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Show H WebsterMan's Man 111 By PETER B. KYNE UH Author of "Cappy Ricks," "The Valley tJf the Giants," Etc. Hrelll Copyright by Peter D. Kyne flf Si CHAPTER XIV Continued. ngnf f- 10 Hl Don Juan's Hlbomlnn blood thrilled ; flf IS Iio cast about for a weapon In this fljaffi emergency, and his glnnqo rested on Mb no bocIy ot tho dead 0(llcor bcfllde the UnM KRt0, To PsseM himself of tho lat- 91 U tcrs llcnvJ' "cut-and-thrust" sword EM was the work ot Bcconds, and with Etlff oyD, B00tl wlH Don Junn tnunchect umn fclrosclf Into the heart of tho scrim- BgH mage. Ho had n hazy Impression that wa 8tr'k'nK ' stabbing, that oth- H era were striking and stabbing nt hint, Bill iat mcn crowlcd nnu breathed .and Yf Sfl pressed and swore and grunted around flf Bl Mm, that tho fighting-room was no fllaM ' better than It might hnvo been, but HIV was rapidly Improving. Then thd gory HIS fog lifted, and Doctor Fachcco had KHE Don Juan by tho hand ; they stood to Ml gather In tho arsenal entrance, and til 8 1"" Uoctor was explaining to tho HIS war-mad Don Junn that all was over H8l mr ns "' arscnal wn con Htll eemed tho Biirvlvors of the garrison HII haying surrendered that now, having HI 9 the opportunity, he, Doctor l'nchcco, HAM desired to thank Don Juan Cafctero Hi H r ,ils "fc" r)on Junn loolc' nt lim Hjflfl amnredly, r ho hadn't tho slightest Bfl) Idcu what tho Doctor was talking BjfljA about. Ho spat, gazed around at tho HVfl Htter of corpses on tho arscnal lawn, fl'Hjjf and nodded his red head approvingly. Bfljl Im an Incredibly short spaco of VI tlmo tho news that tho arsenal had HI been captured nnd that Sarros was II besieged In tho palaco spread through III tho city. Tho sight of tho red linn- III nor of revolution floating over tho nr- flu cn"' 'or tnu nr8t tlnie ln fift,'cn yonrs IBM brought hundreds of willing recruits to HI ttio rebel ranks, ns Klcnnlo Itucy had HI anticipated; these wcro quickly sup- BBV piled with arms nnd ammunition; by J ten o'clock a battalion had been HHV firmed nnd went off, together with tho Hjfljj, machine gun company, to connect with j tho San Ilruno contingent ndvnnclng HBV from tho south to turn tho flank of Hjfljj tho government troops, whllo tho Hjfljj equipping of nn nddltlonnt battalion H. proceecded within tho arsenal. As Hjfljj' fast us thn now levies were armed, Hjfljj iey were hurried off to re-enforco the J handful of white men who had, after HBm clcnrlngtlio arsenal, advanced on tho HbV' palaco and now, with mnchlno guns J from tho arsenal commanding all nvo- fljflj Hues of escape from tho trap wherein Hnf Sarros found hlmsolf, wcro calmly 9 awaiting developments, merely keeping HjH an eyo open for snipers. ' iano o'clock Don Juan Cnfot.oro who ln tho absence of closc-raugo fighting hnd elected himself ordnanco sergeant passed out tho Inst rlflo nud ammunition. ammuni-tion. Ho was red with slaughter, slippery with gun-grene, dripping with perspiration, and filthy with dust and dirt. "llogorrn," ho doclarcd, "a cow Id bottlo nv beer would go fine now," Then, recalling his limitations, bo sighed and put tho thought from Xlm. It rovlved In him, however, for tho first time Blnco ho 'had loft the steamer, a memory ot John 8tuort Webster, and his promise to tho lot tr to report on tho progress of tho war. 8o Don Juan sought Doctor Fachpco In his headquarters and learned that a signal-man, heliograph-tee heliograph-tee from tho rqof of tho arsenal, had keen In communication -with General Racy, who reported tho situation well ta band, with no doubt ot an over-whelming over-whelming victory beforo tho day