The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1905-12-23
NJ. 1877. by r. TennysOn Neely.
CHAPTER XIV.
On the Way to the Plaza De Toros.

On the Way to the Plaza De Toros.
Smithers is secretly delighted with
the great nerve exhibited by his pat
rcn, for if there is anything on earth
the secret agent admires, it is pure
grit
Havana is never thoroughly awake
until this hour of sunset. and tonight
the gay capital means to outdo every
previous effort. The horrors of war
will be forgotten in the grandeur OF
a military carnival, and until the small
hours of the early morning merrlment
must abound.
Aroused from his reverie by the
coming of a servant, Jack is again led
to the dining hall, where he finds the
senorita awaiting him.
She looks more ravishingly beaut-
full than before, and might charm the
most confirmed bachelor; but Jack
touches the cardboard in the pocket
over his heart, and 10. before his
eyes appears an angelic face, brown
haired, rosy-cheeked. blue-eyed lassie.
and he feels secure. That is his tails
man; he fears no fetish in existence.
They become quite sociable over
the dinner.
She describes some of the wonderful
sights he will see at the grand recep-
ton, and the ardor with which she
enters upon the subject declares that,
after all, modern Joan of Arc as she
has proven herself. leading the patri-
ots into battle, Lola is but woman,
with all the love of her sex for gay
scenes, where music and jewels and
lovely damsels. as well as dashing
military gallants, hold court with Terp-
sichere.
Then Smithers bobs up serenely
and proceeds to make himself quite
at home at the table of this most
singular Cuban senorita.
Jack is struck by the fact. nnd
shoots a quick glance from one fhce
to the other, as a sudden suspicion
g1llops through his brain. Can IT be
possible there is any relation between
these two? It would be remarkable,
indeed, after he found himself th1own
into the company of Lola at Santa Fe
and smithers in Edinburgh. to nave
them turn out father and daughter;
and yet, after all, not more singular
than some other chapters in his ex-
perience. At least. a mysterious tie
connects them that is more cogent
than the fact of their being both sworn
to the service of Cuba libra.
Half an hour later the two men,
having altered their usual street dress
for something more appropriate to the
captain generals reception, leave the
sylvan retreat in which they have
found such refuge. and with All Sin
a; bodyguard. head in the direction
of the Plaza de Toros.
Even Jacks phelgmatic. cold Yankee
biodd is stirred by the picture present
e6 by the wide square thronged with
people. as seen under the hume erOus
glitterirg electric lights. and variety
of glowing colored lanterns hung for
effect upon the branches of orange
trees or over the booths of the street
vendors.
1t is a grand holiday for Havana. and
Ter citizens desire to make the most
OF it: for. in spite of the presence of
SO many soldiers. the merchants are
Uneasy about the future, knowing that.
as of old, Cuba is proving the grave
yard for the flower of Spain's army,
and it has become simply test of
endurance. They see new troops con-
stantly arriving and going to the front,
multitudes being brought back sick.
and shipped home or buried: while
Gomez and Maceo and Garcia still hold
their own, sometimes making their
presence known by a dasn into the
very suburbs of the capital.
In giancing around with some curl
osity AZ they make slow progress