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THE MEXICAN PUZZLE
29

vescence of enthusiasm, when the ambassador was being hugged by an unusually large number of Mexican officials, the band played the Hesitation Waltz.

One travels through Mexico to-day with an "exploradoro." Bandits are still operating along the railroad lines and it is not safe to be without "protection." The "exploradoro," which preceded the Honeymoon Special, was made up of two armoured cars filled with soldiers. In two day coaches on the Special itself were two groups of soldiers. One car contained the soldiers travelling with their families, in the other were men in uniform. On the back platform of the private car, which President Carranza used when he was First Chief of the Constitutionalists, stood three soldiers armed with heavy Mexican rifles. One day when the train was nearing Mexico City an American asked a member of President Carranza's staff about the Mexican rifles. The Captain replied they were "very good" except that they were "easily overheated." Then, adding that each gun was loaded with a minimum of ten rounds, he lifted one of the weapons to exhibit the ammunition. The rifle was empty! He examined the second. It was just as harmless, and when the third was opened the situation became embarrassing. The guard on the rear platform was without ammunition. The guard could not be condemned because the Carranza Government has needed the sinews of war and Mr. Fletcher