should be over. This nnd sundry other bits of Information Dan Junn gloane3 and then deserted tho Sobrontcnn revolutionary rev-olutionary nnny qulto ns casually ns ho had Joined It, to make his precarious precari-ous way down tho Cullo San llosarlo to the bay. ' CHAPTER XV, Throughout tho forenoon Wobstcr and Dolores, from tho deck of tho atwiinurj watched the city. By ten o'clock tho sounds of battlo h'nd swell- ed to n deeper, steadier roar, and refugees arriving brought various and fragmentary stories of tho fighting. Frpm this hodge-podse of misinformation, misinforma-tion, however, Webster decided that lllcnrdo's troops wero forcing tho issue is-sue -with vim nnd determination, nnd Blnco tho most furious fighting was now well In toward the heart of tho city, It seemed reasonable to presume tho struggle was for possession of tho I t arsenal nnd palace. F ' At noon the deep diapason of con fix lct began ji slacken; by ono o'clock ! It lind dwindled considerably, and nt two o'clock Webster, gnzlng anxiously cityward, olserved liber's launch coining rapidly out from shore. At tho wheel stood Don Junn Cafetcro; as the launch shot In under tho vessel's ves-sel's &lde he looked up, searching for Webster's face anions tho curious llirong that lined tho rnll. T "Who. has won?" a voice calleuYnnd another evidently n humorist nnd a jshrowd Judge of human nature, re plled "Why ask foolish questions? , Tbe rebels, of course. That fellow's i Irish and tho Irish nro born rebels. i 'look t the scoundrel. Ho block i nrttb lgun greaso and burncU powder It' whcre be isn't red with blood, Tho ft(w butcher l" fl Tnugh-n-bnllagh l" he shrieked. -We've got the dlvlls corm-red now. yn'ii ki, nvr two hours litm-a, LaaaaHaHHHa JTii latfiTiT i 'i . Don Junn tied up tho launch at the gangway and leaped up tho ladder, lad-der, threo steps at a tlmo. "Glory bo to God," ho panted nnd hurled himself him-self Into Webster's arms. "I wns ln ttl I was. I got back In tlmo to catch" up wit' tho lads nt tho wnrchQUso an' they wcro tho flno, flghtln' devils, I'll gamble you. Och, 'twas a grrand bit av n fight whilst it lasted. They put mo ln tho motor-thruck, loadln' tho belts wit' cn'trldgcB as fast as tho gunners emptied tblm, but faith they couldn't keep mo thore. I got Into tho heart nv the scrlmmngo In tho yard av tho arsenal nri' faith 'twas well for that little Docthor Pacheco I did. 'Twos wurrk to mo llkln'. I'd a machete" ma-chete" "You. bloodthirsty scoundrel I" Webster Web-ster shook tho wnr-mnd son of Erin. "I told you not to mix In It, but to hang around on the fringe of the fight, Launched Hlmielf Into the Heart of the Scrimmage. and bring us early nows. Supposo you'd been, killed? Who wenld have como for us then? Didn't I tell you wo hnd n dinner engagement lu tho palaco?" "Mo on tho fringes nv a fight?" sputtered Don Junn, nmazed and outraged. out-raged. "Take shamo for yorself, sot. 'Thero was nlver tho llkos nv mo hung around tho fringes nv a fight, an' woll ye know It." "I'm nmnzed that you oven remembered remem-bered your Instructions," Webster rasped at him. "Sure, our division had cl'ancd up nicely nn' I had nothln' clso to do, God bless yo. They were bcslegln' tho pnlaca whin I left, on' small chnhco av takln' It for n couplo nv hours; what flghtln' thero wns on tho outsldo wns streot shootln' nn' not to mo llkln'." "Is It qulto safe to bring Miss Itucy ashore, John?" "'TIh safo enough nt the notel Mateo. Ma-teo. Wtf novo tho city for hnlf a mile bcynnt, in the rear nv them on thcy'ro not flghtln' to get to the bay. Tho guards an' Bomo nv tho Fifteenth lufnnthry reglmlnt nro In tho palaco an' tho