ng their horses. But the enemy turned out to be a few burros and
two Indians, driving them forward.

"Stop them, anyhow. They must have come from somewhere and they've
probably news for us," Demetrio said.

Indeed, their news proved sensational. The Federal troops had fortified
the hills in Zacatecas; this was said to be Huerta's last stronghold,
but everybody predicted the fall of the city. Many families had hastily
fled southward. Trains were overloaded with people; there was a
scarcity of trucks and coaches; hundreds of people, panic-stricken,
walked along the highroad with their belongings in a pack slung over
their shoulders. General Panfilo Natera was assembling his men at
Fresnillo; the Federals already felt it was all up with them.

"The fall of Zacatecas will be Huerta's requiescat in pace," Luis
Cervantes cried with unusual excitement. "We've got to be there before
the fight starts so that we can join Natera's army."

Then, suddenly, he noted the surprise with which Demetrio and his men
greeted his suggestion. Crestfallen, he realized they still considered
him of no account.

On the morrow, as the men set off in search of good mounts before
taking to the road again, Demetrio called Luis Cervantes:

"Do you really want to come with us? Of course you're cut from another
timber, we all know that; God knows why you should like this sort of
life. Do you imagine we're in this game because we like it? Now, I like
the excitement all right, but that's not all. Sit down here; that's
right. Do you want to know why I'm a rebel? Well, I'll tell you.

"Before the revolution, I had my land all plowed, see, and just right
for sowing and if it hadn't been for a little quarrel with Don Monico,
the boss of my town, Moyahua, I'd be there in a jiffy getting the oxen
ready for the sowing, see?

"Here, there, Pancracio, pull down two bottles of beer for me and this
tenderfoot.... By the Holy Cross ... drinking won't hurt me, now, will
it?"

XIII

I was born in Limon, close by Moyahua, right in the heart of the
Juchipila canyon. I had my house and my cows and a patch of land, see:
I had everything I wanted. Well, I suppose you know how we farmers make
a habit of going over to town every week to hear Mass and the sermon
and then to market to buy our onions and tomatoes and in general
everything they want us to buy at the ranch. Then you pick up some
friends and go to Primitivo Lopez' saloon for a bit of a drink before