But since the Insurrectos were now
well sheltered by the houses and only a portion of certain streets
could be raked from the forts, the Spanish bullets did no harm.
Obedient to orders, a number of Lopez's men dismounted and took
positions whence they could guard against a sally, thus leaving
the rest of the command free to raid the stores. In the outskirts
of the town Mausers spoke, the dust leaped, and leaden messengers
whined through the air.
As locusts settle upon a standing crop, so did the army of
liberators descend upon the shops of San Antonio de los Banos. It
was great fun, great excitement, while it lasted, for the town was
distracted and its citizens had neither time nor inclination to
resist. Some of the shop-keepers, indeed, to prove their loyalty,
openly welcomed the invaders. Others, however, lacking time to
close up, fled incontinently, leaving their goods unguarded.
O'Reilly, with Branch and Jacket close at his heels, whirled his
horse into the first bodega he came to. The store was stocked with
general merchandise, but its owner, evidently a Spaniard, did not
tarry to set a price upon any of it. As the three horsemen came
clattering in at the front he went flying out at the rear, and,
although O'Reilly called reassuringly after him, his only answer
was the slamming of a back door, followed by swiftly diminishing
cries of fright.
Pages:
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289