an unstamped letter. It wqs simply directed to "Miss Landon.” The card read: “Acme Fruit Co.” and gave an address In the city. At one end wai the written notation: “Packed by No. 42.”, "It doesn’t square up right,” decided Willis, and straightway started for the city. He fonnd out where the fruit company named had Its warehouse. It was a busy place devoted to the specialty of packing fine tropical fruits. Willis saw the manager. He was soon convinced that the crate of pineapples had been shipped to him on a casual order two days before. “They came from Florida?” inquired Willis. “Oh, no. We get all oiir primes from Central 'America,” was the amazing declaration. And who was No. 42? Ah, yes—one of their fruit packers, Miss Landon by name. Could she be seen? —for Willis had opened the letter to find that it contained an offer of marriage from one “Richard Martin.” Miss Landon was not at work. Address —yes, such and such a number on a certain street Thither Willis proceeded. , A good-natured old lady waa In. charge. She invited Willis In, saying that Miss Landon would soon be home. Certainly the refined homelike air of the delightful little fiat was soothing. Willis lingered. Miss Landon arrived. Bluntly he told her the whole story. He handed her th«T letter. He was sorry, as her bright gentle face grew upon him, that she had a lover. “Oh, dear!” she cried, as she received the missive. "I’ve wondered where? I ever lost it It most have fallen from my pocket into the crate. J am glad to get it A friend of my sister, a gentleman friend, asked me to give it to her. Now I can straighten np a tangle.” Then she, Lucia Landon, as Willis soon found out her name to be, waa heart free! Somehow the discovery pleased him. “She Is the girl I have been looking tor," he told the old lady friend of Lucia one day. “Why don’t you tell her that?*’ “I will,” resolved Willis. He did.'