Evening star., 1918-02-03

d.
den fear assailed him. His voice shook
as he asked:
What is it? My God. Not bad
news?''
There was no need for the officer to
answer. In his averted gaze O'Reilly
read confirmation of his sickest appre-
tensions. The men faced each other
for long moment, while the color
cheeks leaving him pallid. stricken. He
wet his lips to speak, but his voice
was no more than dry. throaty rustic
Tell me. Which one?" he whispered
Both"
OReilly recoiled: a spasm distorted
his chalky face He began to shake
weakly. and his fingers plucked aim
lessly at each other.
Lopez took him by the arm. Try
to control yourself" said he. "Sit here
know. Or, would it not be better to
wait a while. until you are calmer?'
AS the young man made no answer
except to start at him in white agony
then. as you wish. But you must be
suffered MY father"-Lopez's mus
tached lip drew back. and his teeth
showed through-"died In the Laurel
Ditch at Cabanas. On the very day
an old man. Christ! 1t is because OF
such things that we Cubans fight while
we starve-that we shall continue to
fight until no Spaniard is left upon
this island. We have all faced some
thing like that which you are facing
now-our parents murdered. our sisters
and our sweethearts wronged."
O'Reilly. huddled where he had sunk
upon the bench. uttered gasping. in
articulate cry, and covered his face as
If from a lash.
Il will tell you all 1 know-which
isn't much. Esteban Varona came to
me soon after he and his sister had
fed from their home: he wanted to
on every side. and / didn't dare take
the girl-no woman could have en-
dured the hardships we suffered. So
l convinced him that his first duty was
he agreed. He was fine boy. He had
spirit. He bought some stolen rifles
and armed band of his own-which
wasn't a bad idea. I used to hear
about him. Nobody cared to molest
him, ! can tell you, until finally he
killed some Of the regular troops Then.
of course, they went after him. Mean
while. he managed to destroy his own
plantation, which Cueto had robbed him
of. You knew Cueto?'
Yes"
We'll, Esteban put an end to him
after while; rode right up to La
Joya one night, broke in the door, and
macheted the scoundred in his bed. But
there was a mistake of some sort 1t
seems that a body of Cobo's volunteers
were somewhere close by, and the two
parties met. / have never learned all
the details of the affair, and the stories
Of that fight which came to me are too
preposterous for belief. Still. Esteban
and his men must have fought like
demons. for they killed some in
credible number. But they were
human - they could not defeat
regiment 1t seems that only one or
two of them escaped"
"Esteban? Did he"
Col Lopez nodded: then he said.
gravely: "Cobo takes no prisoners.
was in the Rubi hills at the time. fight
got back into Matanzas. Naturally. when
/ heard what had happened, 7 tried to
find the girl. but Weyler was concen-
tratng the pacficos by that time. and
was desert
Then you don't know positively that
she-that She
wait There is no doubt that the
boy was killed. but of Rosa's fate / can
only form my own opinion. However.
one of Esteban's men Joined my troops
later. and I not only learned something
about the girl. but also why Esteban had
fellow? Mo- Wen. you win The
speakers tone was eloquent of hatred.
'.Ile is worse than the worst of them
a monster! He had seen Miss Varona.
She was beautiful GIRL
Go on whispered the lover.
II discovered that she didn't at first
obey Weyler's edict. She and the two
negroe5-they were former slaves of her
father, believe-took refuge in the Pan
de, Matanzas. Later on. Cobos men
mqde raid and-klled a great many
Some few escaped into the high ravines
but Miss Narona was not one of them
Out of regard for Esteban made careful
search. but l could find no trace of her."
And yet, you don't know what hap
pened?" OReilly ventured. You're not
sure?''
NO. but 7 tell you again Cobo's men
take no prisoners. When l heard about
that raid | gave up looking for her"
This-Cobo''-the Americans voice
shook in spite of his effort to hold it
steady-"I shall hope to meet him some
time"
The sudden fury that filled Col Lopez S
face was almost hidden by the gloom.
Yes. Oh yes.' he cried. quickly, "and
you are but one of hundred; I am an
other In my command there Is stand
ing order to spare neither Cobo nor any
of his assassins; they neither expect nor
receive quarter from us. Now. cam
panero''-the Cuban dropped hand on
O'Reilly's bowed head-'I am sorry that
had to bring you such evil tidings, but,
we are men-and this 10 war"
mo. no! It isn't war-it's merciless
savagery! To murder children and to