soldier was powerless to resent the affront, and this emboldened the
vindictive throng to acts of greater violence. Turning to Chiquita, Jack
said, with shamefaced candor, "Never did I expect to see my country's
flag humiliated in such a manner."

The officer of the day approached. It was the seeming signal for an
outbreak; a hundred throats responded to the one voiced cry, "The
torch!" "Burn the train!" "Burn the Yards!" The woman pushed the man in
front of her along the railroad track to within a few feet of the
officers. The crowd behind drew closer, their jeers dropped to sullen,
discontented murmurings. The officer held up his hand.

"Halt! Disperse!"

He waved his hand for the mob to go back, but they made no movement. The
woman cried out, "You have no business to stop us;" the man in front
made a rough remark and roared to his followers, "Come on, we'll show
'em." The officer backed away, calling to a guard to take a position on
a near-by fence. "Load with ball, make ready, aim," pointing his sword
at the oncoming law-breaking, infuriated ruffian who had stopped a
sword's length away. The striker heard the words of the officer.

"When I count three I shall give the command, '_Fire!_' if you and
your mob have not obeyed my order to disperse. One--two"--

The man looked at the soldier, at the carbine and the cold gray eye that
followed along the barrel as the muzzle sought the breast of the leader,
he measured the distance, he heard the word "two," then with despairing
yell turned and fled.

The success of the mob at another place met with cheers and shouts of
approval as an engineer was borne from the cab of his engine to a saloon
across the way, a new recruit to the army of disorganized, rebellious
workmen, fed by the ever ready impromptu orator seeking opportunity to
air his views--a near friend and close imitator of the agitator
commissioned "walking delegate."

"Jack," said Chiquita, "are these scenes, these property-destroying
conflicts between employer and employe necessary for the advancement of
civilization and fulfillment of that commandment that 'Ye love one
another?'"

CHAPTER XVII.

WHENCE COME MY PEOPLE?

The holiday recesses were spent by Chiquita in the great eastern cities,
where she attended theater, opera, and many social functions of greater
or lesser magnitude.

After Jack's wedding she came to rely upon his wife--who found the
Indian Senorita always included in the invit