cunrtel closo by, an' thlm that wo failed to get In tho nrscnal hnvo J'lncd thlm.. Hut tho bulk nv tho gnrros urmy. Is thryln' to brenk t'rough to tho south an' west, to get to tho hills. D'yo mind tho spur thrnck tbnt runs In a semt-clrclo around tho city? Well, thin, tho rebels reb-els nro bchlnt tho cmbankmlnt, takln' It nlsy. Hnvo no worry, aor. Whin wo'vo took tho palaco wo'll move on an' dhrlvo tho vngaboncs from bchlnt up to thnt railroad cmbankmlnt, where Glnoral Iluey can bid them tho time nv dny." Webster tnrned to Dolores, "Do you wish to go nshoro?" Sho nodded, her flashing eyes bent In ndmlrntlon upon tho gory, grimy Don Junn Cafotcro, for sho was half Irish, and ln thnt amazing meeting Bho knew tho outcast for ono of her blood. "I think" my brother will sleep In his father's old room tonight," sho murmured softly. "And I would sleep in mine." They followed Don Junn down tho gangway to tho launch and sped bnck to tho city. The door of Leber's ware-houso ware-houso stood wide open; within was a ltttcr of greasy rags nnd liroken packing cases, with Leber, quite mystified, mys-tified, Pitting on n keg ot nails and storing curiously nt It nil. Guided by Don Junn Cnfetoro, Webster Web-ster and Dolores pnssed on up tho CnlJo San llosarlo. Occasionally n bullot, tired two or threo miles to the west, droned lazily overhead or dropped with a sharp metallic sound on tho corruttnled-lron roofs of n building. At the hotel the proprietor .alone wns In evidence, sented behind Ihe desk smoking In profouud Indifference Indif-ference In responso to Webster's eager In qulrloa for tho latest news from tht front the placid fellow shrugged and J murmured: "Qulcn saboT' Evidently for Jiltn such stirring scenes had long since lost their novelty; tho bloom wns off tho pqnch, as It wero. Webster went upstairs and helped himself to another nutomatlc and sov-oral sov-oral spare clips of shells which ho had left In his trunk. On his return to tho lobby, Dolores saw what n very nearsighted person, Indeed, would hnvo seen to wit: that ho was not pleased to remain ln tho hotel and with tho spirit of ndvonturo strong within him wns desirous of progressing progress-ing still farther toward tho firing, In the hope of eliciting soino favorable news ns to the progress of tho fight Sho realized, howover, that ho would do his duty and remain with her ln the hotel; so she sold gayly: ' "Supposo we walk out n llttlo farther, far-ther, Catlph. Many of tho side streets will bo ns safo and peaceful as one could desire, nnd If wnrfnro should develop In our vicinity wo can step Into In-to some house." "I do not llko to hnvo you run the slightest risk" ho began, but she ""' twohed him Into slbmcc, took ' Hio nrm with n great air of radcrle, and dcclnrcd thoy should go forth to adventure but cautiously. Webster glanced at Don Juan. "Wo can go n half or three quarters av a mile out tho Calle San llosarlo, sor," tho Irishman answered. "After thnt 'twill not bo n pleasant sight for tho young leddy nn' thero may bo somd shootln'. Squnds nv tho governmlnt throops took rcfugo In tho houses un' took to snlpln'. 