Plain Mary Smith: A Romance of Red Saunders Read online

  XIV

  BROTHER BELKNAP'S REVOLUTION

  The next thing needed in my calculations was time. My three-day vacationended Monday; I had to have an extension or a sure thing on another,shortly. I was ready to throw up my job, but I felt it wouldn't come tothat, likely, so I pulled for home and Jim.

  At the store Pedro told me Jim had been there yesterday afternoon, butleft at once in no pleasant frame of mind. Pedro didn't know where hehad gone. Took out toward the east, riding fast.

  I didn't know what to do. If I went after him, it was likely I'd misshim; if I waited, he mightn't be around again for days.

  "What ailed him, Pede?" I asked.

  "That is that which I am not to know," says Pedro. "He cuss and swearmos' fiercily. He also es-strike one stranger _hombre_ who has been heremaking conversation with the workers. _Si_, he strike heem verreestrong, so that the stranger does not know anything for one hour. Healso say he will to shoot that stranger if he put the foot on theesgroun' again. The men that are there make protestation and Senor Holtonsay, 'You are fools.' And Pepe, the large one, say, 'I am not a fool,'and Senor Holton say, 'No--you are a jackass,' and Pepe say, 'You haveabused us much.' I am astonish to hear that, for of all men I have seennone is so kind to the people as Senor Holton; and I am moved to say,'Pepe, you lie!' He thereupon strike me at the nose, as you see. Isay,'Pepe, you may strike my nose, but that does not make you not aliar--a liar is what you are.' And Senor Holton say, 'Mind them not,Pedro, you are an honest man; but now I shall to abuse them for the fairif I do hear one cheep,' and he draw out his peestol and say, 'Yap, youcoyotes! Let me hear you!' and there is such silence that one may hearhis heart. Then Senor Holton say to me, 'Pedro, this is bad business.Mind the store the best you can--I must ride. If they come at you h'runaway--I do not care for these goods, and you have spoken up like aman.'" Pedro smote himself upon the lung with his clenched fist. "H'runI shall not," says he. "Thees store can only be obtain by making thees-step over my corpsey."

  "Corpsey" sounded kind of frivolous for the occasion. However,underneath all the rolling eye and fine large gestures, the sand of thelittle man lay strong. I didn't understand the racket at all, but I knewit meant business or Jim would never have taken such a stand.

  "Why didn't you tell me this first, Pedro?" I asked. "I might have goneaway and left you alone."

  "That was what I try to weesh," said he. "For you are young, and thereis life before you. These are b-a-a-d fallows, these; if they keelPedro, eet ees no harm, but you have been kin' to me, and I do not weeshyou hurt. So I say, I shall let him go; they mus' not harm Beel; andthen I feel so verree lonesome, and I think, He shall know and forhimself decide."

  "Why, you darned old Guinea!" I yelled at him, "d'you suppose I'd leaveyou to buck this through alone? I don't know what got into Jim not toput some men in with you."

  Pedro shrugged his shoulders. "Senor Holton had no time--what it ees,ees emperative--and for those men, they are all mad, I think. They comeand es-swear at me, who never have done them injury--I, never! Who cansay Pedro harmed him? They only leave when you are to arrive."

  I don't know why, but suddenly it came upon me that we were stackedagainst a crowd of men--I mean it came right _real_ to me, and I satdown in a chair, limp. I never admired a man more than I did Pedro, atthat moment. There he was, the little man I so often laughed at, quietlygoing about his business, waiting for a crowd to come and kill him! Ididn't mind one or two, or perhaps a few more men, so much, but thecrowd threw a crimp into me. When you learn how much bigger a coward acrowd is, than any one man in it, you are not so troubled, but then!Well, it was the first time I'd been right down terrified in my life,and it was awful. I raked the sweat off my forehead, steadied myself thebest I could, and says:

  "Well, Pede, we're in for it!"

  "_Tiene V. razon!_" says he; "but we will to do what we can. If I live,always shall I remember how Beel stay with me."

  I've heard it said that a good example will steady you when you'rescart. Out of my personal experience I beg to differ. I got mad at Pedrofor not being frightened; and the more I thought how well he behaved,the worse rattled I got. I sat there, in a hot chill every time I hearda noise outdoors, till at last some sense came back to me. "This won'tdo!" says I. "Here, Pede, where's the hot-water bottle?"

