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Without a change of expression, one of the deserters stared persistently at him and said: "I know who you are. When we took Torreon you were with General Urbina. In Zacatecas you were with General Natera and then you shifted to the Jalisco troops. Am I lying?" These words met with a sudden and definite effect. The prisoners gave a detailed account of the tremendous defeat of Villa at Celaya.
I heard about the beatings you gave the Federals from Tepic to Durango." Natera shook hands with Demetrio effusively while Luis Cervantes said: "With men like General Natera and Colonel Demetrio Macias, we'll cover our country with glory." Demetrio understood the purpose of those words, after Natera had repeatedly addressed him as "Colonel."
"Now," said Demetrio, "we'll go and consult with General Natera!" They made for the northern leader's billet. A noisy, excited crowd stopped them at a street crossing. A man, lost in the multitude, was mouthing words in the monotonous, unctuous tones of a prayer.
That's why Villa and Natera and Carranza are fighting; that's why we, every man of us, are fighting." "Yes ... yes ... exactly what I've been thinking myself," said Venancio in a climax of enthusiasm. "Hey, there, Pancracio," Macias called, "pull down two more beers." "You ought to see how clear that fellow can make things, Compadre," Demetrio said.
Natera fixed his cruel gaze on the orator, then turned his back on him to talk to Demetrio. Presently, one of Natera's officers, a young man with a frank open face, drew up to the table and stared insistently at Cervantes. "Are you Luis Cervantes?" "Yes. You're Solis, eh?" "The moment you entered I thought I recognized you. Well, well, even now I can hardly believe my eyes!" "It's true enough!"
Brushing back his long hair, that had fallen over his sweating forehead and covered his eyes, Demetrio said: "Now let's get those city fellows!" On the day General Natera began his advance against the town of Zacatecas, Demetrio with a hundred men went to meet him at Fresnillo. The leader received him cordially. "I know who you are and the sort of men you bring.
Do you understand me, General?" Demetrio nodded assent. "What's your opinion, General?" asked Natera. Demetrio shrugged his shoulders: "It seems to me that the meat of the matter is that we've got to go on fighting, eh? All right! Let's go to it! I'm game to the end, you know." "Good, but on what side?" Demetrio, nonplussed, scratched his head: "Look here, don't ask me any more questions.
"As sure as there's a God in heaven," Natera said, "this mess hasn't blown over yet. Now it's Villa fighting Carranza." Without answering him, his eyes fixed in a stare, Demetrio demanded a further explanation. "It means," Natera said, "that the Convention won't recognize Carranza as First Chief of the Constitutionalist Army. It's going to elect a Provisional President of the Republic.
But Solis' story proved so charming, so convincing, that before long he found himself repeating it as gospel truth. "Natera is a genius!" Luis Cervantes said when they had returned to the hotel. "But Captain Solis is a nobody ... a timeserver." Demetrio Macias was too elated to listen to him. "I'm a colonel, my lad! And you're my secretary!"
Without paying the slightest attention, she said: "General Natera is going to hand you out a little general's eagle. Put it here and shake on it, boy!" She stuck out her hand at Demetrio and shook it with the strength of a man. Demetrio, melting to the congratulations raining down upon him, ordered champagne. "I don't want no more to drink," Blondie said to the waiter, "I'm feeling sick.
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