The Monticellonian., 1918-08-23


 touched his face again, then his thin, worn rags. "You, too. have suffered. How came you to be so poor and hun gry. O'Rail-ye?'
 I'm not poor, I'm rich. See" He jingled the coins in his pocket That's money; money for you, sweetheart Ii will buy you food and medicine, it will make you strong again Rosa, dear, I have looked for you so long, so long" His voice broke wretchedly and he bowed his head. IT was afraid"
 T waited as long as I had strength to wait" she told him. Tt is too bad you came SD late"
 Once again she lapsed into the leth- argy of utter weakness, whereupon he fell to stroking her hands. calling upon ] her to come back to him. He was be
 lie himself now; terrible feeHng of impotence and despair overcame him.
 Tearing someone speak. he raised his eyes and discovered at his side that l figure of want which he had seen dig 1 ging on the slope below. IL was Evan l gclina. The negress was little more than skin and bones, her eyes were bIeared and yellow and sunken, her face had grown apelike. but he rec ognized her and she him. You are the American" she de i elared You are Rosas man."
 Yes. But what is wrong with her? Look She is ill.,
 She is often like that. It Is the hunger. We have nothing to eat, se- nor. l, too, am ill-dying; and Asen- sio-- Oh, you don't know how they have made us suffer-"
 We must get Rosa home. Where do you liye?'
 EYangelina turned her deaths head toward the city. Down wonder. But what's the use? There k no food in our house and Rosa is afraid of those wagons. You know-the ones with the corpses. She bade me bring her here to die
 The girl was not wholly unconscious it seemed, for she stirred and murmured faintly: Those wagons Don't let them put me in there with the other dead. They pile the bodies high A weak shudder convulsed her.
 OsReilly bent lower, and in strong. determined voice cried You are not going to die. I have money for food Rouse yourself, Rosa, rouse yourself"
 "She prayed for you every night" the negress volunteered. "Such faith Such trust. She never doubted that you would come and find her. Some times she cried, but that was because of her brother. Esteban, you know, is dead. Yes, dead, like all the rest"
 "Esteban is not dead" O'Reilly as serted. He is alive. Rosa, do you hear that? Esteban is alive and well. l left him with Gomez in the Orient. have come to take you to him?"
 "Esteban alive? Ia! You are fool i1A us.s Evangelina wagged her head wisely. I've know better than that"
 T tell you he is alive" OReilly in- sisted. He heard Jacket calling to him at that moment, so he halleoed to the boy; then when the latter had arrived, he explained briefly. without allowing Jacket time in which to express his amazement:
 Our search is over; We have found them. But they won't believe that Esteban is alive. Tell them the truth"
 "Yes. he is alive. We found him rotting in a prison and we rescued him. Jacket corroborated. He stared curiously at the recumbent fifigure on the bench, then at OReily. He puck cred his lips and gave vent to low whistle of amazement. "So This is your pretty one, eh? r. She We'll, I don't think much of her But then, you are not so handsome yourself, are you?"
 Evangelina seemed to be stupid, "a triae touched, perhaps. from suffering, for she laid a skinny claw upon O'Reil- ly's shoulder and warned him earnest ly: Look out for Cobo. You have heard about him, eh? Well, he is the cause of all our misery. He hunted us from place to place, and it was for him that I put that hump on her back. Un- derstand me. she is straight-straight and pretty enough for any American. Her skin is like milk. too. and her hair-she used to put flowers in it for you, and then we would play games. But you never came. You will make allowances for her looks, will you not?"
 Poor Rosa You two poor erea- tures," O'Reilly choked; he hid his face upon his sweetheart's breast.
 Rosa responded; her fingers caressed him and she sighed contentedly
 O'Reillys ascent of the hill had been slow, but his descent was infinitely slower. for Rosa was so feeble that she could help herself but little and he lacked the strength to carry her far at time. Finally however, they reached the wretched hovel where Asensio lay. then leaving her there, Johnnie sped on alone into the city. He returned soon with several small bundles concealed about his person. and with Evangelina's help he set about preparing food.
 Neither Rosa nor the two negroes had any superintendent hunger had long since passed the point at which they were conscious of it-and O'Reilly was compelled to force them to eat. When he had given them all that he dared he offered what food was left to Jacket.
 The boy moistened his lips and his fingers twtched, but he shook his head.
 "Oh, I'm not so hungry" he declared, indifferently. 'T have a friend in the market place; I will go down there and steal fish from him."