  He handed me a bottle of brandy. I put the neck to my neck and warmed mypoor soul. Lord! but it tasted good. Dutch courage ain't on the sameshelf with real courage, but it's a durned sight better thanscart-to-death in a rumpus.

  I hadn't more than time to give a "hoo" of satisfaction and put thebottle down, when there came a running and a yelling down the road. Pedeand I jumped for the door together. The valley lay flat between thehills, north of us, and you could see a mile to the turn in the road.Down the road two men were running for their lives, a screeching gangafter them, peppering 'em with rocks, clubs, and what not. Also therewas the shine of knives--the shine that always sickens me. I waited fora gun-shot, but none came. The two had fifty yards' start, and theyweren't losing it, if they could help it. As they drew nearer I couldhear remarks about Papists from the crowd. In a second I saw theplay--Brother Belknap's revolution!

  That braced me. The victims ran with their arms over their heads forprotection; when one dropped his arms and raised his head to cry forhelp, I recognized Tony Gonzales, the squarest, nicest man in the place.That steadied me more yet. Fifty men to the two!

  "Come on, Pedro!" I hollered. We each grabbed a pick-handle, and withthat in one hand and a gun in the other, we went to the door.

  "Beel," says Pedro, "let us to remain here. They cannot be hurt now, forthey run verree fas'. The es-store is a fort. If we stay, we do better."

  I took in the situation. Tony and his mate were keeping distance nobly.I suppose they drew a clip or two from a stone, but they were in nodeadly danger unless the crowd got hold of them. Pedro wasn't much of ahand to sell groceries and truck, but he was a durned good general whenit came to war.

  "Queeck, Beel!" says he. "For to defend us make closed the windows anddoors, but the one!"

  We worked sharp, rolling barrels against the doors and slapping boxes ofcanned goods against the window-shutters. The work did me a power ofgood. Anger had driven out most of my fear, yet getting my muscles intouse was needed to remove the rest of the poison from my system.

  Next I broke open a box of cartridges and spread them on the counter,while Pedro loaded revolvers taken from the stock. By the time the feetdrew near, we were in fighting trim. Another cry for help sounded almostat the door. Pede and I rushed out.

  "Get in, boys," I said, "and grab a gun!" They ducked under my arm andentered the store.

  The rest drew up in a huddle, a ways off, and stopped.

  "Now, gentlemen," I said in the best Spanish I could muster, "what's thematter?"

  I got no answer, but bad looks. They talked and muttered amongthemselves, and shifted about, with ugly motions--as black andtreacherous a mob as a man would like to dream of.

  My temperature went right up. I naturally despise not getting an answerto a question. One lad shook his fist and growled something.

  That was all. I waited. "Once more," says I, "what's the matter?" Sameperformance. I shot a hole through the hat of the lad who shook hisfist. "Third and last call," says I, "what's the matter?" but they brokeand ran.

  My play held 'em for a minute. Our best show was to take the top hand atonce, so I walked down to them.

  "Now I want to know what ails you people," I said, getting the meaninginto Spanish, if the words were a little mixed, "and I want to knowquick, or there'll be a fuss right here."

  A big feller jeered at me: "Put down the gun, and _I'll_ show you what'sthe matter," he said.

  "You will?" says I, parting with what sense I had. "You yellow-belliedsnake-in-the-grass! _You_ will show a white man, will you? Come on outhere, you that's so brave in a crowd!"

  I chucked the gun away and waited for him. I got just what I might haveex
pected--they all come for me! Cursing my fool soul, I jumped for thegun. I almost had my hand on it when a rock took me behind the ear andlaid me on the grass. It was up to Mr. William De La Tour Saunders toput his feet under him with celerity and hike out of that. It waspainful--sufferin' Moses! How I hated to run from that crowd! I snorted,but run was the word, and run I did, with them hollering and laughing atme. Inside, I grabbed two of the guns from the counter, called to Pedroand the other two, and started back. I met the gang right at the door.It was curious how making me run had braved them; they were for tearingeverything apart now. Well, our meeting was a surprise to both parties.I've had to be grateful all my life that my hands think faster than myhead. I put four shots into that crowd before I thought at all. The manwho picked up my revolver fired and missed me from a three-foot range. Igot some of the powder, also a knife in the shoulder, but four men laidout discouraged 'em and they broke again. I put it to them with bothhands, Pedro and the other boys cutting in before they found shelter.

