Colonel Lopez did not
believe in half measures: once he had determined to prove his
devotion to Norine Evans, he would have sacrificed himself and the
flower of his command; he would have wasted his last precious
three-pound shell in breaching the walls of San Antonio de los
Banos rather than fail. But as a matter of fact the village had no
walls and it was defended only by a couple of blockhouses.
Therefore the colonel left his artillery behind.
Perhaps its name was the most impressive thing about San Antonio
de los Banos. Its streets were narrow and steep and stony, and its
flinty little plaza was flanked by stores of the customary sort,
the fronts of which were open so that mounted customers from the
country might ride in to make their purchases. Crowning two
commanding eminences just outside the village limits were the
loopholed fortinas, where for months past the Spanish garrison had
been dozing.
Lopez and his troop approached the town in the early morning. As
they deployed for the attack the colonel issued private
instructions to certain members of his command.
"O'Reilly, you and Senor Branch will enter one grocery-store after
another. You will purchase that jam, those sardines, and whatever
else you think Miss Evans would like. Captain Judson, you and
Major Ramos will go to the apothecary-shop--I understand there is
a very good one--and look for tooth-powder and candy and the like,
I shall see that the streets are cleared, then I shall endeavor to
discover some pickles; but as God is my judge, I doubt if there is
such a thing this side of Habana.
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