'Twill bo shlow wurrk roundln' tho Inst av thlm up. Even hfthcr the light Is over, there'll be scntterln' shootln' scrapes all av the ,nlght Song, I'm thhikln'." "At tho slightest dnngor wo'll turn back," Webster announced, nnd with Don Junn Cafetcro scouting the way n block In advance they progressed slowly townrd tho center of tho disturbance. Soon they passed n horse dead In tho mlddlo of tho street; a llttlo further fur-ther on ono 'of tho mnchlne-gun company, n Innk Texan, sat on the curb rolling n clgarctto with his left hand. Ho hnd a bullet through his right shoulder and another through tho culf of his leg and hnd received no first nld nttcntlon; the files wcro bothering both-ering him considerably and ho wns cursing softly nnd fluently, llko tho ox-raule-sklnncr ho was. , Farther on another whlto Invader lay faco down In tho gutter; for him tho fight had ended almost cro It hnd begun. In tho next block half n dozen doz-en Bandnl-footod Sobrnntenns, ln tho bluo nnd red-trimmed uniform ot tho Gunrdla Civil, lay sprawled In uncouth attitudes, where tho first blast of a mnchlno gun had caught them as they rushed out of tho police station to repel re-pel the ndvnnclng mercenaries. Soeltrg that tho main street of tho city would assumo even n more grisly aspect tho longer they followed It, Don Junn led Webster and Dolores n couple cou-ple ot blocks down a cross street nnd turned out Into tho Olio do Hcrnnn-dez, Hcrnnn-dez, parallel to tho Calle Esq Rosarlo. Thero hnd been no shooting (n this street, nppnrontly; ns they procwivJ not even n stray bullet whined down tho silent calle. Four blocks from tho government pnlnco they fouud tho nnrrow sidewalks side-walks ot this quiet street !lnod with wounded from both sides, with n doctor doc-tor and halt a dozen of lllcardo's hired fighters ministering to them; ns they threaded their way between tho recumbent recum-bent figures they enmo upon Mother Jenks, brandy bottlo and glns In hand, "doing her bit." "Hnh I So hero you nre, my Inmb," sho greeted Dolores. "Itlght-o. Just t.1in.k vak t,nlif ii Im fl. III... . sw,cot face. Let theso poor nilsfor-tunato nilsfor-tunato lads sco that tho sister o' tho new president nln't too proud to caro for 'em. 'Ere, lass. 'Old up tho 'cad o' this young cockerel with tho 'olo In Is neck. 'Ere, lnd. Tyke a brace now I 'Ero's somo o' your own people, not a lot o' bloomln' yellcr bellies, como to put.Bomothtng clso In yor -jeck some-think some-think that'll stimulate yer." Tho "young cockerel," a blond youth ot scarce 20 summers, twisted his head nnd grinned up nt Dolores as sho knelt hesldo him to lift htm up. "Here, hero, sister," ho mumbled, "you'll get that whlto dress dirty. Never mind mo. It's Just a flesh wound, only my neck 1ms got stilt and I'm weak from loss of blood." Mother Jenks winked nt Webster as who set a glas.1 ot brandy to tho stricken strick-en ndventurer's lips. "Olvc mo a bit Q'tho whlto meat, as my sainted 'En-ery 'En-ery used to s'y," she murmured com-Icnlly. com-Icnlly. Dolores looked up at Webster. "I'll Btoy here." sho said simply. "I've found n Job helping Mother Jenks, You nnd Don Junn mny run along If jou wish. I know you're as curlnii as children." They wero. It would have been Impossible Im-possible for any man with red corpuscles corpus-cles In his htood to hnrkon to the shooting shoot-ing and shouts only threo city blocks dlstnnt without yearning to sue the fight Itself. "I'll return In 18 mlnut.s. nt the latest," ho promised her. nn.i uith )n Junn Cafttera, who tad heiji.-i i, , , ,.j to n ritie nru! bayonet frm ..n.- . 'j uutindcd. i.4 nim4) ii, ... I H"Xt -tl l't II , I through a block plentifully sprinkled with the dead of both factions. Don Junn led tho way through an nl-ley nl-ley In the rear of tho Catcdral do la Santa Cruz to tho dcor of tho sacristy; sacris-ty; as he placed his hand on tho latch three rlllo bullets struck around them, showering them with fragments; of falling fall-ing adobe. "There's a house party In tho neighborhood," neigh-borhood," yelled Don Junn nnd darted Into the church, with Webster nt his heels, Just In tlmo to escape another fusillade. They walked through