  By this time I was wild--wanted to go after them and hunt 'em out. Pedroand the other two fastened on me and dragged me in.

  "More shall come, Beel!" cried Pedro.

  "We must have care--do not to go, I implore!"

  He not only implored, but half-strangled me; they hauled me back andshut the door.

  "Listen, all," says Pedro. "This is not the end. Others will come withguns, and then!--But now to see what is outside." He stationed us eachwhere we could peek through cracks, and so cover the store from allsides. There was barrels of ammunition, General Pedro issued commands toblaze away at a sight.

  The folks outside kept up a stream of cursing and abuse, jeers andthreats, and we returned a revolver fire just as effective. It was toofar for a short gun.

  We had two rifles in the shop. I wasn't then, and never have been, asgood a shot with a rifle as with a pistol. Gonzales, though, had been ahunter. He took the rifle with a pleased smile.

  "You make _me_ run," says he, playfully, to outdoors. "Now I make _you_jump! It is thus we amuse ourselves." A man showed his head, to thesound of an instant crash from the rifle. He jumped, all right.

  "The old church shall say mass for your soul, Juan," says Gonzales. "Youare the best dead man in the country."

  After that, they were careful. I thought they'd leave, seeing theycouldn't do anything with us, till Pedro explained they were probablyholding us till armed men came. I should have felt dismal once more atthis news, if I'd had nothing to do. The darkened store wore on myfeelings. One feller I shot wriggled in a funny fashion as he lay on theground. He was still wriggling--I could see him every time I stopped tothink. He gave a long twist, like a snake, bringing his face to thelight, at the last. He looked as if he felt perfectly disgusted. Hehadn't ought to have looked that way. It bothered me.

  The other three stood the gaff of waiting much better than I. In fact, Iwas frantic inside me, though I made a good chest of it. "Pede," I says,"let me have the other rifle--I'm going scouting."

  "That is well," says Gonzales. "If you can get up on the hill withoutbeing seen, you can drive them out, and we shall have a shot."

  So I took the rifle and squirmed through the brush and rocks back of thestore until I was a hundred yards or so up the hill. It was a steepslant. In going so far I'd risen nearly a hundred feet. I could see partof our besiegers plain. Some ten of 'em lay behind boulders, smokingcigarettes and taking it easy. Another batch sat under the bridge. Therest I couldn't see.

  I had a particular grudge against the feller who challenged me to fight.I searched carefully, and finally made him out, under a rock about threehundred yards away, sitting with his back to me, and playing a game withthe man in front of him.

  His fat back made a corking target. I rested the gun between two stonesand had him dead to rights. I was ready to listen to the report and seehim fall over, when, by the gods of war! my finger wouldn't pull thetrigger. I hadn't the least feeling about killing that treacherousskunk, so far as I knew, but all the same, I could _not_ pull thattrigger. I was surprised, plenty. "Why, you damn fool!" I says tomyself, "what's eating you! That lad would 'a' slaughtered your entirefamily, by this time!"

  True, too, but it didn't make the gun go off. It's mighty queer how anunexpected "me" will jump out of you at times. There was one BillSaunders just as anxious to do that blackguard as a man could be, andthere was another--and the boss, too--who wouldn't stand for it.

  I cussed between my teeth. "If you'd look at me, instead of turning yourback, you dog!" I whispered, "I'd heap you up quick." I broke out into asweat of shame, knowing how my friends were putting their faith in mygathering a man or two. I could have cried with mortification. Suddenlymy lad jumped up and pointed, forgetting where he was. The next secondthe finger jammed into the ground, and the whang of Gonzales's rifle cutthrough the valley.

  I looked where he pointed. Here come a string of men with guns,dog-trotting. I up and pasted into them. The shot started those below.Some jumped up. I could have whaled it to them all right now, but ashell jammed. Our boys socked it to them from the store, while I clawedat the durned cartridge. Got it out with my knife at last and bangedaway, first below and then at the approaching soldiers. I dropped a manand the soldiers scattered behind rocks and trees.

