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"Well, and her? What sort of a face did she make coming back?" one of the men inquired. "Hum! She was so damned happy she was gabbing all the way." "And the tenderfoot?" "Just as quiet as he always is, you know him." "I think," Venancio expressed his opinion with great seriousness, "that if Camilla woke up in the General's bed, it was just a mistake. We drank a lot, remember!
But Venancio, standing by with his tins of lard and his dirty string rags ready, protested: "All right, if anybody lays a hand on Demetrio, I won't be responsible." "Nonsense! Rot! What kind of doctor do you think you are? You're no doctor at all. I'll wager you've already forgotten why you ever joined us," said Quail. "Well, I remember why you joined us, Quail," Venancio replied angrily.
Demetrio Macias rode at the head of his men; behind him the members of his staff: Colonel Anastasio Montanez, Lieutenant-Colonel Pancracio, Majors Luis Cervantes and Blondie. Still further behind came War Paint with Venancio, who paid her many compliments and recited the despairing verses of Antonio Plaza.
Quail, who had no faith in Venancio, requested the man to pull a tooth out. Blondie purchased a black seed from a certain fruit which protected the possessor from lightning or any other catastrophe. Anastasio Montanez purchased a prayer to Christ Our Lord upon the Cross, and, folding it carefully, stuck it into his shirt with a pious gesture.
Whenever anything was said about shooting someone, Valderrama, the romantic poet, would disappear for a whole day. Hearing Anastasio's voice, Valderrama was convinced that the prisoners had been set at liberty. A few moments later, he was joined by Venancio and Demetrio. "Heard the news?" Venancio asked gravely. "No." "It's very serious. A terrible mess!
Don't hesitate, Venancio, come at once and bring your funds. I promise you we'll get rich in no time. My best wishes to the General, to Anastasio, and the rest of the boys. Your affectionate friend, Luis Cervantes Venancio finished reading the letter for the hundredth time and, sighing, repeated: "Tenderfoot certainly knows how to pull the strings all right!"
The few remaining officers among Demetrio's friends also grumbled, because his staff was made up of wealthy, dapper young men who oiled their hair and used perfume. "The worst part of it," Venancio said, "is that we're gettin' overcrowded with Federals!" Anastasio himself, who invariably found only praise for Demetrio's conduct, now seemed to share the general discontent.
On September 18 Leyba continued his march, while Villa remained behind at Ilagan to torture the prisoners who might be brought in from Isabela. On arrival at Gamut, Leyba at once entered the convento and as usual immediately demanded money from the priests. Father Venancio gave him all he had.
"You said a mouthful, Louie," Venancio the barber put in enthusiastically. "A mouthful as big as a church!" "As I was saying," Luis Cervantes resumed, "when the revolution is over, everything is over. Too bad that so many men have been killed, too bad there are so many widows and orphans, too bad there was so much bloodshed.
He did not use the knife, however, but instead, assisted by his followers, gave the unhappy priest another terrific beating, even standing upon him and leaping up and down. The priest was left unable to speak, and did not recover for months. Later Leyba had torture by water applied to Father Gregorio Cabrero and lay brother Venancio Aguinaco, while Father Sabanda was savagely beaten.
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