Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-17
copyrIsnt. 1917 Harper & nro'o
cuApTER XIV (COntinued)

CHArl ~"
txyEs, and an unusual won. :, she
HH .,s contributed literally to our
would like you to meet her"
eus well: but I've only one suit of
~, and It looks as If I'd slept In it,
"os hother the clothes" laughed the
',,r .T've given most Of mine to
a.stItute countrymen. Don't expect
,,,h 70 eat, either; every extra dol.
..,, know. goes the same way as my
Ira trousers. 1t will be a sort OF pa
.so,ic poverty party Come at seven,
please" =. - ..,,, ,,
~. branch when he had learned Of
,ompanion's invitation. And to
-, a philanthropic old lady! Gee!
s,.,hs she'll offer to adopt you. Who
Knows"
sirt"
Brothers in Poverty
rq do IT," readily agreed the other.
~, s,.ke YOU to my last one. But keep
Lon, Have care for the cuffs-a
Mule inadvertency with the soup may
IN my prospects for job. You un-
s-.,.nd don't you. that our next meal
/ .n.r this one may depend upon this
u 49, prosperous appearance?' Branch
,,.d into his bag and emerged with a
-.,a,, ,aundered shirt done up In n
crh.n newspaper He unwrapped the
Il .,rment and gazed fondly upon 1t, muir
r,rnr. "'Tis a pretty thing, is it not?'
NJ exertions had brought on a violent
,or0hine spell, which left him weak and
\ .osnino. but when he had regained his
breath he went on in the same key;
|mArain I solemnly warn you that this
.ro,ess bosom is our bulwark against
ooverty. One stain may cut down my
mace rates; editors are an Internally
hstidious lot. Fortunately they want
,.c,s about the war in Cuba. and I'm full
of EN-. I've fought in the trenches and
heard the song of grape and canister
grapefruit and canned goods, you
mean" O'Reilly grinned.
"Well, I shall write with both In mind.
The hope Of one will stir memories of the
otber. And who Is there to dispute me?
AZ least l know what a battle should be
like and I shall try to thrill my readers
with imaginary combats."
O'Reilly eyed the speaker with appre-
ciation. On the way north he had learned
10 know Leslie Branch and to like him,
for he had discovered that the man
possessed a rare and pleasing popularity
Of disposition. Ordinarily Branch was
bitter, irritable pessimistic: but when his
luck was worst and his fortunes lowest
he frightened up. It seemed that he re-
acted naturally, automatically. against
misfortune. Certainly his and O'Reilly's
plight upon leaving Cuba had been suftl-
GENTLY unpleasant, for they were almost
penniless, and the invalid, moreover,
knew that he was facing probably fatal
.cimate; nevertheless, once they We're at
'ea, he had ceased his grumbling, and
6hd surprised his travelling companion
III assuming Il genuinely cheerful mien.
Even yet O'Rellly was not over his
amazement; he could not make up his
mind whether the man was animated by
desperate courage or merely by hopeless
resignation. But whatever the truth.
the effect Of this typical perversity had
been most agreeable. And when Leslie
cheerfully volunteered to share the pro-
ceeds Of his newspaper work during their
stay in New York. thus enabling his
friend to seize the first chance of return
Ing to Cuba, Johnnie's affection for him
was cemented. But Branchs very cheer
fulness worried him; it seemed to botoken
That the fellow was sicker than he would
confess.
Miss Evans
That evening O'Reilly anticipated his
dinner engagement by few moments In
order to have a word alone with
Alvarado
I've seen Enrlquez," he told the doc.
'tor, but he won't promise to send me
through. He says the Junta is besieged
soy fellows who want to fight for Cuba
ana OF course 1 don't. When appealed