The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-01-14
A Cuban FiIibuster.
CBy Harold Bindlass in an English Mag
azine IN Three Partsl
PART I

-
that made respiration difficult and exer-
ton an impossibility while across the talI
palms ashore and the white houses OF the /
Cuban town there rolled mass OF steamy /
haze
Beneath the Oiivet's pOop-awnings from |
which the condensed moisture trickied and |
fell in drops, the captain, engineer ana !
mate sat before a Widespread taoie' |
wherein TASKS of red and ysIof wine nes-
tied among mangoes, crimson bananas
and golden pineapples. The three were
ON better terms than is usually the case,
for. having been engaged in certain
trade between the Gulf ports and Cuba,
in which they occasionally carried goods
not enumerated il any manifest. the Noy-
age had been a profitable one for all con-
cerned.
Well" said the mate. hopping his
dripping forehead, I never want 10 80
ashore in Arucas again ! can see that
fring-seuad now and the hah dead
wretehes writhing upon the stones. Ihank
goodness we're going out tonight nj
sick of Cuba. There's another batch OF
insurgents 10 be done to death tomorrow,
they say. Cold-5lOoded murder, and dis
grace 70 humanity. I call il. And now.
I suppose, they're going to church proud
| of what they've done Listen TO them
pah,''
| From out Of the mist above the town
! there rose the clang of bells. and when
/ rhis had died away a strain OF music came
| through the listless air, as the crew OF
| a Spanish war-ship lying close at hand
/ formed up in parallel lines along her deck
/ The band took UP its station. ana the OH
! GERS stood hareheaded upon her poop as
/ the silken fields Of the Spanish ensign nut
| tered down from the peak, limp streak
! of crimson and gold
! Music and incense in the churches, and
| baIf-dried blood on every stone IN the
! 5laza-it's a curious world. After what
! rye seen / could be a rebel myself, said
/ the mate. The captain merely nodded; ne
was a plain man. and rarely wasted words
but the grim old engineer glanced towards
the Spanish cruiser with a fash In his
keen eyes, that his fireman knew and
/ dreaded.
with steam at a hummer an nifty an
| seventy revolutions l would like fine TO
! grind the auId OIivet's stem right through
her-tust there amidships." he said. The
captain smiled as he answered: Il believe
you. Mr.. Gordon"
Then the Marcia real rang out from the
| cruisers deck. and afterwards there was
/ silence, only broken by an unlovely voice
! chanting something about Home dearle,
| home" in time TO the wheeling OF con-
certina beneath, the cargo boats forecastIe
| awning.
Presently the skipper rose sharply to his
feet. Hello. what in the world do you
want?" he asked. gaunt man, dress
| ed in dilapidated linen garments, which
might have been white long time ago,
came UP out of provision barge along
side. and climbing the poop-ladder. drop
ped YEARLY into a chair. Thrusting back
| the remains of a shapeless Panama hat
from a swarthy, sunburned forehead, he
| said: well. you ought to know me, Cap
tain Armstrong. Thought l was a Gu
BANJO. eh?" and he turned a pair of woltsh
| eyes toward the table.
The skipper gasped with establishment.
| watkins, who joined the Port Wampa FL
| clustering expedition" he said; but the
| engineer inteTposed: The mans JUST
starving Give him time Drink this
first and eat Watkins, we'll listen III we
after
The stranger ate ravenously, like one
who had not seen food for days. and then.
| throwing back the linen jacket, showed
| a GURUS blue mark on his shoulder, and
livid scars upon his wrist. That's where
| a rif1e-ball went in, and hot iron made
the Others he said. cut off from the
| shin. landing arms we were, and hunted
like beasts.
where's Wilson, who. went with you?'
| asked the skipper.
I'm coming 10 that" the man replied.
! eevTi1son nursed me when l was shot, and
then We fell into the Spaniards hands.
An officer laughed when l said we were
| British. and they burned my wrists TO
/ make me tell where the rebels lay. It's
true. Gordon YOU needn't stare, like that;
7 saw them tear out one wretched peas
/ ants nails. l got away one night and as
hadn't been in the West Indies ten
wears without learning to speak Spanish
like a native I followed that detachment
of Cazadores day and night. sleeping in
the swamps and begging as l went. me
| peasants all hate the Spaniards at heart,
and they gave me what they could 10
dav 7 stood in the plaza, and saw my Gu
ban comrades shot like dogs There are
| others, and Wilson is among them. too.
| whom they take on board the cruiser to-
night TO be murdered in patches some
| where else. as al example, and the ques-
ton is, will you help me to take him
out?"
IT'S a risky business. and I don't see
how it is 10 be done Why didn't you re-
mort to- the Consult said the skipper.
wrinkIing his brows-
watkins rose stiffly TO his feet, gaunt
| skeleton OF a man, with the stamp OF
| pain and munger upon MS iehts- MI V =
no Consul in this forlorn place; and how
! could | reach Havana without money
and the chance Of being seized on the
wavq I've passed as a Cuban and the
| Srarish officers would insist / was one;
/ they don't waste time on investigation
Last night they took of a detachment OF
prisoners. six neEroe bOatmeu, who hate
the Spaniards like poison, and two half
! drflIad coDscrfpt guards IN each barge,
Another batch goes of 81 ten tonight. !
found that out Now. If you drop in-shore
1ou might run foul OF the craft by acci-
dent" hen the speaker flung MS arms
above his head. as he added see mere
: Armstrong. I followed that detachment
. starving. and risked my life a dozen times
IN irving 10 contrive my comrades IS
: cape. II you can't help me. III 20 oacs
{ sna die with him. Which is * to bef
? ..Tt's a risky business" said the snp-
ner again. "but well Try" Tha mate
D | i,rorenr down MS Est with "a crash. ~ Ne d
J ,ake him out be said: yes. b. heaven
J y,a,u lake him out Il We have % run GOVT
. I ~ r-7,isar too The engineer SAID n
Z ,-o-a hut hurried away below with
-, smile upon his face and from N
: vfro-,us language that rose ~ through
! The gratfnEs il became eFl1es4l Hs va
Z r,ref7ly engaged. Presently the escape
4 -. trarubled and throb5ed with a FibT'tl
I 49,, -,,sb II steam. and The mate ch1cH-ed
4 g. Ia knew that GordDns heart was y
- vr,~s- as rule he would sooner spa
, - 800 tosn waste a pound % coal
1