Hookers Part 22

"You're right, there," said Mickey, as they moved toward the door.

"Oh, G.o.d, what a horrible sight," said Pearl as she shivered and put her hand over her eyes.

"Get hold of her, Mickey, she never saw anything like this before. I guess it is kind of a shock to her to see all these Cholos laying around here in pieces," exclaimed Evelyn, as she stepped over what had once been a man, but was now only mangled flesh.

"If you don't want to look, you just keep your hand over your eyes, dear, and I'll keep hold of you until we get by this," said Mickey, softly, as she put her arm around Pearl, and helped her along.

"Come on here," called Evelyn.

They moved past the crossing, then into the center of the street--bullets whizzed overhead while toward the river there was a hot battle raging.

On the American side the banks of the river were lined with people watching the fighting, as though it were a baseball game, oblivious of the bullets that fell all around them. As the fighting came nearer the river, two huge armored cars, with French 75's mounted, rolled near the International Bridge, muzzles lowering menacingly, toward Mexico.

A scream came from down to the left of the bridge, as a mother grabbed up her little one in her arms, running toward the street. The child had been killed by a stray bullet.

Phones began to buzz at Fort Bliss, saying that the bullets from the fighting were falling thick and fast on the American side, and that one had already found its mark.

Five minutes pa.s.sed--soon the screaming of a siren could be heard, coming toward the bridge was the large dark brown car with the American flag flying from the front, and it drew up at the foot of the bridge.

General M---- stepped from the car, face red with fury.

"Fire a warning from one of those 75's," commanded the General, as he walked toward the center of the bridge, as the voice of the 75 roared across the border.

Firing on the Mexican side stopped immediately, as one of the Federals came running toward the gates on the bridge.

"Open these gates," commanded the General, and the aides ran to do his bidding.

"What is it, Senor?" said the Federal, as he came near the General.

"I want the Commander of the Rebels and the Commander of the Federals at the foot of this bridge in five minutes--be on your way."

The Federal ran back to the group of soldiers, they all began to talk excitedly, running in several directions.

Truck loads of soldiers from Fort Bliss were unloading, all ready for action.

General M---- stood, legs spread, looking at his watch, tapping his riding boot with his stick, as the Federal Commander came to where he was standing.

"You have sent for me, Senor--I have come," as the sound of a horse galloping down the street was heard.

"At your command, I have come, Senor," said the rebel General, as he swaggered up to the General, looking at the Federal as though he were the lowest thing on earth.

"Yes, I sent for you both," said General M----, "I want to tell you that if you saddle-faced b.a.s.t.a.r.ds let another bullet fall on the American side of the river, I'll wipe the whole G.o.dd.a.m.n lot of you, and this town, off the map," as he turned, giving an order to close the gates again, as the armored cars once more came into position.

The General of the Rebels rode away, to his own troops, who in the lull of the fighting had moved up on the Federals.

The fighting began again, with renewed vigor on the side of the rebels, who had drawn their bayonets, while the Federals ran for the river, wading in and making for the American side, wasting no time in doing it.

Evelyn, Pearl and Mickey were coming down the middle of Lysol Lane, Evelyn still holding the drawers on the stick, showing she was a non-combatant, when she spied about fifty girls huddled on one side of a bar, some peeping around the corner. There were all the girls who had been to the funeral, and others, who had been to Juarez on their usual business, and all together, wondering how they were going to get to the American side.

"Hey, Gang," called Evelyn, "What do you say if we all make a run for the river--once we are in the river, we will be safe."

"How will we do it?" asked the girls.

"Here's the way," explained Evelyn. "We all get in the street, and start to run--the rebels have their backs this way--they won't see us until we are almost in the river--because from what I can see they have already driven the Federals into the river and are already throwing rocks at them. Well, we run as quietly as possible and burst right through the rebels, and into the river--take the right side of the bridge, it's better--now, do you all understand?"

The girls nodded that they did.

"All right, then let's get going," as they all started down the street at a trot. They neared the river very quietly then amidst screams and yells they burst through the rebels, leaping into the river like rats from a sinking ship, grabbing at each other, helping each other through the quick-sand, and cold water, some holding on to their bottles of whiskey that they had brought along to give them courage. The few Federals who had not reached the American side, turned back to help the girls, amidst laughing, screaming, cursing, and splashing of water.

The American soldiers were rounding the Federal troops up the way a Texas cowboy rounds up cattle, herding them into one bunch, while the girls pulled themselves out of the river without the aid of anyone except themselves. When they were out of the river, they went in a body to the street where the General and his aides were.

"This is a h.e.l.l of a note," said Evelyn. "A bunch of good American women should have to wade that d.a.m.n river, and no one to even help them up the bank--you don't seem to realize that once in a while a lady needs a little help."

"You had no business on that side," said the General, curtly. "You knew there was to be a battle--the papers carried the news, and all Americans were warned to stay away from there," he continued.

"Well, just the same, it's a h.e.l.l of a way to treat ladies," answered Evelyn, as she sat down on the curb of the sidewalk.

"Senoritas--Senoritas," came the voice of the Rebel General, who had climbed up on the side of the bridge.

"What's the matter with that guy?" said Mickey, as she moved toward the foot of the bridge to hear what he had to say.

"Senoritas--can you hear me?" he called across the river.

"Wait a minute--all right, spill it," called Evelyn.

"Senoritas--we do not fight with women--you are perfectly safe."

"h.e.l.l's fire--we know that now--ain't we over here?" answered Evelyn.

"A thousand pardons, Senoritas--but we want you to come back and drink with the victorious--to be our guests for the evening."

"Now, you see," explained Evelyn, "that's what I call a gentleman, a real fellow," as she walked over to the American General. "Say old top, would you mind having them gates opened and let us go back on the other side?"

"No, those gates remain closed until this trouble is settled."

"O. K. brother," as she went back to the girls, who were waving at the rebels. "Come on, gang, we'll go back the way we came," and they started off in the river, with much more enthusiasm than the first time.

"Come back here," yelled one of the American officers. "You can't cross that river."

"The h.e.l.l you say," called Evelyn, who was already in the water, leading the procession. "At least, these guys will buy us a drink."

"Do you think it's safe to go over here now," Pearl asked Evelyn.

"Sure, and profitable--these guys will open every safe in the town, and all the champagne you can drink. I been through these things before,"

explained Evelyn, as the rebels were wading out to help them.

"You see," said Mickey, "these guys will drink so much they will just pa.s.s out all over the place, and you can go through their pockets right and left, in perfect safety, and how I'll go through them is n.o.body's business."