Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1918-08-23

uC WAS DcllcI uuISc liitiA HISS Nv
ans would ever be. Jacket did not wish
to appear in the least boastful. On
the contrary, he was actually too mod
est, as his friends could attest, but
truth compelled him to admit that he
was Just the man for O'Reilly. dc
found it impossible to recommend him
self too highly; to save his soul ne
could think of no qualification in which
he was lacking and could see no rea.
son why his benefactOr would not
greatly profit by the free use OF his
amazing talents. The enterprise was
difficult; it would certainly fail with
out him.
Johnnie remained carefully atten,
tive during this adjuration. He felt no
desire even to smile, for the boys ear
nestness. was touching and it caused
the elder mans throat to tighten I'M
comfortably. Johnnie had not realized
before how fond he had become Of this
quaint youngster. And so, when the
little fellow paused hopefully, O'Reilly
put an arm around him.
"I'm sure you are everything you
say you are, Jacket, and more, too, but
you can't go!"
With that Jacket flung off the en-
brace and, stalking away, seated him
self. He took a half-smoked cigar
from the pocket Of his shirt and lit it,
scowling the while at his friend. More
than once during the evening O'Reilly
detected his sullen, angry eyes upon
him.
General Betancourt and several mem
bers of his staff were up early the fol-
lowing morning to bid their visitor
good-by. In spite of their efforts to
make the parting cheerful it was plain
that they had but little hope Of ever
again seeing this foolhardy American.
Johnnie's spirits were not in the
least affected by this i1l-concealed pes
simism, for, as he told himself, he had
money In his pockets and Matanzas
was not many miles away. But when
he came to part from Jacket he expert
enced genuine disappointment. The
boy, strangely enough, was almost in
different to his leaving; he merely ex-
tended a limp, dirty hand, and replied
to O'Reilly's parting words with a
careless "Adios!'
In hurt surprise the former inquired,
'Don't we part good friends?"
"Sure" Jacket shrugged, then
turned away.
Jacket was likable youngster; his
devotion was thoroughly unselfish; it
had not been easy to wound him. With
keener regrets than he cared to &C.
knowledge OReilly set out upon his
journey, following the guide whom
General Betancourt had provided.
1t was lovely morning, sufficiently
warm to promise hot midday; the
air was moist and fresh from recent
shower. This being the rainy season,
the trails were soft, and where the rich
red Cuban soil was exposed the trav-
elers sank into it as into wet putty.
Crossing a rocky ridge, O'Reilly and
his guide at last emerged upon an
open slope, knee-hfgh in grass and
grown up to bottle palms, those queer,
distorted trees whose trunks are swol-
len into the likeness of earthen water
jars. Scattered here and there over
the meadows were the dead or fallen
trunks Of another variety1the cabbage
palm, the green heart of which had
long formed a staple article Of diet for
the insurrectOs. Spanish axes had
been at work here and not a single
tree remained alive. The green floor
of the valley farther down was dotted
with the other, the royal kind, that
monarch of tropic vegetation which
lends to the Cuban landscape it's pc
clliar and distinctive beauty.
"Yonder is the camino," said the
countryman, pointing into the valley;
"it will lead you to the main road;
and there"-he turned to the north
ward-"is Matanzas. Go with God.
and don't drink the well water, which
is polluted from the rains" With a
smile and wave Of the hand the man
turned back and plunged into the
jungle.
AS O'Reilly descended the slope he
| IcdlIZSU hCculy IlldI uc was dIOltG duu
in hostile territory. The hills and the
woods from Pinar del Rio to Oriente
were Cuban, or, at most, they were
disputed ground, But here in the
plains and valleys near the cities Spain
was supreme. From this moment on
O'Reilly knew he must rely entirely
upon himself. The success Of his en-
terprise-his very life-hinged upon
his caution, his powers of dissimula-
ton, his ability to pass as harmless,
helpless pacifico. 1t gave him an un-
accustomed thrill, by no means pleas
ant.
The road, when he came to it, proved
| to be deep gutter winding between
red clay banks cut by the high wheels
of clumsy cane carts. Inasmuch as no
crops whatever had been moved over
the road during the past season, it was
now little more than an oozy, sticky
rut. Not roof, not chimney was in
| sight; the valley was deserted. Here
was fertile farming country-and yet
no living thing, no sound of bells, no
voices, no growing cocks. no lowing
cattle. 1t was depressing to O'Reilly,