The Ordway new era., 1918-09-20

| suppressing some light reply that mao
| sprung to his lips. inquired. curiously.
"What do you mean by thatT
Brother and sister Joined in explain
Ing that Donna Isabel was given to Pc
culiar actions. especially after periods
of excitement or anger. and that one OF
her eccentricities had taken the form
OF somnambullstic wanderings. "Oh.
she's crazy enough" Esteban con-
cluded. 81 believe It's her evil con-
| science"
O'ieilly scanned the speaker silent
ly for moment; then he said, with a
gravity unusual in him, II wonder If
yon know that you're suspected Of
working for the insurrecto cause"
Indeed? didn't know"
"well, it's fact" O'Reilly heard
Rosa gap fuintly. "Is 1t true?" he
asked.
II am Cuban"
Cuban? Your people were Span
| ish."
True. But no Spnniard ever raised
n Spanish child in Cuba. We are Gu
bans, Rosa and /. go everywhere, and
the Spanish officers talk plainly be-
| fore me. Somebody must be the eyes
and the ears for Colonel Lopez"
Colonel Lopez !" exclaimed O'ReilIy.
Esteban nodded.
Rosa's face, as she looked at the two
men, was white and worried. For a
time the three of them sat silent; then
the American said. slowly, you'll be
shot II you're caught"
.'Some one must run chances" Este
ban averred. Were fighting tyranny;
all Cuba is ablaze. must do my part"
But sooner or later you'll be dis
covered-then what?r persisted oRell-
ly.
Esteban shrugged. "who knows7
There'll be time enough when"
what of R9sa?"
At this question the brother stirred
uneasily and dropped his eyes. o'ReIl-
ly laid a hand upon his arm. You
have no right to jeopardize her safety.
Without you, TO whom could she ttrn?"
The girl flashed her admirer grateful
glance.
"Senor, you for one would see thai
She"
''But-Pm going away" O'Reilly
| felt rather than saw Rosa start, for
his face was averted. 81 came here to
tell you both good-by. I may be gone
for some time. IL don't know when
! can get back"
I'm sorry" Estebnn told him, with
| genuine regret. I'VE have grown very
| fond OF you. But you will come back
before long, eh? You're one of US. In
the meantime III remember what you
say, and at least III be cnreful." By
no means wanting in tact Esteban rose
briskly and. after shaking hands wltk
O'Reilly. left the two lovers to say fare
well as best suited them.
But for once O'Reilly's ready tongue
from his blue eyes when he turned to
the girl at his side.
"You say you are going away?" Rosa
inquired, breathlessy. But why!"
I'm going partly because of this
war and partly because of-something
else. tried to tell you yesterday. but
] couldn't. When the revolution start
ed everybody thought 1t was merely
n local uprising, and wrote my COM
pany to that effect; hut. bless you. 1t
has spread like fire. and now the whole
eastern end of the island Is ablnze.
business has stopped. and my employ
crs have ordered me home to find out
what's happened to their profits
"Yox said there was something
else"
O'Reillys hesitation became an EN-
bnrrassed silence. He tried to laugh
II Off.
There is; otherwise I'd stay right
here and tell my penurious friends to
whistle for their profits. 1t seems I'm
cursed with n fatal beauty. You may
have noticed 1t? No? Well, perhaps
it's magnificent business ability that
] have. Anyhow. the president of my
company has notion thnt I'd make
him a good son-in-law."
"I- Obi" cried Rosa.
And Mt her tone OReiily hurried on:
''These rich men have the most alb
surd ideas. l suppose IN have to-.
''Then you are in love, senor?"
The young man nodded vigorously.
Indeed l am-with the sweetest girl
in Cuba. That's the whole trouble.
That's why I'm hurrying home to re-
sign before I'm fred" Not daring to
look too long or too deeply into Rosa
varonas eyes until she had taken in
the whole truth. he waited. staring at
his feet. "Fm sort of glad 1t has come
to showdown and / can speak out.
I'm hoping she'll miss me-" After
moment he ventured, "Will sheer
will you, Rosa?"
81? Miss you?" Rosa lifted her
brows In pretended amazement. you
are amusing. of course. butt won't
have much time to think about you.
| for am so soon to be married."
Married? What? Nonsense!"
Indeed! Do you think I'm so ugly
nobody would have me? The richest