The Mena weekly star., 1918-12-26

Continued from last weekly

Continued from last week.
OReiry's perplexity was changing
% dismay, for it seemed to him he
vas being played with; nevertheless,
,e shook his head. 81 would only be
receiving you, sir" he said.
General Antuna sighed. "Then
zee embarrassments ahead for both of
49,"
"More arrests?"
"Not necessarily. Understand me, ]
peak as one gentleman to another,
,ut-you must have noticed that Amer
cans are unpopular with our troops.
Eh? They are impulsive, these troop
RS; accidents cannot be prevented.
suppose something should happen to
you? There is the trouble. You came
@ Cuba to enjoy its climate: you can
rot be expected to remain indoors, OF
course not. Well Among our sol
Hers are many new recruits, patriotic,
enthusiastic young fellows, but-care-
ess. They are wretchedly unprofcient
narksmen, and they haven't learned
the danger OF promiscuous rifle fire.
They are forever shooting at things,
merely to score hit Would you be-
tieve itf Oh, have to discipline them
frequently. To think of you being
abroad through the streets. therefore,
worries me intensely. Suppose you
should be found dead some day. I'm
agine my feelings" The speakers
tone and expression were eloquent of
concern. "Bow could fix the respon-
hbility7"
'By having me followed, as usual.
l dare say" O'Reilly said bitterly.
"Oh, you win of course be Swallowed
day and night; in fact, to be quite sure
of your-er-safety, shall ask you to
permit one Of my men to accompany
you everywhere and even to share your
room. We shall try never to lose sight
Of you, depend upon It, / wish you
could find another climate equally BEN
eflcial to your rheumatism. 1t would
lift great load from my mind" The
speaker paused hopefully; that same
sardonic flicker was on his lips
Johnnie could not summon an an
swering smile, for his heart was like
lead. He realized now the utter fulfil
ity of resistance; he knew that to
remain in Puerto Principe after this
thinly yelled warning would be to
court destruction-and destruction of
a shocking characters against which 1t
would be impossible to guard. After
moment of thought he said gravely !:
Il appreciate the delicacy of your
consideration. sir. and-I shall co."
General Antunn lenped to his feet,
his grim face alight: striding to
o'Reilly, he pressed his hands--he
seemed upon the point of embracing
him. Il thank you y he cried. "Ycu
render me a supreme service. See,
Breathe easy. Permit me to offer you
refreshment-one Of our famous Span
ish wines. MOI Then the best cigar
In all Cuba !"
O'Reilly was escorted to the railway
station at daylight. He and Branch
took their seats and their guards filed
In behind them. He cursed savagely;
the memory of these wasted weeks,
the narrow margin of his failure, filed
him with sick feeling of dismay and
impotence.
In marked contrast to the difficulties
OF entering Cuba was the ease of leav-
Ing 1t. A ship was sailing from Neuvi-
tas on the very afternoon when the
two Americans arrived, and they were
hurried aboard. Not until the anchor
was up did their military escort de-
part from them.
With angry, brooding eyes O'Reilly
watched the white houses along the
water front dwindle away, the man
grove swamps slip past, and the hills
rise out of their purple haze. When
the salt breath of the trades came to
his nostrils he turned into his state
room, and, taking the crate of coco
nuts with which General Antuna had
thoughtfully provided him, he bore II
TO the rail- and dropped 1t overheard.
rheumatism was fool disease
anyhow" he muttered.
Great news !" Esteban Varona an.
hounced one day as he dismounted
AFTER foraging trip into the Yumuri
we met some of Lacret's men and
they told us that Spain has recalled
captain General Campos. What do
you say to that?"
Does that mean the end of the
war; Rosa eagerly inquired.
"Oh, no. They have sent new man
he's in Havana nv--a dark little
old fellow who neve allies. He has
long nose and a big chin: he dresses
al III black--a very jew-bird' In ap.
pearance, from what hear. His name
Weyler- Valeriano Weyler, marquis
Of Teneriffe."
EsteDan covertly appraised his sis.
ters charms, but respecting her terror
OF Cobo he did not speak his thoughts.
ie was certain, however, that Rosa
knew, as well as he, what motive lay
oehind the fellows tireless persecu.
IONS Of the valley dwellers; for, In
spite Of their isolation, stories of Cobo
uaa reached the refugees-stories that
uau rendered both the boy and the girl
SICK with apprehension. The colonel,
seemed, had nearly died of his
a'aeheto wound, and on recovering he
au sworn to exterminate the wasps
mat mad Stung hi... NJ h.z $780,.