The Florence daily tribune., 1899-01-24

on, and McDuff waved her fan. They
talked like old friends. which means |
that sometimes they did not talk at all |
Yet they had known each other only
a week. McDuff talked about the north
and she about the east. They dis
cussed books and horses-the press
and the army.
Il saw young Brown, of the Tenth,
tonight. What n lot he has to say
about things ne knows not Of said
McDuff As the girl did not answer,
he continued, telling of the "call-
down" delivered by the colonel.
She laughed--a little sadly.
The colonel knew that MIR. Brown
would very soon have a chance to test
his emotions" she answered.
McDuff smiled, feeling the weight of
his war pass in his inside pocket.
I'VE all expect TO get to Cuba inside
two weeks" he said,
The girl looked at her watch.
ut is now II O'clock" she said. AT
half-past IL Lieut.. Brown starts for
Cuba on tug loaded with ammunition
and rifles. He has so Cubaus and few
of our regulars under him and will
try hard TO make landing. You see,
MIR. McDutf. that il is considered tai
ent in the army to be able to talk a
great deal without telling anything"
Sandy had no reply ready for this
statement. He wondered how she
came to know il all. But he did not
ask. He only remarked upon the late
ness of the hour and went off toward
his rooms in town
Three evenings later McDuff re-
turned from a hot ride and went up
on to the second balcony to cool off.
He unbuckled his leggings, pulled a
cigar from one pocket and 4 news
paper from another and dropped into
a steamer chair. The first thing he
saw was an account of the landing OF
the tug Lilly on the Cuban coast, of a
fierce fight with Spanish cavalry and
of the heroic behavior Of Lieut.. II. c.
Brown and his men. The report also
said that newspaper correspondent
with the party had escaped capture
only through the bravery and skin of
this same young Brown, who had freed
the man. single-handed, from the
clutches of three Spaniards. The enc
my was defeated. the arms and nmmu-
milton safely landed, and even now the
Lilly was on her return trip to Port
Tampa.
McDur Immediately refastened his
leggings and went around to call on
the girl in white and blue. He found
her in rustic chair, under a clump OF
yellow-stemmed bamboo. He took
back all the evil he had said and
thought of Brown, and then praised
him highly.
He was more successful on both his
other expeditions of the same kind"
she replied "They never had to fire
shot before"
McDutf was painfully surprised
why didn't he tell me that he had
been landing Cubans ever since the
declaration of war;" he groaned,
A week went by and still the troops
were not ordered on board the trans
ports, and still the war correspondents
waited for the countersigning of their
passes. McDuff grew tired of rushing.
about all day asking people what they
knew. so he decided to lie low and do
some work. He found that If he tried
to write during the day he lost too
much flesh. and at night he was nearly
killed by divers insects. So he turned
out few hundred words every morn
ing before breakfast, and spent the
rest of his day reading W. Clark Rus.
sells icy novel, THE Frozen Pirate"
| This and an outfit of white duck cloth
ing kept him fairly cool.
One night, much to his surprise. he
received call from Second Lieut..
Brown. As they shook hands he no
ticed an expression on his visitors face
"a shadow about the eyes which had
not been there AT their last meeting.
| They sat down, and McDutf spoke
about Browns rescue of the war cor
respondent.
Yes" replied the officer, "it made
a good newspaper story; but am sor-
| ry it came in my way. Remember
what the colonel said the other night
about killing man? Well. the colonel
was right. One of the three fellows
who had hold of the correspondents
was young captain--a man who had
received his education in Anne tica He
and l were very close friends once.
About five years ago he wert home to
Spain, and last week l shot him while
he was looking straight ia t. my eyes
Just lightning to recognize me. The
man / rescued wasn't worth that. |
think
Then brown put his face in his hands
ard cursed the necessity of war.-N.
Y. Independent.
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