Mexico Missouri message., 1918-07-04

| lHe SdBle, anu " helliy BQlne0 mint OF
the personality behind it. Maxine
Gomez was counted one of the worlds
ablest guerrilla leaders; and indeed
1t had required the quenchless enthu-
siasm of a real military genius to fuse
into homogeneous fighting force the
ill-assorted rabble of nondescrlpts
whom Gomez led, to school them to
privation and to render them sufficient
ly mobile to defy successfully ten
times their number of trained troops.
This, however, was precisely what the
old Porto Rlcan had done, and in doing
1t he had won the admiration of mill
tary students.
| With, bluntness not unkind he
asked O'Reilly what had brought him
to Cuba.
When O'Reilly explained the reason
for his presence the old fighter nod
ded.
$50? You wish to go west, eh?"
"Yes, sir. 1 want to find Colonel
Lopez"
"Lopez7 Miguel LopezT the gen.
eral inquired quickly. "Well, you won't
|
Gomez leathery countenance lightened
into smile. "He happens to be right
here in Cubitas." Calling Judson to
him, he said: "Amigo, take Mr.. O'Reilly
to Colonel Lopez; you will find him
somewhere about. am sorry we are
not to have this young fellow for a
soldier; he looks like rea man and
quite equal to five qulntos, eh?"
1t was the habit Of the Cubans to
refer to their enemies as quintos-
the fifth part of mani With wave
of his hand Gomez returned to his
reading.
Col. Miguel Lopez, handsome, ami
mated fellow, took O'Reilly's hand in
a hearty clasp when they were intro
duced; but moment later his smile
gave way to a frown and his brow
darkened.
$50! You are that O'Reilly from
Matanzas," said he. II know you now,
butt never expected we would meet"
"Esteban Varona told you about me-
did he not7"
The colonel inclined his head.
I'm here at last, after the DEVILS
own time. I've been trying every way
to get through. The Spaniards stopped
me at Puerto Principe-they sent me
back home, you know. I've been per-
fectly crazy. l. You" O'Rellly
swallowed hard. "You know where
Esteban is? Tell me-"
"Have you heard nothing?"
L
ing since Rosa, his sister You un-
derstand, she and 1 are-engaged--"
eyes, yes; Esteban told me all about
you"
Something in the Cuban's gravity Of
manner gave O'Reilly warning. A sud
den fear assailed him. His voice shook
as he asked:
"What is it7 Not bad newsf''
There was no need for the officer
to answer. In his averted gaze
OReilly read confirmation of his sick
est apprehensions.
"Tell mel Which oneY' he whis-
pered.
"Bothi"
OReilly reeoiled; spasm distorted
his chalky face. He began to shake
weakly, and his fingers plucked aim
lessly at each other.
Lopez took him by the arm. '@Try to
control yourself" said he. "Slt here
while try to tell you what little ]
know. Or would it not be better to
wait awhile, until you are calmer2''
AS the young man made no answer, ex-
cept to stare at him in white agony
Of suspense, he sighed:
'T will tell you all I know-which
isn't much. Esteban Varona came ia
me soon after he and his sister had
fed from their home; he wanted to
Join my forces, but we were harassed
ON every side, and didn't dare take
the girl-no woman could have en-
dured the hardships we suffered. Sc
convinced him that his first duty was
to her, rather than to his country, and
he agreed. He was a fine boyl He
had spirit. He bought some stoler
rifles and armed a band OF his own
which wasn't a bad idea. I used tC
hear about him. Nobody cared t
molest him, can tell you, until finally
he killed some Of the regular troops
: Then of course they went after him
Meanwhile he managed to destroy hi
own plantations, which Cueto ha(
: robbed him of. You know CuetoF
eyes"
"Well, Esteban put an end to hin
after a while; rode right up to Ii
: Joya one night, broke in the door, ant
: macheted the scoundrel in his bed. Blu
there was a mistake Of some sort. 1
. seems that body Of Cobo's volun
teers were somewhere close by, ant
, the two parties met. have neve
learned all the details of the affair, ant
l the stories Of that fight which came t
me are too preposterous for belief
Still. ,EstebaE arS his men must hav
Q fought like demons, for they kille
some incredible number. But the
: were human--they could not defeat
J, regiment. It seems that only one 0