The Argosy, August 1905 — page 68: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

of st * - - 58 A dozen Mexicans had forced their way through the doorway with ready pistols and uplifted saber, but no one fired and not a single blade descended. Because only blackness and utter silence greeted those who were prepared to engage in mortal combat. Had the Mexicans discharged their pistols, had thev struck—the bullets and the saber blades would have been wasted on the empty air. The interior of the inn contained not a single American! ; The guerrilleros who had forced their way through the door stood motionless; those who pressed behind paused in amazement. A horseman forced his way to the threshold. Jt was Mazatlan. “Tn the fiend’s name,” he shouted fiercely, “ whatis this? If they will not fight, kill them where they kneel.” A yoice from within the inn answered hoarsely : “We cannot, senor, for—there is no one here to kill!” The guerrillero leader threw himself from his saddle and rushed over the threshold. , “What devil’s trick is this? Where are the Americanos?” he shouted. The guerrilleros gave way before him; a number began to cross themselves. Mazatlan glared into the darkened room. “A light! What are you waiting for?” He struck the Mexican nearest him with the hilt of his sword. One of the men tore off his jacket, rolled it to- gether and set fire to the cloth. The flame flared up and showed the room —empty. “ Fire the house!” shouted Mazatlan; “if they are in the cellar 3 One of the guerrilleros touched him on the arm. “Pardon, seflor, but now I remem- ber: I have heard that upon the Aca- puleo road wes an inn which was pro- vided with a secret passage. It may be possible rs Lid thousand devils! Why did you not think of that before ? They have escaped that way, but we will catch them in the hills,” shrieked Mazatlan. Tle rushed through the door and out into the moonlight. The guerrilleros ” i ae , * > THE ARGOSY. who were in the house poured after him and half had regained their sad- dies. Mazatlan had gathered up his reins, when above the tumult of shout- ing, cursing men arose a sound familiar to every cavalryman—the regular mautf- fled thunder of innumerable horses’ hoofs, pounding, pounding upon a hard roadbed. A frenzied yell came from the querrilleros on the outskirts of the crowd which pressed about the door of the inn. These, looking up the high- way, saw an avalanche of dark forms advancing in the moonlight. As it approached, the front of this swiftly moving mass spread out into the fields on either side of the road. A sheet of flame burst from the advancing line, the air was filled with leaden rain which buzzed like a swarm of angry bees, and a dozen Mexicans tumbled from their saddles. On the instant Mazatlan compre- hended what had happened. He, not the Americans, had been ambuscaded. He would have given no mercy, and—he asked for none. Shouting a sharp order, he wheeled his horse and spurred toward the ad- vancing horde of northern cavalrymen with a score of his guerrilleros following him, and in a moment Mexicans and Americans were mingled in a strug- gling inélée. Haddon, riding in the front rank of the attacking lines, saw a number of swarthy, passionate faces confronting him. He warded off a saber stroke and cut down the Mexican who was pushing his horse against his own. As the man fell, another pressed for- ward from behind him. This second guerrillero was clad in a gold-embreid- ered jacket and fought like a demon; his face, dark with passion, was disfig- ured by two livid sears. The press of horsemen before and behind forced these two so closely to- gether that they gazed into each other’s eyes, but in those of the Mexican came no look of recognition. Kor an instant Haddon saw the wild ferocity which doubly distorted the hid- eous features, then his horse swerved to the right. It was all that saved him from a fatal saber stroke. ” In the brief instant given him for . » . | comicbooks.com |