"Come along, Darrin. We'll see what can be done for our countrywomen."
Hastily descending, and following the messenger, the two officers were met at the door of a spacious room by Ensign Dalzell.
"Ladies," said Dan, turning, "here are Lieutenant Trent and Ensign
Darrin. The former commands this detachment."
On the floor lay more than a dozen wounded Mexicans.
Two of the American women, having had nursing experience, had taken good care of the injured.
"Ladies," asked Lieutenant Trent, "have you been roughly treated by the Mexicans?"
"Far from it," said one of the women. "The Mexican officer in command treated us with great consideration. We were in the main part of the hotel, the wooden building. The Mexican officer told us that his men were going to occupy the roof as a military necessity, and that there would be fighting. He assured us that we would be safer in the annex, and escorted us here."
"Where is that officer now?" asked Trent, promptly. "I would like to shake hands with him."
"I am afraid you would have to travel inside the Mexican lines," said another woman. "A little while ago a party of horsemen rode up to the rear of the hotel, and one officer, a lieutenant-colonel, came up into the hotel and sought the officer in command here, ordering him to withdraw with his men, leaving only a few behind to keep up a show of resistance."
"I will see that you are taken at once inside the American lines," declared Trout. "There you will be safe."