the sacristy and passed through a door mto the great cathedral, with Its high, carved, gothlc-arched celling. Through tho thick-closed doors of tho main entrance, en-trance, lost In tho dimness of space out in front, tho sounds of tho battlo half a block away seemed very distant, Indeed. They passed tho altar and Don Junn genuflected nnd crossed himself reverently. rever-ently. "I'll be nfther makln' mo confession," con-fession," ho whispered to Webster. "Walt for mo, sor." Ho leaned his rlflo ngnlnst the altar railing, crossed tho church nnd touched lightly on tho shoulder a monk kneeling kneel-ing In prayer beforo tho altar of tho Virgin ; tho latter bent his head while Don Juan whispered; then ho rose nnd both went Into tho confessional, while Webster found a bench along the wall and waited. Presently Don Junn camo forth, knelt on tho red-tiled floor nnd prayed something, Webster suspected, he hnd not done for quite n while. And when ho hnd finished his supplication nnd procured his rifle, Webster' Joined him, tho monk unbolted tho door nnd from tho quiet of tho house of God they paused out Into tho street nnd tho tumult of hell. "I've been dost to death this day," Don Junn explained, "an' tho day Is not done. I!o the snmo token, 'tis long slnco I'd mndo me last confession; sure, until you picked me out nv the mire, sor, 'tis llttlo thought I had for tho hereafter." From their plnce they could see n dozen, or more of lllcardo's hired fighters fight-ers crouched under tho shelter of the palace walls across tho street. "I think wo'll bo safer, there," Webster cried, as a couplo of bullets struck tho stone steps nt their feet nnd ricocheted ughlnst tho cathedral door. "That rlflo of yours Is making you a ninrked man, Don Junn." They ran ncross tho street nnd Joined tho men under the pnlaco wall. "What's this?" Don Junn demanded briskly. "Hnvo ye not shmoked thlm out yctr "Koddlngs doing," n young German nnswercd. "Der chief has sent wor,d dot we Bhall not nrtlllery uso on der bnlacc. Men all aroundt It wo hnf, mlt a mnchlno gun commanding each gnto; most of der poys have chust moved out west In der renr of der government troops." 'Then," Don Junn declared with conviction, con-viction, "there'll bo no lighting hero to speak av, untlk Inter." "Der is blenty of choy hunting snipers, snip-ers, meln frcund. Der houses hereabouts here-abouts vos filled mlt dcm." Til jjMt po rot light in v.'ce, Don Junn rotorttn. "Come t,1t' mo, so, nn' we'll he In nt tho death out boyant ut tho railroad embankment" "Too Into," Webster nnswercd, for on tho Instant to tho west tho cracklo of rlflo and machine gun Are Interluded "I'll Stay Here." with tho stnecnto , Maxim- Vlckera broke out, 10st Im mediately to n stet, ,,rni; of wind. "We'll stay h Q wc-ru "afe for the flnnls. Wh - ., ituoy Iiiih iU-mh.mI up out U.rf ,),ue her to take command." ri Imlf nn hour the sounds of a ' ' ' ," ' the wesr did not 4 h1;.'i JUi-44nitititiz surf, j din?w the uproar dleft away fully do P?"'Xhey'ro going In with tho bayonet nnd mnchctcs," somebody who knew remarked laconically. "Wult and you II hear the cheering." They waited fully ten minutes, but presently, as the firing gradunlly died away, they heard It. faint nnd Indistinguishable Indis-tinguishable at first, but gradually coming nearer. And presently tho trapped men In tho pnlaco heard It, too. "Viva Itucy I Vivo 1 Viva Ituey I" "All over but tho shouting," Don Junn remarked disgustedly. "Tho lads In the pnlnco will surrlndhcr now. Sure "Glncrnl llucy was right afthcr all. For why should he shoot holes In the houso he's goln' to live In, nn' where, bo tho same token, ho