  There was no use staying longer. I had only three cartridges left;nothing much I could do anyhow, as they would sneak up from this on;besides, I stood to get cut off from the store, so I carefully picked myway back, not wanting them to learn there was no one on the hill. Insuch a case as ours, you fight for time. I hoped nothing from time, butevery minute you lived was clear gain. Out here in the country prisonersof war were stood against a wall.

  So long as they thought we had men on the hill, they'd be cautious.Likely they'd send men around to clear the hill, first, and that wouldgive us some minutes.

  The other boys had seen the arrival of the soldiers. They were quiet,but hopeless. Gonzales shrugged his shoulders and examined his rifle."How many?" he asked.

  "Soldiers and all, or just soldiers?"

  "All."

  "Nigh a hundred."

  "_Ay de mi! Adios el mundo!_ Four men against a hundred! Well, theyshall speak of us after--not a hundred will they be, when we leave."

  The feeling that you'll leave a good name behind to comfort your lastminutes, is a mighty good thing. Wish I had it. It didn't matter a darnto me. All I could think of was that they shouldn't get me--not if theywas a million--and I proposed to work on those lines with force.

  "Perhaps they won't jump us," I said with more wish than hope. "If theytry any other play, we can hold 'em a week."

  I had some contempt for those soldiers. I parted with it later. You see,they were barefoot, ragged, and dirty. Not a thing marked 'em forsoldiers, but the guns and the orders. I hadn't seen many soldiers, butwhat I had seen was gay with uniforms and a brass band. Now, if they'dcome at our store with a brass band, it would have been something like.This was only a rucus, with us holding the working end of the mule. Noglory, no uniforms, no band, no nothing, but just getting holes shot inyou, and it wouldn't be no more than truthful for me to admit I wasperfectly contented with my hide as she was.

  We strengthened the doors and windows by piling more boxes up, leavingonly holes to shoot through. Then we waited. The dark heat in the storejust melted you; outside the sun hammered fit to knock your eye out.When it comes hot and still--deadly still--I can remember that hour'swaiting in the store. I couldn't hold on to what I was thinking of for aminute; all my ideas flipped around like scart birds, and I sweat andsweat, and I was sick at my stomach, and the man I shot kept squirming.It was the same as sitting up in bed to find out your nightmare is real.To the devil with waiting! I tried to clamp my attention on mother, onMary, on everybody I knew. Useless. I didn't seem to know anybody--theywere only jokes, and mostly, the faces, as they skipped by, turned on meand grinned. At the same time I kept talking with the other boys andeven laughed once in a while. I know they thought I was
cool as awatermelon. I'm even with them there; I thought _they_ were, too.

  When Gonzales called, with a click in his voice, "Hist! _Quid'ow!_ Theycome!" I could have raised both hands to heaven in thanks. There'snothing one-eighth as bad in getting killed as sitting around waitingfor it.

  I jumped for my window. There ain't a bit of what was in front of me butwhat's with me to stay. I could only see a small space thatday--anything that wasn't in a ten-foot circle was dark. I leave the whyto the doctors. It never troubled me again.

  I had the south window, kind of slantwise facing the road, and abouttwenty foot from it, where it passed the store. There was a breastworkof canned goods shoulder high, with lots of loose cartridges spread onthe inner top box. The box near me was open, and red labels on quartcans of tomatoes shone out--"Pride of the Garden." I wonder if the manthat raised 'em, or he that canned 'em, ever imagined they were going tobecome the bulwarks of the State of Panama?

  The shutters were heavy, with holes in 'em about four inches wide, whichyou could cover with a round piece of wood that swung on a screw. Theseholes were right in height for me to shoot through. The other boys hadto stand on boxes, being shorter.

  I took a peep through my gun-hole. There come the rebels, flap-flappingdown the road in their bare feet, trailing their guns, theirwide-brimmed hats shaking comical. And I felt happy when I saw it. Thesewere real men, and for the last hour I'd been fighting ghosts. We didn'twant 'em to hit us in a body, so I called cheerful to the other boys,"Bet you a can of tomatoes I draw first blood!" and let her flickerthrough the loop-hole.