The Ordway new era., 1918-10-04

closed, as he had anticipated, O'Reilly
proceeded to the doctors residence.
There was some delay when ne rang
the bell, but eventually the dentist
himself appeared. OReiliy recognized
him from his resemblance to his
brother He addressed him in English.
'I come from Felipe" he began. He
well remembers the day you whipped
him to keep him from going to the
Ten Years war"
The languor of Doctor AIvarado's
siesta vanished. He started, his eyes
widened.
"Who are your he muttered.
my name is O'Reilly. am an Amer
lean, friend, so don't be alarmed.
The man you see approaching is fol-
lowing me, but he thinks have come
to you with toothache."
"What do you want?"
'I want your help in Joining the In
surrectos"
BY this time the detective had come
within earshot. Making an effort at
self-possession. the dentist said: "Very
well. I will meet you at my office In
Then he bowed.
OReilly raised his hat and turned
away.
Doctor Alvarado's dentists chair
faced full-length window, one of sew
eral which, after the Cuban fashion,
opened directly upon the sidewalk, rem
dering both the waiting room and the
office almost as public as the street
itself. Every one of these windows
was wide open when Johnnie arrived;
but it seemed that the dentist knew
what he was about, for when his pa
tient had taken his seat and he had
begun an examination of the trouble
some tooth. he said, under his breath:
81, too, am watched. Talk to me in
English. When 1 press. thus, upon
your gum, you will know that someone
is passing. Now, then, what is the
meaning of your amazing message
from Felipe?'
While Doctor Alvarado pretended to
treat perfectly sound molar Johnnie
managed, despite frequent Interrupt
tions, to make known the reason and
circumstances of his presence.
out tlltTc uTe uO TeDelS dTOunu
here" Alvarado told him. You could
escape to the country. perhaps. but
what then? Where would you go?
How would they know who you are?"
That's what 1 want to find out"
The Cuban pondered. you'll have
to go to Puerto Principe" he said at
, length. "Our men are operating in
that neighborhood, and my brother Ig-
nacio will know how to reach them.
I'll give you message to him. similar
to the one you brought me from Fe-
lipe." Then he smiled. ''Tve just
thought of the very thing. Years ago
lent him book which particularly
priced, and one. of his children dam
aged 1t. 1 was furious. declared 1
would never lend him another, and 1
never have. Now, then, I'll give you
that very volume; hand 1t to him and
say that I asked you to return it to
him."
OReilly thanked him, promising to
use every precaution In delivering the
message. The next morning he paid
Carbajal's score and took the train
to the interior. In his bag was Tomas
Alvarado's precious volume, and in the
same coach with him rode the secret
service man.
In its general features Puerto Prin-
cipe differed little from the other Gu
ban cities O'Reilly knew. 1t was com
pactly built, it was very old and it
looked Its centuries. Its streets were
particularly narrow and crooked, hay
Ing been purposely laid out in laby-
rinthine mazes, so the story goes, In
order to fool the pirates.
As he sat In n cafe, slipping an or
angeade, he heard someone speaking
an atrocious Spanish, and looked up to
see that another American had en-
tered. The stranger was tall, fune-
real young man, with pallid cheeks and
hollow. burning eyes. O'Reilly stepped
over to the table and introduced him
self. "The hotel keeper In Neuvitas
told me I'd find you here" he said.
"Your name is"
Branch; Leslie Branch. So Carba-
jal said you'd find me here, eh? Oh,
the greasy little liar. He didn't believe
1t. He thought his cooking would have
killed me, long ago, and 1t nearly did"
This time Mr.. Branch's bony frame
underwent genuine shudder and his
face was convulsed with loathing.
"Carbajars in the secret service. Nice
fat little spy"
$50 suspected"
Mr.. Branch's beverage appeared at
this moment. With n flourish the
waiter placed small glass and
bottle of dark liquid before him.
IT,
branch stared at 1t. then rolled
fiercely smoldering eye upward.
aNhat,s TINT an ho ipn,,i.aa