The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-09-12


touched his face again, then his thin, |
worn rags you, too, have suffered |
How came you to be so poor and hun
CRY, O'Rail-ye?"
I'm not poor, I'M rich. Seer He
jingled the coins in his pocket. 'sThat's
money; money for you, sweetheart It
VIII buy you food and medicine, it will
make you strong again. Rosa, dear,
have looked for you so long, so long"
His voice broke wretchedly and he
bowed his head. IL was afraid"
81 waited as long as had strength
to wait" she told him. ''It is too bad
you came SO late"
Once again she lapsed into the Ieth-
argy of utter weakness. whereupOn he
fell TO stroking her hands, calling upon
her to come back to him. He was be-
side himself now; a terrible feeling OF
impotence and despair Overcame him.
Uo"ring someone speak, he raised
his eyes and discovered at his side that
figure of want which he had seen dig
ging on the slope below. 1t was Evan
gelina. The negresS was little more
than skin and bones. her eyes were
bleared and yellow and sunken, her
face had grown apeiike. but he rec
ognized her and she him.
you are the American" she de-
clared. You are RoSa's man."
Yes. But what is wrong with her?
Look She is ill"
She is often like that. 1t is the
hunger. We have nothing to eat, Sc
nor. I, too, am iII-dying; and Assem-
siO- Oh. you don't know how they
have made US suffer-"
1--WE must get Rosa home. Where
do you Iive?"
Evangelina turned her deaths head
toward the city. Down yonder. But
what's the use? There & 10 food in
our house and Rosa is afraid of those
wagons. You know-the ones with the
corpses. She babe me bring her here
to die"
The girl was not wholly unconscious it
seemed, for she stirred and murmured
family: Those wagons Don't let
them put me in there with the other
| dead. They pile the bodies high" A
weak shudder cOnvulsed her
O'ReflIy bent lower, and in a strong.
determined voice cried: You are not
going to die. I have money for food.
Rouse yourself, Rosa. rouse yourself"
"She prayed for you every night"
the negress volunteered. "Such faith
! Such trustI She never doubted that
you would come and find her. Some
times she cried, but that was because
of her brother. Esteban, you know. is
dead. Yes, dead, like all the rest"
''Esteban is not dead" O'ReiIly as
serted HE is alive. Rosa, do you
hear that? Esteban is alive and well.
1 left him with Gomez in the Orient.
have come to take you to him?"
'Esteban alive? Ha! You are fool
ing u.s." Evangelina wagged her head
wisely. "We know better than that"
81 tell you he is alive" O'ReilIy in
sisted. He heard Jacket calling to him
at that moment, so he haIlooed to the
boy then when the latter had arrived,
he explained briefly. without allowing
Jacket time in which to express his
| amusement:
''Our search is over; we have found
them. But they won't believe that
Esteban is alive. Tell them the truth. :"
Yes, he is alive. We found him
rottiug in a prison and we rescued
him." Jacket corroborated. He stared
curiously at the recumbent Figure on
| the bench, then at O'ReiiIy. He puck
cred his lips and gave vent to a low
whistle Of amazement. $50 This is
your rretty one, Ell? L She Well,
1 don't think much OF her. But then.
you are not so handsome yourself, are
you?"
Evangelina seemed to be stupid, a
trifie touched. perhaps. from suffering,
for she laid a skinny claw upon O'Reil-
ly's sfru1Ider and warned him earnest
Iy: Look out for Cobo. You have
heard about him. Ell? Well, he is the
cause CT all our misery. he hunted US
from place TO place, and it was for him
that put that hump on her back. On.
derstaRd me, she Is straight-straighi
and pretty enough for any American
Her skin is like milk, too. and heI
hair-sfle used 10 put flowers in it fol
you, and then we would play games
But you never came. You will make
allowances for her looks, will you mott 2
"PoOr Rosa You two poor crea
lures :" O'Reilly choked; he hid hi:
face upon his sweetheart's breast.
Rosa responded; her fingers caresseC
him and she sighed eOntentedly.
| O'Reilly'S ascent Of the hill had beer
slow, but his descent was inf1nitel!
slower, for Rosa was so feeble tina
she could help herself but little anC
he lacked the strength to carry he
far at a time. Finally. however, theI
reached the wretched howell wherr
Asensio lay. then leaving her there
Johnnie sped on alone into the city
He returned soon with several small
bundles concealed about his person
and with Evangelina's help he sc
! about preparing food
Neither Rosa nor the two negroe
had any appetite-their hunger hat
long since passed the point at whicl
they were conscious of it-and O'Reill.
was compelled to force them to eat
When he had given them all that b
dared he offered what food was lef
to Jacket.
The boy moistened his lips and hi
fingers twitched, but he shook his head
''Oh. I'm not so hungry" he declared
indifferently. 81 have a friend In tn
market place; I viii go down Their
and steal a fish from him"