Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-07-12

thought OIL IuG very luAuS. 1cdES uSO
lent him book which I particularly
priced, and one of his children dam
aged 1t. I was furious. I declared
would never lend him another, and
never have. Now, then, I'll give you
that very volume; hand it to him and
say that asked you to return it to
him."
O'Reilly 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. It was COM
pactly built, it was very old and 1t
looked Its centuries. Its streets were
particularly narrow and crooked, hav-
Ing been purposely laid out in laby-
rinthine mazes, so the story goes, In
order to fool the pirates.
As he sat in a cafe. slipping an or
angeade, he heard someone speakins
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
hc!!cw, burning eyes 0'Reilly stepped
over to the table and introduced him
self. 1.-THE hotel keeper in Neuvitas
told me I'd find you here" he said.
"Your name is"
Branch; Leslie Branch. So Carba-
jail said you'd find me here, Ell? Oh,
the greasy little liar. He didn't believe
it. He thought his cooking would have
| killed me, long ago, and it nearly did"
This time Mr.. Branch's bony frame
! underwent a genuine shudder and his
face was convulsed with loathing.
"Carbatal's in the secret service. Nice
fat little spy"
| $50 suspected"
| Mr.. Branch's beverage appeared at
this moment. With flourish the
waiter placed small glass and q
bottle of dark liquid before him.
Branch stared at 1t, then rolled q
f1ercely smoldering eye upward.
| "What's that?" he inquired.
O'Reilly read the label. TITS BIT
ters," said he.
"Bitters! And asked for yellow
& glass Of agwa with yellow" Branch's
voice shook. I'm dying Of fever,
and this ivory-billed toucan brings me
a quart Of poison. Bullets!" 1t was
impossible to describe the suggestion
of profanity with which the speaker
colored this innocuous expletive. weak
as l am, shall gnaw his windpipe."
He barred his teeth suggestively and
raised two talonlike hands.
The waiter was puzzled but not
alarmed. He embraced himself as his
customer had done, and shuddered /;
then pointing at the bitters, he nodded
encouragingly.
O'Reilly forestalled an outburst by
translating his countryman's wants.
aUn vase de aqua con hielo," said he,
and the attendant was all apologies.
$50 you speak the lingo?" marveled
Mr.. Branch. "Well, can't get the
hang OF it. Don't like it. Don't like
anything Spanish. HI Of country,
isn't it7-where the ice Is yellow and
the butter Is meant to kill you,' and
does.''
o'Reilly laughed. "You've been
studying guide book, with complete
| glossary Of Spanish phrases
Mr. Branch nodded listlessly. "Tm
supposed to report this insurrection,
but the Spaniards won't let me. They
edit my stuff to suit themselves. I'm
getting tired Of the farce"
"Going homer"
Don't dare" The speaker tapped
his 'concave chest. "Bum lungs. l
came down here to shuttle of, and I'm
waiting for it to happen. What brings
you to Cuba7'
'I'm here for my health, too" The
real invalid stared. II have rheuma-
tism."
"Going to, sweat it out, eh3 Well,
there's nothing to do but sweat
Branch was racked by coughing
spcsm that shook his reedy frame
Sweat and cough. Bullets! No mis-
take about that hospital bark, Is
there?" When he had regained his
breath he said "See here! I'm going
| to take chance with you, for like
your looks. My newspaper work is a
bluff I don't send enough stuff to keep
me alive I came here to cure my
lungs. and-I want you to help me
do It,
O'Reilly stared at the man in sur
prise. "How can help your" he
| asked.
"By taking me with you" /. AZ
"With me? Where7"
ITO the insurrectOs, of, course"
The men eyed each other fixedly.
what makes You think O'Reilly
began.
"Oh, don't sayeit! I've got bunch!
don't know what your game is
probably dynamite: there's story
that the rebels have sent for some
American experts to teach them how
to use the stuff. and God knows they
need instruction Anyhow, can't
swallow that rheumatism talk. I
thought you might give me q lift. Take
nae along, will you7"
s'.And how would that benefit your
cough? ~ Johnnie inquired curlously.
Mlt Brs:,ch .sssy ell, ~. tel: