第73章

It was a little after seven when they advanced.and the air was mild and peaceful.Men and women came crowding to the doors and windows of the huts as they passed, and stood watching them in silence, not knowing to which party the small army might belong.

In order to enlighten them, Clay shouted, ``Viva Rojas.'' And his men took it up, and the people answered gladly.

They had reached the closely built portion of the city when the skirmish line came running back to say that it had been met by a detachment of Mendoza's cavalry, who had galloped away as soon as they saw them.There was then no longer any doubt that the fact of their coming was known at the Palace, and Clay halted his men in a bare plaza and divided them into three columns.Three streets ran parallel with one another from this plaza to the heart of the city, and opened directly upon the garden of the Palace where Mendoza had fortified himself.Clay directed the columns to advance up these streets, keeping the head of each column in touch with the other two.At the word they were to pour down the side streets and rally to each other's assistance.

As they stood, drawn up on the three sides of the plaza, he rode out before them and held up his hat for silence.They were there with arms in their hands, he said, for two reasons: the greater one, and the one which he knew actuated the native soldiers, was their desire to preserve the Constitution of the Republic.

According to their own laws, the Vice-President must succeed when the President's term of office had expired, or in the event of his death.President Alvarez had been assassinated, and the Vice-President, General Rojas, was, in consequence, his legal successor.It was their duty, as soldiers of the Republic, to rescue him from prison, to drive the man who had usurped his place into exile, and by so doing uphold the laws which they had themselves laid down.The second motive, he went on, was a less worthy and more selfish one.The Olancho mines, which now gave work to thousands and brought millions of dollars into the country, were coveted by Mendoza, who would, if he could, convert them into a monopoly of his government.If he remained in power all foreigners would be driven out of the country, and the soldiers would be forced to work in the mines without payment.

Their condition would be little better than that of the slaves in the salt mines of Siberia.Not only would they no longer be paid for their labor, but the people as a whole would cease to receive that share of the earnings of the mines which had hitherto been theirs.

``Under President Rojas you will have liberty, justice, and prosperity,'' Clay cried.``Under Mendoza you will be ruled by martial law.He will rob and overtax you, and you will live through a reign of terror.Between them--which will you choose?''

The native soldiers answered by cries of ``Rojas,'' and breaking ranks rushed across the plaza toward him, crowding around his horse and shouting, ``Long live Rojas,'' ``Long live the Constitution,'' ``Death to Mendoza.'' The Americans stood as they were and gave three cheers for the Government.

They were still cheering and shouting as they advanced upon the Palace, and the noise of their coming drove the people indoors, so that they marched through deserted streets and between closed doors and sightless windows.No one opposed them, and no one encouraged them.But they could now see the facade of the Palace and the flag of the Revolutionists hanging from the mast in front of it.

Three blocks distant from the Palace they came upon the buildings of the United States and English Legations, where the flags of the two countries had been hung out over the narrow thoroughfare.

The windows and the roofs of each legation were crowded with women and children who had sought refuge there, and the column halted as Weimer, the Consul, and Sir Julian Pindar, the English Minister, came out, bare-headed, into the street and beckoned to Clay to stop.

``As our Minister was not here,'' Weimer said, ``I telegraphed to Truxillo for the man-of-war there.She started some time ago, and we have just heard that she is entering the lower harbor.

She should have her blue-jackets on shore in twenty minutes.Sir Julian and I think you ought to wait for them.''

The English Minister put a detaining hand on Clay's bridle.``If you attack Mendoza at the Palace with this mob,'' he remonstrated, ``rioting and lawlessness generally will break out all over the city.I ask you to keep them back until we get your sailors to police the streets and protect property.''

Clay glanced over his shoulder at the engineers and the Irish workmen standing in solemn array behind him.``Oh, you can hardly call this a mob,'' he said.``They look a little rough and ready, but I will answer for them.The two other columns that are coming up the streets parallel to this are Government troops and properly engaged in driving a usurper out of the Government building.The best thing you can do is to get down to the wharf and send the marines and blue-jackets where you think they will do the most good.I can't wait for them.And they can't come too soon.''

The grounds of the Palace occupied two entire blocks; the Botanical Gardens were in the rear, and in front a series of low terraces ran down from its veranda to the high iron fence which separated the grounds from the chief thoroughfare of the city.

Clay sent word to the left and right wing of his little army to make a detour one street distant from the Palace grounds and form in the street in the rear of the Botanical Gardens.When they heard the firing of his men from the front they were to force their way through the gates at the back and attack the Palace in the rear.

``Mendoza has the place completely barricaded,'' Weimer warned him, ``and he has three field pieces covering each of these streets.You and your men are directly in line of one of them now.He is only waiting for you to get a little nearer before he lets loose.''