The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-08-22

how I tainted. Some good people found
me a few hours after lost conscious
ness. They supposed had been at
tackled by guerrillas and left for dend.
Finding that still had life In me, they
took me home with them. They were
old friends from Matanzas by the
name Of valdes-cultured people who
had fed the city and were hiding In the
manlgua like the rest of u.s."
"Not vnldes. the notaryf"
"The very same. Alberto valdes and
his four daughters. Heaven guided
them to me. Alberto was an old man
he had hard work to provide food for
his girls. Nevertheless. he refused to
abandon me. oh. they were faithful.
patient people! You see. had walked
east instead Of west, md now I was
miles awny from home, and the coun.
try between was swarming with Span
inrds who were burning, destroying.
killing. You wouldn't know Matanzas
O'Rcilly. 1t II desert.
IT finally became able to drag myself
around the hut. But I had no means
Of sending word to Rosa, and tho un.
certainty nearly made me crazy. MY
clothes had rotted from me; my bones
were Just under the skin. must have
been a shocking sight. Then one day
there came fellow travelling east with
messages for Gomez. He was one of
Lopez men. and he told me that To-
pez had gone to the Rubi Hills with
Maceo. and that there were none of
our men left In the province. He told
me other things. too. II was from him
that learned" Esteban varona's
thin hands clutched the edges of his
hammock and he rolled his head weak
ly from side to side. "It was he who
told me about Rosa. He said that Cobo
had ravaged the Yumuri and that ms
sister-was gone!"
"There, there We know better now,
O'Reilly said. soothingly.
1T wns hideous story. q story oi
rape. murder. wonder that didn't
60 mad. II never occurred to me Il
doubt. and a. . matter Of fact the fel
low was honest enough; he really be
lieved whnt he told me. After thu
man has. finished felt the desire 4
get away Prom all I had known ant
loved, to leave Matanzns for new fleld
and give what was left Of me to tn
cause. was free to enlist. since
couldn't reach Lopez, and I came b
Join our forces In the Orient.
"Thnt IL how you found me in thi
province. Lopez man never dellvere'
these dispatches, for we were takel
crossing the trocha-at least wa
taken. for Pablo was killed. They
have made an end Of me, too. dar
say. only was 10 weak. II seems
century since that nigAt. My memor
doesn't serve me very we'll from tina
point. for they Jailed me, snE gre,
worse. I was out Of my head goo
DEAL"
The two men fell silent for . vhil,
Esteban lay with closed eyes. exhNust
ed. O'Reilly gave himself up to ffowr
Ing thought. His thoughts were nc
pleasant: he could not. for the life Q
him. believe in Rosa's safety 70 In
plicitly as he had led Esteban to su,
= pose; his efforts to cheer the othe
had sapped his own supply Of hop,
< leaving him prey to black misgivingl
He was glad when Norlne Evans r,
n turn put an end to his speculations.
"Have you narrowed this poor man
3 feelings sufficiently for oncer' she II
Q Quired Of O'Reilly.
II have. I'll agree to talk abor
nothing unpleasant hereafter"
Esteban turned to his nurse. 'Ther
d ID something want to tell you both. y
. "wait until tomorrow" Norins u
o vised.
But he persisted: "No! must q
It now. First. however, did either {
8 you discover an old coin in any Of N
, pockets-an old Spanish doubloonf"
n "That doubloon againi" Norine III
o ed her hands protestingly. and cast
o meaning look at O'Reilly. "You talke
about nothing else for q whole weel
n Let me feel your pulse"
" Esteban surrendered his hand VII
o suspicious readiness.
n "You were nat broke when We n
70 you." O'Reilly declared.
% "Probably. seem to remember tn
u somebody stole It,"
u "Doubloonsi Pieces Of eight Col,
II en- guineas |" exclaimed Norine. "wf
n those are pirate ccinsi They remin
mo Of Treasure Island; Of Long job
10 Silver and his wooden leg; Of Be
Y Gum and all the rest"
Esteban smiled uncomprehendinsi
q "Yesf Well, this has to do with trea
=, ure Of the varonas. Ny father buria
r It. He was very rich. you know. %
'r he was afraid Of the Spaniards. O'Rsl
= " knows the story"
70 Johnnie assented with Q grua
"Surel know all about It,"
y (TO BE CONTINUED.)
10