gives n dinner party this night?" .,,, "I'm glad the end is ln sight," Web-, stcr replied. "We hnvo no Interest In this revolution, John, nnd It Isn't up to us to horn In on tho play; yet If It went ngnlnst tho Itucy faction, I fear wo'd be forced Into active scrvlco in splto of ourselves, There Is such n thing ns fighting to savo ono's skin, you know." Don Junn laughed plcasurably. "What a shamo wo mlsswd tho row out boyant nt tho railroad cmbankmlnt," ho declared. "I wish you'd kept out of It, Don Junn. What business had you In tho flght nt tho cuartel? Supposo you'd been killed?" "Small loss I" Don Junn retorted. "I should hnvo mourned you nevertheless, never-theless, John." "Would you thnt same?" Don Juan's buttermilk eyes lighted with affection and pleasure. "Would It put n pang ln tho heart of you, sor, to sco me stretched?" "Yes, it would, John. You're a wild, Impulsive, lunatic, worthlessIrlshman, but there's a broad vein of pay ore in you, nnd I wnnt you to live until I can develop It. When Mr. Geary returns to operate tho mine, he'll need a fore- mn.. tin Jinn m.b4, ilUUl 11U Kill U U9U "And do you trust me, sor?" "I do Indeed, John. Uy the wny, you never gave me your word of honor to cut out red liquor for keeps. Up till today I'vo hnd to watch you and I don't wnnt to do thnt It Isn't dignified digni-fied for either of us, and from today on you must bo a man or n mouse. If you prove yourself a mnn, I wnnt you In my business; If you provo yourself n mouse, somebody e'se mny hnvo you. How nbout you John? Tho cnntlnns will bo open tonight, nnd fire wntcr will ho free to the soldiers of tho new republic. Must I wntch you tonight?" Don Junn shook his reckless red head. "I'll never let n drop ot liquor cross my lips without your permission, sor." ho promised simply. "I nra the mnn nnd you nro tho mnster." "Wo'll shnko hands on thnt!" After tho western habit of Validating all verbal ver-bal agreements with n hand shake, Webster thrust his hard hand out to his mnn, who took It In both of his nnd held It for half n minute. Ho wanted want-ed to speak, but couldn't; he could only bow his bend ns his eyes clouded with tho tears of his npprcclntlon. "Ah, sor," he blurted presently, "I'd dlo for yo nn' welcome the chnn.U." A wild yell of nlnrm. broke out In tho next block, nt tho north gnto of tho palaco; there was a Fuddcn flurry of rlllo fire nnd cries of "Hero thoy como I Stop them I Stop theirfl They're breaking out I" Without nwnltlng orders the hired iiK4iiur uiuiiK ino wnii somo io or thcm-t-lenpcd out Into the street, forming form-ing n skirmish lino, Jnst ns n troop ot cavalry, with drawn sobers, swept around tho corner nnd charged upon tho dovotei llttlo line. "Sarros must bo thryln' to mnko his get-away," Don Junn Cnfetoro rcmnrked coolly, and emptied a snddle. "Thoy threw open tho big pnlnco gnte, 'an the guards are clcarln' n wny for him to tho bay." no emptied another saddle. In the mcnntlmo Itlcnrdo's fire caters cat-ers had not been Idle. Tho Instant the gunrds turned Into tho street h dendly I mngazlno flro hnd beon opened on them. They hnd already Buffered heavily heav-ily winning through tho gnto and past the besiegers In front of It but onco they turned tho corner Into the next street they had tho Ore of but a handful hand-ful of men to contend with. Nevertheless Never-theless It was sufficiently dendly. Many of tho horses In tho front rank went down with their riders, forcing tho maddened nnlmnls behind to clear their carensscs by leaping over them, which somo did, Mnny, however, tripped and stumbled In their wild gallop, spilling their riders. (TO ni3 CONTINUED.) |