Mexico Missouri message., 1918-08-01

''Be quiet" he told the boy. 81
won't let you go with me, and that
ends 1t. Tt will be hard enough for one
man to slip through; two would be
sure to fail"
"Those Spaniards will Skill your
Jacket walled.
$50 much the more reason for you
to stay here"
At this the boy uttered n louder
cry. He stamped his bare feet in n
frenzy Of disappointment. "You das-
sent leave me--you dassent" 1"
'Listen. people are starving in Ma
tanzas; they are sick; they are dying
In the streets"
'T don't eat much"
When Johnnie shook his head stub
bornly Jacket launched himself into a
torrent of profanity the violence of
which dried his tears. His vocabu-
larry was surprising. He reviled the
Spaniards, ORellly, himself, everybody
and everything; he leveled anathemas
at that woman who had come between
him and his beloved benefactOr. The
latter listened good-naturedly.
"You're a tough kid" he laughed,
when Jackets first rage had worn it.
self out. 81 like you, and I'd take you
II could. But this isn't an enterprise
for boy, and it won't get you any
thing to keep up this racket"
Jacket next tried the power of ar
gument. He attempted to prove that
in hazardous undertaking of this
sort his assistance would be invalu-
able. He was, so he declared, the one
person in all Cuba in every respect
qualified to share O'Reilly's perlls. To
begin with, he was not afraid Of Span
iards, or anything else, for that mat
ter-he dismissed the subject of per-
sonal courage with a contemptuous
shrug. AS for cunning, sagacity, pru-
dence, resource, all-around worth he
was, without doubt, unequaled in any
country. He was veritable Spartan,
too, when It came to hardship-priva-
ton and suffering were almost to his
| liking. He was Observation-Disclosures
| was something he had inherited; he
was dlplomat-diplomacy being one
OF his most unique accomplishments.
AS for this talk about hunger, O'Reilly
need not concern himself in the least
on that score, for jacket was small
eater and could grow fat on O diet of
dried leaves. Disease? Bah! 1t made
him laugh. His experience with sick
ness was wider than most fisicos, and
he was a better nurse than Miss Ev-
ans would ever be. Jacket did not wish
to appear in the least boastful. On
the contrary, he was actually too mod
est, as his friends could attest, but
truth compelled him to admit that he
was just the man for OReilly. He
found ii impossible to recommend him
self too highly; to save his soul he
could think Of no qualification in which
he was lacking and could see no rea-
son why his benefactor would not
greatly profit by the free use Of his
amazing talents. The enterprise was
difficult; 1t would certainly fail with
out him.
Johnnie remained carefully atten-
tive during this adjuration. He felt no
desire even to smile, for the boys ear
nestness was touching and it caused
the elder mans throat to tighten un-
comfortably. Johnnie had not realized
before how fond he had become of this
quaint yOungster. And so, when the
little fellow paused hopefully, O'ReiIly
put an arm around him.
'pm sure you are everything you
say you are, jacket, and more, too, but
you can't gO!"
With that Jacket flung off the en-
brace and, stalking away, seated him
self. He took u hdlf-smoked cigar
from the pocket of his shirt and lit it,
scowling the while Mt his friend. More
than once during the evening O'Reilly
detected his sullen, angry eyes upon
him.
General Betancourt and several men,
bers of his staff were up early the fol-
lowing morning to bid their visitor
good-by. In spite of their efforts to
make the parting cheerful 1t was plain
that they had but little hope of ever
again seeing this foolhardy American
Johnnie's spirits were not in the
least affected by this ill-conceaIed pes
simism, for, as he told himself, he had
money In his pockets and Matanzas
was not many miles away. But when
he came to part from Jacket he expert
enced a genuine disappointment. The
boy, strangely enough. was almost in
| different to his leaving; he merely ex-
tended limp, dirty hand, and replied
TO OReilly's parting words with a
| careless "Adlos!"
In hurt surprise the former inquired,
Don't we part good friends?'
"Sure!" Jacket shrugged, then
turned away.
Jacket was likable youngster; his
devotion was thoroughly unselfish; 1t
had not been easy to wound him. With
keener regrets than he cared to ac-
knowledge o'ReilIy set out upon his
journey, following the guide whom
General Betancourt had provided.
1t was lovely morning, sufficiently
warm to promise a hot midday; the