Evening star., 1918-02-10
@ O

his horse and ambled slowly out o3
range.
harebrained exploit which delights .
Cuban audience. When Leslie rejoined
his comrades, therefore. he was greeted
with shouts and cheers
clean shirt. There's a fellow for
you! He enjoys the hum of these
Spanish bees!. Bravo! Tell us what
the bullets said to you," they cried.
circle.
O'Reilly. unable to contain himself,
burst forth in q rage: You internal
fool! Do you want to be shot robbing
''Rats" calculated Leslie. sourly. Z
told you I had to have some clothes"
Lopez ought to court-martial you.
What ,vha are are you going to I'd. do With that that
can't take IT with you on the march"
You wait and see." said the other.
I'm going to be comfortable, if
He paused. with peculiar. startled
anything he aueried after moment.
''oh. nothing" The two men rode
said: IL 'saes aenesr 'I thing % nappsnsd sasa back
there while those Romeos were popping
at me: I heard a baby crying"
sure. Il suppose 4. was the wash.
erwoman's kid when we flushed her
she probably vamped out and left IL
In the grass: Anyhow. 1t let up an
awful holler."
Jacket and the other loot-laden sol.
diers had been sent on ahead, together
with those troopers who were sharing
mounts with the rescued prisoners;
they were now waiting perhaps two
miles from town for their companions
up and halted. O'Reilly addressed q
remark to Leslie Branch, but in ths
middle of IT the faint unmistakable
complaint OF a child came to his cara
I've been hearing it right along
Branch said. tt thought had tbs
willies"<
The nearest riders abruptly ceased
their chatter: they questioned one an.
other mutely, doubling their own ears.
Again came that thin. mufled wall,
whereupon oReilly cried. in astonish-
Leslie! Why. tits in your bun
der He pointed to the formless rol1
Of bedding which hung from his friends
"G'wanl You're crasyl" Branch snip
ped to the ground. seized the bundle
in his arms and bore 1t to the road
side With shaking hands he tugged
at the knotted corners of the conn
tered. testify. There's nothing in here
but bedclothes. just grabbed an
armful-" The last word ended in
q yell Leslie sprang into the air 40
a coiled serpent "oh. my God!- He
poised as IL upon the point OF flight.
"Johnnie! Look. It's alivem
What's alive? What is itr' =
Branch bent forward and spread out
the bedding. There, exposed to the
bulging eyes of the onlookers, was .
very tiny, very brown baby: 1t was
Its eyes, exposed to the sudden glare
OF the morning sun. closed tightly;
one small hand all but lost itself in
the wide. toothless cavity that served
curled and uncurled in q most amazing
fashion
20 ,oh; :, my n.y.. a9ar 9.I. Branch ssDe..se
aren't open"
The Cubans. who had momentarily
been stricken dumb with amaxement,
suddenly broke into voluble speech.
The clamor served to attract Col Lopez,
who was riding past
What's the matter here?" he de.
manded, forcing his horse through the
ring which had formed about Ell De-
monio and his bundle. one startled
of his saddle. Whose baby is thatr'
he demanded.
II Why. it's mine. I mean, IL
1ranch,s eyes were glued upon the
choked and stammered and waved his
hands impotently.
Come. come! Speak upy What does
this meanr' Lopex's voice grew stern.
,ust shs srapSsd@ SSss have yss ss-sssn been asleep
Branch's face became suddenly stricken.
Look outr he shouted. hoarsely.
She's going to cry. or something"
He was right: the baby showed every
sign Of a frm determination to voice
her indignation at the outrage she had
suffered. Her. hand stole out Of her
mouth, her fists closed. her face puck
cred ominously. Lopez stopped. wrap
ped her in a sheet, thea took her
awkwardly in his arms. He bent .
blazing glance upon the kfdnaper. but
he had no chance to speak before the
storm OF wailfngs broke.
News Of Leslie's exploit was spread.
Ing. Men were shouting and gesticu.
lating to their comrades to come and
see Ell Demonio's spoils There was Q
great chattering and crowding and no
little smothered laughter. Meanwhils
device to soothe the infant, but with
out success. At last he strode ND to
Leslie and extended his burden.
Here" he said. harshly. she's youzA
I surrender her."
Leslie drew back. mo. you donti Z
wouldn't touch her for q thousand dol
lars!" he cried.
But Lopez was firm. he spoke In o
tone OF cOfQmanQ. do as i tell Won.
Take her. A fine outrage, to steal q
baby! What are we going to do with
her? We can't send her back-the town
is crazy. I've no doubt I shall hear
from this"
In spite Of Leslie's choking protests.
in spite Of his feeble resistance, LopeS
pressed the noisy stranger into his
arms, then turned to his men and de
rected them to be OF.
Branch remained motionIeS. He was
stupehed: he held the baby geneerfy.
not daring to put 1t down, dreading to
keep 1t; his eyes were rolling, he be-
gan to perspire freely Stretching .
timfd, detaining hand toward Lopez. he
inquired. huskfly. What shall do
with her?"
God knows. I DON'T" snapped the
ofdcer. Il shall have to think, but
meanwhile u hold you responsible for
her. Come now. we must be going"
Leslie swallowed hard: his face be.
came overspread with a sfcklier pallor.
'Whatll do-when she gets hunRry?s
Lopez could not restrain a smile.
You should have thought about that
compadre. Well. I know where there
is milk COW not three leagues from
here. I'll send a man to borrow it
from the owner and drive It to our
camp. Or perhaps"-his handsome face
hardened again-"perhaps you would
prefer to take this child back where
you found it7"
NO = Oh. they'd tesr ne
limb from limb!"