The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-08-15

TAN, lean, hungry fellows from Santi-
ago, managed to hack their way
through a wire fence and get behind a
detachment OF the enemy who had
made a stand under hill. They
charged, and for a wonder they got
close enough to use their machetes. 1t
was bloody work-the kind you read
abOut-no quarter Somehow Jacket
managed to be right in the middle of
the butchery. He's q bravo kid, all
right Muy major
at that moment Branch approached.
his long face set In lines Of discomfort,
even deeper than usual. He had been
wandering about the camp in one OF
his restless fits. and now he began:
Say. what do you think I've been
doing? I've been looking up some grub
for Miss Evans, and can't find any,"
Cant find any?"
Nothing fit for her to eat. You
don't expect her to live on this infer
nal, eternal beef stew
Didn't Major Ramos bring anything
alOng?" O'RelIly asked.
HE says there's a famine at Cubi-
tas."
Wed better look into this" Judson
exclaimed. and. finding that his clothes
were dry, he hurriedIy began 10 dress
himself
Together, the three men made an in
yestgatiOn of the camps resources.
only to discover that Branch was right.
There was, indeed, but little food of
any kind, and that little was of the
coarsest- Ordinarily, such condition
OF affairs would have occasioned them
no surprise, for the men were becoming
accustomed to more or less chronic
scarcity Of provisions; but the pres
ence Of NOrine Evans put quite a diff
ferent complexion upon the matter.
They were still discussing the situation
when Miss Evans, having finished her
afternoon nap. threw open the flaps OF
her tent and stepped out.
When she had listened to the ac-
count apologetically submitted by her
three friends, she drew her brows to-
gether, saying, plaintfvely: "Oh dearl
We've been going short for a week,
and Major Ramos told me we'd fare
better when we got here. had my
mouth all set for banquet CouIdn't
you even find the poor dog a bone?"
I'm afraid the cupboard is bare"
O'ReilIy acknowledged.
DO you know what want for din
ner2" Norine inquired. Lamb chops
with green peas, some nice white bread.
a salad, and Coffee
The three men looked at her anxious
~ JudsOn stirred uneasily.
That's what want. I don't expect
to get it"
With a sigh of relief the captain ex-
claimed, Il thought you were giving
your order"
Goodness, mol" With a laugh the
girl seated herself upon her one camp
chair, inviting her callers to dispose
themselves on the ground about her.
IF you can stand the food, dare say I
can Now then, tell me what you've
been doing since you left Cubitas. I've
been frightened to death that some of
you would be hurt. That's one reason
why I've been working night and day
helping to get the hospitals in shape.
L can't bear to think Of our boys being
wounded. Everything is so different
to what thought it would be, and I'm
so weak and ineffective The medical
supplies I brought are nearly all gone,
AID I've learned what hard work it Is
fitting up hospitals when there's moth
ing to fit them up with She sighed. |
Il imagined I was going to work won
ders-I thought I was going to be a
Florence Nightingale, and the men
were going to idolize me-
Don't they?" Judson demanded.
''NO. That iS-not in exactly the
way 1 expected"
''They all want to marry her"
O'Reilly explained.
''InsOlent bunch :" growled the CAP
tain Then he swallowed hard and
said, But for that matter, so do L"
''HOw silly you boys can be !" Norfne
laughed Il dare say the others are
Joking too, but"
"JOking?" O'ReiIly grinned. mot at
all. I'm the only single man in camp
who isn't in love with you. When you
arrived this morning there was a gen.
eral stampede for the river. I'll bet
the fish in this stream will taste OF soap
for years to come"
As if TO point O'ReiIIy's words at the
moment appeared Colonel Lopez.
shaved blOOd-raw and clad in a recent
ly Numbered uniform which was still
damp. The three Americans rose to
salute him. but discipline was lax and
he waved them back to their seats.