Judsonia weekly advance., 1918-09-04

and children"
 O'Reilly purposely left his most un- pleasant task to the last. When his arrangements had been completed and he had acquainted himself as far as possible with the hazards he was likely to encounter, he took Jacket aside and broke the news to him that on the fol- lowing morning they must part. As he had expected, the boy refused to listen to him. O'Reilly remained firm and Jacket began to weep copiously. He worked himself up to hysterical crescendo which threatened to arouse was unmOved.
 "Be quiet" he told the boy. "I won't let you go with me, and that ends it. It will be hard enough for one man to slip through two would be sure to fail"
 "Those Spaniards will skill you p Jacket walled.
 "So much the more reason for you to stay here"
 At this the boy uttered louder cry. He stamped his bare feet in a frenzy of disappointment. You das- sent leave me-you dassent!"
 "Listen. people are starving in Ma tanzas; they are sick; they are dying in the streets"
 q 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- lary was surprising. He reviled the Spaniards, O'Reilly. 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 tough kid" he laughed, when Jackets first rage had worn it. self out. q like you, and I'd take you if 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 a 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'Reillys perils. 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 discreet-discretion was something he had inherited; he was diplomat-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 a small eater and could grow fat on diet of dried leaves. Disease? Bah! It made him laugh. His experience with sick ness was wider than most fisicos, and he was 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 was just the man for O'Reilly. He found it 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 req son why his benefactor would not greatly profit by the free use of his amazing talents. The enterprise was diff It; it 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, OReilly put an arm around him.
 I'm sure you are everything you say you are, Jacket. and more, too, but you can't go!"
 With that Jacket flung off the em- brace and, stalking away, seated him. self He took half-smoked cigar from the pocket of his shirt and lit 1t, scowling the while at his friend. More than once during the evening OReilly detected his sullen, angry eyes upon him.
 General Betancourt and several mem 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.