toward him,
and, above all, to use the extremest caution in regard to her own
well-being, for if aught befell her, if even a despicable rattlesnake
should rise out of the grass to sting her--caramba! The teniente, in
that case, would better destroy himself on the spot. Otherwise he would
surely find himself, in a short time, with his back to a stone wall and
his face to a firing-squad. That was the sort of man Longorio was.

The speaker wondered if Mrs. Austin really understood his chief's
nature; how determined he was; how relentless he could be. General
Longorio was a remarkable person. Opposition of any sort he could not
brook. His discipline was rigorous and his punishments were severe;
being utterly without fear himself, he insisted upon implicit obedience
in others at whatever cost. For instance, during the battle of San
Pedro, just south of here, a handful of Rebels had taken refuge in a
small, one-roomed adobe house, where they resisted all efforts at
dislodgment. Time and again the Federals had charged, only to meet a
fire too murderous to face. The slaughter had been terrific. The
lieutenant, veteran of many revolutions, vowed he had never seen a
street so full of dead and wounded as the one in front of this house.
Finally the soldiers had refused to advance again, and their captain
had sent for a cannon. During the wait Longorio had ridden up.

"'Come! Make haste!' said he, 'That house obstructs my view.'"

Seeing that Alaire was deeply interested in this recital, the old
lieutenant paused dramatically.

"Well, the capitan explained that an army was insufficient to take that
house; that it meant death to all who approached. I was not
present--God be praised!--but others told me what happened. General
Longorio dismounted and embraced the capitan--he kissed him on the
cheek, saying:

"'Adios, my dear good friend. I fear I have seen the last of you.'

"Then what? Senora, you would never guess." The speaker shook his head.
"Longorio took two dynamite grenades, and, laughing like a boy, he ran
forward before any one knew what he was about. It is nothing but the
truth, senora, and he a general! This capitan loved him dearly, and so
his bones turned to rope when the windows of that accursed house began
to vomit fire and the dust began to fly. They say that the dead men in
the street rose to their knees and crossed themselves--I only repeat
what I was told by those who looked on. Anyhow, I have seen things
qu