"The gringos are getting beaten tills
time, eh?" said one of them.
"Yes, damn them," replied another.
"We show them the Mexican can
fight!" shouted a third. "See! See!
There goes some of them down !"
"That's Winston's bund," said one
of them.
Liberty heard this, and the news
crushed her more than the realization
of her own position. Lopez must have
succeeded in making the attack, as
planned. But, she wondered, what had
happened to Pedro? He had started
to warn the Major, when he escaped,
nnd, surely he must have had time to
reach the camp before Lopez and his
followers begun their march for Diab
lo pass! She knew the Major was
far outnumbered, for Lopez had been
planning for this attack for two or
three days, and had re-enforced his
band for this purpose. If, the Mujor
had been warned he would have man
aged to escape ; for he knew that Lo
pez had more arms and ammunition,
In addition to machine guns. Liberty
concluded something had gone wrong,
somewhere, but the more she thought
of it, the more she felt convinced thut
Pedro had never reached the camp.
Her fears were realized a little later.
The Mexicans finally returned to thelx
saddles, and the entire party were de
scending the opposite side of the hill
when one of the horses in front shied
at some object lying beside the rond.
