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.
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."

Wine and beer were served; Demetrio and Natera
drank many a toast. Luis Cervantes proposed: "The tri-
umph of our cause, which is the sublime triumph of Jus-
tice, because our ideal--to free the noble, long-suffering
people of Mexico--is about to be realized and because
those men who have watered the earth with their blood
and tears will reap the harvest which is rightfully theirs."

Natera fixed his cruel gaze on the orator, then turned his
back on him to talk to Demetrio. Presently, one of Na-
tera's officers, a young man with a frank open face, drew