Mexico Missouri message., 1918-07-25

snip, WlInuraW. A curse on tneSe
buried treasures, anyhow. We shall
yet come to blows"
AS he walked away he heard Norine
say: Don't pay any attention to him.
Wen go and dig II up ourselves, and
we won't wait until the war is over"
An hour later Esteban and his nurse
still had their heads together. They
were still talking of golden ingots and
pearls from the Caribbean the size of
plums when they looked up to see
O'Reilly running toward them. He was
visibly excited; he waved and shouted
at them. He was painting when he mr.
rived.
'Newsl From MatanzasT' he cried.
"Gomez' man has arrived"
Esteban struggled to rise, but No
rine restrained him. "Rosa? What
does he say? Quickp
Good news! She left the Pan de
Matanzas with the two negroes. She
went into the city before Cobo's raid"
Esteban collapsed Imply. He closed
his eyes, his face was very white. He
crossed himself weakly.
"The letter is definite. 1t seems they
were starving. They obeyed Weyler's
bando. They're in Matanzas now."
"Do you hear, Esteban?" Norine
shook her patient by the shoulder.
"She's alive. Oh, can't you see that it
always pays to believe the best?"
"AlIve! Safe!" Esteban whispered.
His eyes, when he opened them, were
swimming; he clutched Norlne's hand
tightly; his other hand he extended to
OReilly. "a reconcentrado! In Ma
tanzas! Well, that's good. We have
friends there-they1l not let her
starve. This makes a new man of me.
See! Pm strong again. I'll go to her."
"You'll go?" quickly cried Miss
Evans. you'll go! You're not strong
enough. 1t would be suicide. You,
with a price upon your head! Every
body knows you there. Matanzas is
virtually n walled city. There's sick
ness, too-yellOw Fever, typhus--"
"Exactly. And hunger. also. I sup
pose no one has taken Rosa in? Those
concentration camps aren't nice places
for Il girl"
"But wait have friends in Wash
ingtOn. They're influential. They will
cable the American consul to look after
her. Anyhow, you mustn't think of re
turning TO Matanzas," Norlne faltered /;
her voice caught unexpectedly and she
turned her face away.
ORellly nodded shortly. you're a
sick man." he agreed. "There's no need
for both of us to CO."
Esteban looked up. "Then you"
II leave at once. The Old Man has
given me commission to General Be
tancourt, and I'll be on my way in an
hour. The moon Is young; I must
cross the trocha before"
"That trocha" Esteban was up on
his elbow again. "Be careful there,
O'Reilly. They keep a sharp lookout,
and it's guarded with barbed wire. Be
sure you cut every strand. Yes, and
muffle your horses hoofs, too, in cross
ing the railroad track. That's how we
were detected. Pablos horse struck
a rail, and they fred at the sound. He
fell at the first volley, riddled. Oh,
know that trochaw
Cd the trochap' O'Reilly ex-
claimed. "At last I've got chance to
do something. Godl How long I've
waited"
Esteban drew O'Reilly's tense form
down and embraced his friend, after
the fashion of his people. "She has
been waiting, too," he said, huskily
"We Varonas are good walters, O'Reil-
ly. Rosa will never cease waiting un.
til you come. Tell her, for me"
Norine withdrew softly out of ear.
shot. There were lump in her throat
and pain in her breast. She had ac
. quired a peculiar and affectlOnate in
terest In this unhappy girl whom she
had never seen, and she had learned tC
respect O'Rellly's love. The yearnlns
that had pulsed in his voice a moment
before had stirred her deeply; 1t awokC
throb In her own bosom, for O'Reilly
, was dear to her. The pacifcOs, accord
ing to all reports, were dying like fiiel
In the prison camps. NOrine wondered
IL there might not be a terrible heart
; ache at the end of O'Reilly's quest
Her face was grave and worried when
hearing him speak to her, she turnel
to take his Outstretched hand.
"You will be careful. won't you?
she implored. "And you'll be stout o
heart, no matter what occursf'
a He nodded. "It's a long way bacl
3 here to Cubitas. You may not see o
hear from me again"
e II understand" She choked miseI
: ably. "YOu mean you may not com
back. Oh, Johnnie"
$ 'grut, tut We ORelllys have NOR
. lives than a litter Of cats. mean
l may not see you until the war is owe
1 and we meet in New York. Well, we'v
: been good pals, and-rm glad 20
t came to Cuba" His grasp upon he
= two hands was painful.
! "You must go, know, and wouldn
| fY.v IN Eaan vou hut--n Marina faItara,