Meade County news., 1918-08-01
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AS he walked away he heard Norlne
say: "Don't pay any attention to him.
Wen go and dig it up ourselves, and
we won't wait until the war is over"
An hour later Esteban and his nurse
still had their heads together. They
were still talking Of golden ingots and
pearls from the Caribbean the size of
plums when they looked up to see
O'Reilly running toward them. He was
visibly excited; he waved and shouted
at them. He was painting when he ar
rived.
"Newsi From Matanzas !" he cried.
"Gomez' man has arrived"
Esteban struggled to rise, but No
rine restrained him. 'Rosa? What
does he say? Quickl"
"Good news! She left the Pan de
Matanzas with the two negroes. She
went into the city before Cobo's raid"
Esteban collapsed Imply. He closed
his eyes, his face was very white. He
crossed himself weakly.
"The letter is definite. 1t seems they
were starving. They obeyed Weyler's
bando. They're in Matanzas now."
"Do you hear, Esteban" Norine
shook her patient by the shoulder.
"She's alive. Oh, can't you see that 1t
always pays to believe the best?"
"Alivel Safel" Esteban whispered.
His eyes, when he opened them, were
swimming; he clutched Norine's hand
tightly; his other hand he extended to
O'Reilly. "a reconcentrado In Ma
tanzasl Well, that's good. We have
friends there-they1l not let her
starve. This makes new man Of me.
See! I'm strong again. I'll go to her"
"You'll go?" quickly cried Miss
Evans. "You1l go! You're not strong
enough. 1t would be suicide. You,
with q price upon your headl Every
body knows you there. Matanzas is
virtually walled city. There's sick
ness, too-yellow fever, typhus-"
Exactly. And hunger. also. I sup
pose no one has taken Rosa in? Those
concentration camps aren't nice places
for a girl"
"But wait! I have friends in Wash
ington. They're influential. They will
cable the American consul to look after
her. Anyhow, you mustn't think Of re-
turning to Matanzas," Norine faltered ;
her voice caught Unexpectedly and she
turned her face away.
O'Reilly nodded shortly. "You're a
sick man." he agreed. "There's no need
for both of us to CO."
Esteban looked up. "Then you"
IT leave at once. The Old Man has
given me a commission to General Be-
tancourt, and I'll be on my way in an
hour. The moon is young; must
cross the trocha before"
''That trocha!" Esteban was up on
his elbow again. "Be careful there,
OReilly. They keep sharp lookout,
and it's guarded with barbed wire. Be
sure you cut every strand. Yes, and
muffle your horses hoofs, too, in cross
ing the railroad track. That's how we
were detected. Pablo's horse struck
rail, and they fired at the sound. He
fell at the first volley, riddled. Oh,
know that trochal"
% the trocha!" O'Rellly ex.
claimed. "At last I've got chance to
do something. God! How long I've
waited"
Esteban drew O'Reilly's tense form
down and embraced his friend, after
the fashion of his people. "She has
been waiting, too," he said, huskily
'We Varonas are good walters, O'Reil.
ly. Rosa will never cease waiting un-
til you come. Tell her, for me"
Norine withdrew softly out of ear.
shot. There were lump in her throat
and pain in her breast. She had ac-
quired peculiar and affectionate in.
terest in this unhappy girl whom she
had never seen, and she had learned to
respect O'Reilly's love. The yearning
that had pulsed in his voice a moment
before had stirred her deeply; 1t awoke
throb in her own bosom, for O'Reilly
was dear to her. The paclf1cos, accord
ing to all reports, were dying like flies
in the prison camps. Norine wondered
If there might not be a terrible heart
ache at the end of O'Rellly's quest
Her face was grave and worried when
hearing him speak to her, she turned
to take his outstretched hand.
"You will be careful, won't your
she implored. "And you'll be stout Of
heart, no matter what occursT
He nodded. "Its long way back
here to Cubitas. You may not see OF
hear from me again."
II understand" She choked miser
ably. 'You mean you may not come
back. oh, Johnniel"
"Tut, tut We O'Reillys have more
lives than a litter of cats. 1 mean ]
may not see you until the war is over
and we meet in New York. Well, we've
been good pals, and-Tm glad you
came to Cuba" His grasp upon hel
two hands was painful.
"You must go, know, and wouldn't
try to keep you, but" Norine faltered
then impulsively she drew him down
and kissed him full upon the lips. "Fol
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