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Page 15
"O'Connor sees him and lets out a battle-cry and draws his father's
sword and rushes across the street and tackle's the enemy.
"Right there in the street he and the general gave an exhibition of
blacksmithing and butchery. Sparks flew from their blades, the general
roared, and O'Connor gave the slogan of his race and proclivities.
"Then the general's sabre broke in two; and he took to his
ginger-colored heels crying out, 'Policios,' at every jump. O'Connor
chased him a block, imbued with the sentiment of manslaughter, and
slicing buttons off the general's coat tails with the paternal weapon.
At the corner five barefooted policemen in cotton undershirts and straw
fiats climbed over O'Connor and subjugated him according to the
municipal statutes.
"They brought him past the late revolutionary headquarters on the way to
jail. I stood in the door. A policeman had him by each hand and foot,
and they dragged him on his back through the grass like a turtle. Twice
they stopped, and the odd policeman took another's place while he rolled
a cigarette. The great soldier of fortune turned his head and looked at
me as they passed. I blushed, and lit another cigar. The procession
passed on, and at ten minutes past twelve everybody had gone back to
sleep again.
"In the afternoon the interpreter came around and smiled as he laid his
hand on the big red jar we usually kept ice-water in.
"'The ice-man didn't call to-day,' says I. `What's the matter with
everything, Sancho?'
"`Ah, yes,' says the liver-colored linguist. `They just tell me in the
town. Verree bad act that Senor O'Connor make fight with General
Tumbalo. Yes, general Tumbalo great soldier and big mans.'
"`What'll they do to Mr. O'Connor?' I asks.
"`I talk little while presently with the Juez de la Paz--what you
call Justice-with-the-peace,' says Sancho. 'He tell me it verree bad
crime that one Senor Americano try kill General Tumbalo. He say they
keep Senor O'Connor in jail six months; then have trial and shoot him
with guns. Verree sorree.'
"`How about this revolution that was to be pulled off?' I asks.
"`Oh,' says this Sancho, `I think too hot weather for
revolution. Revolution better in winter-time. Maybe so next
winter. Quien sabe?'
"'But the cannon went off,' says I. 'The signal was given.'
"'That big sound?' says Sancho, grinning. 'The boiler in ice factory
he blow up--BOOM! Wake everybody up from siesta. Verree sorree. No
ice. Mucho hot day.'
"About sunset I went over to the jail, and they let me talk to
O'Connor through the bars.
"'What's the news, Bowers?' says he. 'Have we taken the town? I've been
expecting a rescue party all the afternoon. I haven't heard any firing.
Has any word been received from the capital?'
"'Take it easy, Barney,' says I. 'I think there's been a change of
plans. There's something more important to talk about. Have you any
money?'
"'I have not,' says O'Connor. 'The last dollar went to pay our hotel
bill yesterday. Did our troops capture the custom-house? There ought be
plenty of government money there.'
"'Segregate your mind from battles,' says I. 'I've been making
inquiries. You're to be shot six months from date for assault and
battery. I'm expecting to receive fifty years at hard labor for
vagrancy. All they furnish you while you're a prisoner is water. You
depend on your friends for food. I'll see what I can do.'
"I went away and found a silver Chile dollar in an old vest of
O'Connor's. I took him some fried fish and rice for his supper. In the
morning I went down to a lagoon and had a drink of water, and then went
back to the jail. O'Connor had a porterhouse steak look in his eye.
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