and his
new recruits for the cause had turned against it.... "'Cause we don't
hanker after hanging," Cal Grinders interposed.... Was it, Driscoll
continued to read, because they thought they had lost favor by fighting
Rodrigo Galan? If so, there was naught against them, nothing, because
President Juarez had outlawed Galan for robbing a bullion convoy. It was
true that the writer of the parchment had used the said Rodrigo, in the
hope of capturing Maximilian, but the bandit was not for that reason a
Republican officer.... "In other words," lisped Crittenden of Nodaway,
"we're in-lawed because the good patriot Don Rodrigo is away
outlawed."... "Therefore," the parchment went on, "His Excellency the
Presidente through the writer has herewith sent a message to General
Pavon of the besieging camp to comply with whatever Their Mercies the
Americans may deem fit to require. Further, knowing the temper of Their
Mercies, General Pavon is ordered to at once cease operations and leave
Their Mercies in possession."

The Missourians looked at one another and were reluctant. They hated to
forego a battle. But it takes two sides to make one. Not outlawed, not
even threatened, they had no excuse to hold against the Liberals.

"But," said Crittenden, "as an ally of this sister Republic, we'll still
have our fighting."

"Well," demanded Driscoll, "what will you ask for?"

"Our Cordova lands back, after we've won them from the Empire."

"And," put in Grinders, "equality. We want republican equality."

"Then we'll all be privates?"

"No sir-ee, by cracken! Equality high up, that's what! We'll be
colonels, breveted colonels, every last one of us--Colonel Driscoll,
Colonel Grinders, Colonel Brothers and Sisters, Colonel----"

"That's easy," said Driscoll smiling. "Now I'll go and fix it up with
General Pavon, before he gets away."

... To conclude this chapter on the Missourians' Republic, there is yet
a word, which perhaps is also explanation of the saddened change that
had come over Din Driscoll since that night after the battle with Don
Rodrigo. It must be remembered that the peerless lad had just won his
old comrades to the Mexican Republican cause. While yet rejoicing that
here he more than made good the three hundred Liberals he had helped to
capture when a captain under the Empire, he found that he had only cast
his recruits out of the pale of law, first against the Empire, and then
against the Republic.... Then he proposed