Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1918-09-27


naked. They were naked now, as, with
the modesty OF complete unconscious
ness, he squatted in the shade, putting
thoughtfully at his giant cheroot.
Once Jackets mind was fastened
upon any subject, 1t remained there,
and after time he continued:
"Did told you about that battle OF
Pine Bravo? Eli" He turned his big
brown eyes upward to o'Reilly. "Crls-
tot / skill more'n q dozen men that
dayp'
at was a hot serlmmage," Judson at
tested. "Some of Luque's niggers, those
tall, lean, hungry fellows from Santl-
ago, managed to hack their way
through wire fence and get behind
detachment of the enemy who had
made a stand under Hill. They
charged, and for wonder they got
close enough to use their machetes. 1t
was bloody work--the kind you read
about--no quarter. Somehow Jacket
managed to be right in the middle OF
the butchery. He's a bravo kid, all
right. Muy major
At that moment Branch approached,
his long face set in lines of discomfort,
even deeper than usual. He had been
wandering about the camp In one OF
his restless fits, and now he began:
"Say, what do you think I've been
doing7 I've been looking up some grub
for Miss Evans, and can't find any,"
"Can't find any?"
Nothing fit for her to eat. You
don't expect her TO live on this infer
nal, eternal beef stew
didn't Major Ramos bring anything
along?" O'Reilly asked.
''He says there's famine at Cubi-
tas."
'We'd better look into this" Judson
exclaimed, and, finding that his clothes
were dry, he hurriediy began to dresa
himself.
Together, the three men made an In
vestigatlon of the camps resources.
only to discover that Branch was right.
There was, indeed, but little food Of
any kind, and that little was OF the
coarsest. Ordinarily, such a condition
Of affairs would have occasloned them
no surprise, for the men were becoming
accustomed to more or less chronic
scarcity OF provisions: but the pres
ence Of Norlne Evans put quite dlf-
ferent complexion upon the matter.
They were still discussing the situation
when Miss Evans, having finished her
afternoon nap, threw open the flaps Of
her tent and stepped out.
When she had listened to the ac-
count Gpologetieally submitted by her
three friends, she drew her brows to-
gether, saying, plalntlvely: "0h deari
We've been going short for a week.
and Major Ramos told me we'd faT
better when we got here. / had m1
mouth all set for banquet. CouldnI
you even find the poor dog n bone?"
I'm afraid the cupboard is bareS
O'Reilly acknowledged.
do you know what / want for din,
ner2" Norlne inquired. lamb choIt
with green peas, some nice white bread
galad, and coffee"
The three men looked mt her anxious
ly. Judson stirred uneasily.
THAT'S what want. 1 don't exped
to get it."
With a sigh Of relief the captain exl
claimed, 81 thought you were giving
your order"
Goodness, nor With laugh TIE
girl seated herself upon her one camp.
chair, inviting her callers to dispose
themselves on the ground about her.
IF you can stand the food, dare say /
can. Now then, tell me what you've
been doing since you left Cubltas. I've
been frightened to death that some Of
you would be hurt. That's one reason
why I've been working night and day
helping to get the hospitals in shape.
l can't bear to think Of our boys being
wounded. Everything is so different
to what thought It would be, and I'm
so weak and ineffective. The medical
supplies / brought are nearly all gone,
and I've learned what hard work 1t is
fitting up hospitals when there's moth.
Ing to fit them up with" She sighed
II imagined / was gong to work won
ders-I thought / was going to be
Florence Nightingale, and the men
were going to idollze me-"
"non't they7" Judson demanded.
mo. That is-no. In exactly the
way / expected"
"They all want to marry her."
O'Reilly explained.
"Insolent bunch p growled the cap
tain. Then he swallowed hard and
said, "But for that matter, so do l."
slow silly you boys can beP Norine
laughed. 81 dare say the others are
joking too, but"
"JokingTH oReilly grinned. ''Not at
all. I'm the only single man In camp
who isn't "a love with you. When you
arrived this morning there was gen.
eraI stampede for the river. I'll bet
the fish in this stream will taste OF soap
for years to come"
AS If to point O'Reilly's words at the
moment appeared CCiorel Lopez,
shaved blood-raw and clad In a recent.