Judsonia weekly advance., 1918-09-18
CHAPTER xvlIl-continued.

that 1t means little to me-" she con- fessed. "I have you, and-well, with you at my side I can face the worst"
 "Oh. we won't give up until we have to" he assured her. "If had money It would be a simple proposition to bribe some guard to pass us through the lines. but have spent all that Gen. eral Betancourt gave me-" He smoothed back Rosa's dark hair and smiled reassuringly at her. "Well. I'll manage somehow; so don't worry your pretty head. I'll find the price. if have to waylay old Don Mario and rob him. Don't you think look like a bandit2 The very sight of me would terrify that fat rascal"
 ITO me you are beautiful" breathed the girl. Then she lowered her eyes. La, lal How I spoil you! I have quite forgotten how to be ladylike. Isa- bel was right when she called me a bold and forward hussy. Now, then, please turn your face aside, for wish to think. and so long as you look at me l cannOt-I make love to you bra zenly. Seel Now, then, that is much better. l shall hold your hand SO. When kiss 1t you may look at me again, for moment" Drawing her self closer to O'Reilly, Rosa began thoughtfully: "Before you came more than once was on the point of appeal ing to some of my former friends, but they are all Spanards and we are no longer-simpatico, you understand"
 Rosa paused for his answer.
 Perfectly; Pm in the same fix. Of all the people l used to know there isn't one but would denounce me if I made myself known. Now that I've been fighting with the insurrectos, I daren't even go to the American consul for help-if there is an American con- suI."
 Rosa nodded, then continued, hesi- tatingly: "I had vivid dream last night. Perhaps 1t was portent. Who knows? It was about that stepmother of mine. You remember how she met her death? I wrote you"
 'Yes. and Esteban also told me-"
 'Tt was he who recovered her body from the well. One day, while we were in hiding, away up wonder in the ss!SsFussslri he showed nae an old coin"
 '1 know" O'Reilly said quickly. "He told me the whole story. He thinks that doublcon is a clue to your fathers fortune, butt can't put much faith in 1t. In fact, didn't believe until this moment that there was doubloon at all"
 'Oh indeed there was! saw it."
 There was a moment of silence dur ing which the lovers were oblivious to an but each other. then Rosa mur- mured: "How strange! Sometimes your eyes are blue and sometimes gray. Does that mean that your love, too, can changer
 "Certainly not. But come, what about Esteban and that doubloon"
 With an effort the girl brought her self back to earth. ''Well. 1t occurred to me. in the light of that dream last night, that Esteban may have been right. Of course nobody outside of our family credits the old story, and yet my father was considered very rich man at one time. Rancho Cueto believed in the existence of the treas- ure, and he was in position to know"
 True! Perhaps, after all-" OReilly frowned meditatively.
 Rosa lifted herself upon her elbow her eyes sparkling. "Wouldn't 1t be wonderful if 1t were true? Just think, OReilly, cases of Spanish gold, silver coins in casks, packages of gems. Oh, I've heard Isabel talk about 1t often enough"
 Don't forget those pearls from the Caribbean. as large as plums." Johnny smiled. "I could never quite swallow that. A pearl the size of currant would buy our freedom right now" After moment he went on, more seri- ously: "I've notion to look into that old well this very afternoon. I-I dare say I'm foolish. but-somehow the story doesn't sound so improbable as t did. Perhaps 1t is worth inves- tigatins-" He made up his mind swiftly. "I-I'm off this very instant"
 When O'Reilly emerged from the hut he found Jacket industriously at work over a fragment of grindstone which he had somewhere unearthed. The boy looked up at his friends approach and held out for inspection long. thin file. which he was slowly shaping into kRffe-blade.
 "What do you think of that?" he Quersed proudly. ''It may come in hHndy when we are ready to clear out of this pesthole."
 Where did you get it7''
 ~OA. l stole 1t. steal everything ! can lay my hands on nowadays. One