"And you, Senorita Evelyn, why are you going over tonight?"
"Well--to be d.a.m.n truthful, Senor, I"m going over for a drink," answered Evelyn.
"That is a very good reason, Senorita--Gratias!"
The men moved slowly through the car, going through every bundle and package, regardless of size, whether it be large or small, making men stand up, and feeling them over for firearms, finally leaving the car to ramble its way on to town.
"My Heavens, they are particular tonight," said Pearl.
"They will be that way until the war is over, and what good it does, I don"t know," answered Evelyn.
Juarez, since the reports of the war, and the warning for Americans to stay on their own side, there were twice as many people in the bars as there usually were at this hour of the evening. They stayed on the car until they arrived at the Lobby No. 2, where they got off the car, with Pearl holding her head down so that no one might see the black eye.
"I wonder what Harry will say when he sees my shiner?"
"Black eyes are nothing new to Harry."
They went into the bar--crowds were milling, singing, talking, cursing and drinking to the war.
"This is going to be another wild night over here--I can see that already--come on, let"s get a drink, and then you can go in and see Harry."
"O. K."
"Well, for the love of Jees--what happened to you?" asked Mickey, as she came up to Pearl. "You needn"t tell me--Big Boy--ain"t I right?"
"Right--what are you drinking, Mickey?" asked Pearl.
"Whiskey--but how did it happen, and when?"
"Well, he is jealous of me--and he knew I was lying about last night, and so--he took a sock at me."
"Ah, that"s lousy."
"Yeah--that"s lousy, but she got returns at once," said Evelyn. "She has already moved to the Hussman, and what an apartment--and then the boy friend came in and handed her a bank book all her own, with a grand for her to check on--then he goes away tonight to the mine, and Pearl is going to be true to him till he comes back--like h.e.l.l."
"Well, that calls for celebration," said Mickey, as she drank her whiskey.
"It does," answered Pearl. "I think we should do it tonight, after the bridge closes--what do you say?"
"Good--I"ll be there, but I ain"t telling anyone about it--you do your own telling--I might invite someone you don"t want--well, I got a date to roll a guy--I"ll be seeing you," as she went into the crowd.
"Mickey is a d.a.m.n good scout," said Pearl.
"She"s regular," answered Evelyn.
"Oh, listen--that"s Harry singing--come on in and let"s sit at a table and see the show--I could watch him all night."
"You probably will--but he won"t be singing."
"Now, Ev, you shouldn"t begrudge me a little pleasure--at least Harry never gave me a black eye."
"No--and from all I hear, he ain"t got much of what you"re crazy about, to give, either."
"Do you believe all you hear, Ev?"
"Well, I can"t say that I do--but I have no reason to doubt the rumor, unless you care to enlighten me on the subject."
"Well, darling, you use your imagination--and sign my name to it."
"Really."
"Surest thing, Ev."
"Don"t tell me I"ve missed something."
"I think you have."
"Well, it"s really too late now--all I can do is be sorry."
"You see, Ev--what I really like about Harry is his--well, his way."
"No--REALLY," said Evelyn, eyes wide.
"That"s what it is."
"Well, I admit I"ve always suspected Harry."
"What?" said Pearl.
"Oh, nothing," smiled Evelyn, "But that calls for another drink--waiter, whiskey, quick."
"I"ll have one, too--p.r.o.nto."
They drank the whiskey, and crowded their way into the cabaret, and back near the band stand, where they found an unoccupied table, that commanded a good view of the show.
"I"ll be with you in a few minutes," said Harry, as he pa.s.sed their table.
"Just a minute--Ladies and Gentlemen--I have some news--I"ve been requested by the management to read for your benefit," said Harry, as he silenced the crowd, then continued reading from a yellow piece of paper in his hand: "The Rebels have taken Chihuahua City, and are organizing more troops for the march on Juarez."
The crowd was silent; not a sound or a word for several minutes, then the sounds started, with low whispers, then rose to the usual loud singing, talking, dancing, still rising higher and noisier, until the gaiety was at the point of hysteria.
Mexicans stole sly glances at each other, some very serious and worried, others not noticing or caring that the rebels were going to march on Juarez, and others wondering which side to stick to, as the winning side is always the best, and if the rebels had taken Chihuahua City, Juarez would be nothing.
Americans who ordinarily came over the border every night to have their little drink and waste a few hours, and go home practically as sober as they came over, were drinking with the best of the lot, as they knew that if the fighting was to take place in the city, as it had done before, there would be no chance to come over and have the usual drink; therefore drink all that was possible while the drinking was good; others, who remained gentlemen, whether drunk or sober, were making a.s.ses of themselves in huge form, and there is nothing that can be so perfect an a.s.s as an American in a country other than his own, and with a mind made up to show off; hence, hilarity in its most violent form held sway for the rest of the night, cars and drunken people so numerous on the International Bridge it would be impossible for the gates to be closed before at least one o"clock, and the Customs and Immigration Officials dared not close the bridge until those that were dragging themselves and others were across, as it was possible that the Rebels would take a train, or an engine with a caboose, and in one of their moments of madness, which are many in the Mexican temperament, and leave Chihuahua City without the rest of the Rebel army, and just cause enough for a fight, to kill some innocent bystander, which is a known fact, that in a battle in Mexico there are more people killed by accident than with actual intent, as they are very bad shots, but if they ever work up enough courage to come close enough for a hand-to-hand fight, they either do it with knives, or call the whole thing off and go into the nearest bar, and have a drink. It is not an unusual thing to see the Federal army and the Rebel army call off the fighting for lunch and the usual noon siesta, and a general get-together, and congratulate each other on the bravery of the things they have seen done, or have heard of. Knowing this, and knowing that when the fighting did start in Juarez, that there would be as many bullets fall on the American side as on the Mexican side, Fort Bliss had already stationed a troop of men at the foot of the Santa Fe Bridge; consequently, with all the ribaldry the bridge had to be kept open until nearly two o"clock.
Thrill seekers and tourists who were out to see everything and experience everything, stayed in Juarez that night, hoping to see some fighting and have first-hand information to tell the folks back in Kansas, or Ohio, just what it was like, and with the usual intelligence, which isn"t above that of a stray cur, thinking it possible to witness a battle, but expecting that, owing to the fact that they were American citizens, that the Mexicans would watch where they were shooting, and not a hair on them would be harmed.
Men whose wives in their drunken stupor wanted to stay in Juarez; men with women that they had picked up, but were too drunk to walk, were thrown over their shoulders, and carried like a bag of meal to the American side of the bridge; drunken women helping women more drunk than they, with the occasional leaning over the side of the bridge to let off some of the last of the liquid cargo they had taken on at the last bar.