Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1918-08-02

eyes were large and soft and dark; his
face was as sensitive and mobile as
that of a girl; and yet, despite his
youth, he had won a reputation for
daring and fercsity quite as notable in
its way as was the renown of Leslie
Branch.
In order to expand his knowledge Of
English-of which, by the way, he was
Unfortunately proud-Jacket had volun-
teered to serve as O'Reilly's striker,
and the result had been fast friend
ship. 1t was O'Reilly who had given
the boy his nickname-a name
prompted by marked eccentricity, for
although Jacket possessed the two gar
ments which constituted the ordinary
insurrecto uniform, he made prac-
tice of wearing only one. On chilly
nights, or on formal occasions, he
wore both waistcoat and trousers, but
at other times he dispensed entirely
with the latter, and his legs went
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, it remained there,
and after a time he continued:
did / told you about that battle OF
Pine Bravo? Eh?' He turned his big
brown eyes upward to O'Reilly. "Cris-
to! I skill more'n q dozen men that
dayp
1T was hot scrimmage," Judson at
tested "Some of Luque's niggers, those
tall, lean, hungry fellows from Santi-
ago, managed to hack their way
through wire fence and get behind
detachment Of the enemy who had
made stand under a hill. They
charged, and for a 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 bravo kid, all
right. Muy malo!"
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
doing? I've been looking up some grub
for Miss Evans, and I 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 a famine at Cubi-
tas."
WED better look into this" Judson
exclaimed, and, finding that his clothes
were dry, he hurriedly began to dress
himself
Together, the three men made an in
vestigation 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 condition
of affairs would have OccaSiOned them
no surprise, for the men were becoming
accustomed to more or less chronic
scarcity of provisions; but the pres
ence Of Norine Evans put quite a diff
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 apolOgetically submitted by her
three friends, she drew her brows to-
gether, saying, plaintively: ooh dear
We've been going short for week,
and Major Ramos told me we'd fare
better when we got here. l had my
mouth ALL set for a banquet. Couldn't
you even find the poor dog bone?"
"I'm afraid the cupboard is BARE"
O'Reilly acknowledged.
"Do you know what want for din
ner?" Norine inquired. Lamb chops
with green peas, some nice white bread,
a salad, and coffee"
The three men looked at her anxious
ly. Judson stirred uneasily.
"That's what want. don't expect
to get it."
With a sigh Of relief the captain ex-
claimed, 81 thought you were giving
your order"
Goodness, no!' With laugh the
girl seated herself upon her one camp
chair, inviting her callers to dispose
themselves on the ground about her.
eff you can stand the food, dare say
can. Now then, tell me what you've
been doing since you left Cubitas. I've