Meade County news., 1918-06-06


There was some delay when he rang
the bell, but eventually the dentist
himself appeared. OReilly recognized
him from his resemblance to his
brother. He addressed him In English,
II come from Felipe" he began. "He
well remembers the day you whipped
him to keep him from going to the
Ten Years. war;"
The languor of Doctor Alvarado's
slesta vanished. He started, his eyes
widened.
"Who are your" he muttered.
my name Is O'Rellly. am an Amer.
lean, friend, so don't be alarmed.
The man you see approaching is fol
lowing me, but he thinks have come
to you with a toothache."
"What do you want2"
IT want your help in Joining the in
surrectos."
By this time the detective had come
within earshot. Making an effort at
self-possession, the dentist said: every
well. will meet you at my office in
n half-hour and see what can be DONE"
Then he bowed.
O'Rellly raised his hat and turned
away.
Doctor Alvarado's dentists chair
faced full-length window, one Of sew.
eral which, after the Cuban fashion,
opened directly upon the sidewalk, rem
dering both the waiting room and the
office almost as public as the street
itself. Every one Of these windows
was wide open when Johnnie arrived !;
but It seemed that the dentist knew
what he was about, for when his pa.
tlent had taken his seat ana he had
begun an examination Of the trouble
some tooth, he said, under his breath /:
II, too, am watched. Talk to me in
English. When I press, thus, upon
your gum, you will know that someone
Is passing. Now, then, whnt is the
meaning of your amazing message
from Feliper
While Doctor Alvnrado pretended to
treat perfectly sound molar, Johnnie
managed, despite frequent Interrupt
! tions, to make known the reason and
] circumstances of his presence.
"But there are no rebels around
here" Alvarado told him. "You could
3 escape to the country, perhaps, buI
! what then? Where would you go'
+ How would they know who you arer
"That's what want to find out"
: The Cuban pondered. "You'll have
5 TO go to Puerto Principe" he said al
! length. "Our men are operating In
that neighborhood, and my brother Ig
nacio will know how to reach them
I'll give you message to him, similar
D to the one you brought me from Fe
lipe." Then he smiled. "Ive JUS
y thought of the very thing. Years age
I lent him a book which particularly
8 priced, and one of his children dam
= aged 1t. I was furious. / declared
Q would never lend him another, and I.
never have. Now, then, I'll give yOl
that very volume; hand 1t to him ant
b say that asked you to return 1t t.
him."
J, ORellly thanked him, promising t
use every precautlon In delivering thu
message. The next morning he pai'
Carbajal's score and took the trali
to the interior. In his bag was Tomal
y Alvarado's precious volume, and In tn
same coach with him rode the secre
= service man.
In Its general features Puerto Prin
, cipe differed little from the other Ct
> ban cities O'Reilly knew. It was com
:, pactly built, 1t was very old and /
y looked Its centuries. Its streets wer
. particularly narrow and crooked, hav
. ing been purposely laid out in laby
rinthine mazes, so the story goes, 4
order to fool the pirates.
AS he sat in a cafe, slipping an OF
angeade, he heard someone speakin
- an atrOcious Spanish, and looked up t
~ see that another American had en-
tered. The stranger was tall, fune
- real young man, with pallid cheeks an
- hollow, burning eyes. 0Reilly steppe
~ over to the table and introduced hin
~ self. "The hotel keeper in Neuvita
- told me I'd find you here" he sait
= "Your name is"
40 "Branch; Leslie Branch. SO Carbf
n jail said you'd find me here, eh? OF
"a the greasy little liar. he didn't bellev
,s It. He thought his cooking would hav
ID killed me, long ago, and 1t nearly did.
N This time Mr.. Branch's bony fran
re- underwent genuine shudder and hi
N face was convulsed with lOathlni
4 "Carbajals in the secret service. Mic
4. fat little spy"
10 $50 suspected"
Mr.. Branch's beverage appeared .
I'd this moment. With a flourish tn
II. wniter placed small glass and
n. bottle Of dark liquid before hin
he Branch stared at 1t, then rolled
n hercely smoldering eye upward.
a. HvVhot,a fhof91 ha innuired