Moreover, the stories of American warfare which he had managed
to read, despite the prohibition of the priests, had stirred his soul
and fired his blood. But army life in California! It meant languishing
in barracks, hoping for a flash in the pan between two rival houses, or
a possible revolt against a governor. If the Americans should come with
intent to conquer! Roldan ground his teeth and stamped his foot. Then,
indeed, he could not get to the battlefield fast enough. But the United
States would never defy Mexico. They were clever enough for that. His
anger left him, and he gave a little regretful sigh. Not only would he
like that kind of a battle, but it would be great fun to know some
American boys. Then he shook his head impatiently and dismissed these
tourist thoughts. The present alone was to be considered.
There were two ways to avoid conscription. One was to marry--Roldan
sniffed audibly; the other lay in flight and eluding the men until their
round was over for the year.
Roldan did not like the idea of running away from anything; he and
several of his father's vaqueros had once made an assault upon a band of
cattle thieves and hunted them into the mountains: that was much more to
his taste.
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