Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-07-04

A~OkAS - ~A1A01ASS ASoAS SUS kAO
very animals and insects are harmless.
But here in the Cubitas range all was
different. The land was stern and for
bidding: canyons deep and damp
raised dripping walls to the sky bride
paths skirted lodges that were bold
and fearsome, or lost themselves in
gloomy jungles as noisome as Spanish
dungeons. Hidden away in these fast.
hesses, the rebel government had es.
tablished its capital Here, safe from
surprise, the soldiers Of Gomez and
| Maceo and Garcia rested between at.
tacks, nursing their wounded and re-
cruiting their strength for further sal
lies.
It was a strange seat Of govern
ment-no nation ever had a stranger
for the state buildings were huts of
bark and leaves, the army was uni
formed in rags. Cook fires smoldered
in the open glades; cavalry horses
grazed in the grassy streets, and wood
smoke drifted over them.
The second evening brought O'Reilly
and Miss Evans safely through, and at
news of the expeditions success a
pack train was made ready to go to
it's assistance. Norine's letter from the
New York junta was read, and the
young woman was warmly welcomed.
One Of the better huts was vacated for
her use, and the officers of the pro-
~visional government called to pay their
respects. =,
There were other Americans in Gu
bitas, as O'Reilly soon discovered. Dur
ing his first inspection Of the village
he heard himself hailed in his own lam
guage, and a young man in dirty
white trousers and jacket strobe
toward him.
welcome to u city" the stranger
cried. "I'm Judson, captain of artil.
lery, DEPARTMENT. del Oriente; and
you're the fellow who came with the
quinine lady, aren't you?"
O'Reilly acknowledged his identity,
and Judson grinned. "Have you met
the old man." he Acknowledgements
Gomez?"
mo; lQ IKE to meet him."
"Come along, then; I'll introduce
you"
Gen. Maxine Gomez, father of pa.
triots, bulwark of the Cuban cause.
was seated in a hammock, reading
some letters; O'Reilly recognized him
instantly from the many pictures he
had seen. He looked up at Judson's
salute and then turned a pair of bril-.
liant eyes, as hard as glass, upon
OReilly. His was an irascible, brood.
ing face; it had in it something of the
sternness, the exalted detachment, OF
the eagle, and O'Reilly' gained a hint OF
the personality behind it. Maxine
Gomez was counted one of the worlds
ablest Guerrilla leaders; and indeed
it had required the quenchless enthu
siasm Of a real military genius to fuse
into a homogeneous fighting force the
ill-assorted rabble of nondescripts
whom Gomez led, to school them t.
privation and to FENDER them sufficient
ly mobile to defy successfully ter
times their number of trained troops
This, however, was precisely what thu
old Porto Rican had dsne, and in doing
it he had won the admiration Of mill
tary students.
With a bluntness not unkind ht
asked O'Reilly what had brought hin
to Cuba.
When O'Reilly explained the reason
for his presence the old fighter nod
ded.
$50? You wish to go west, eh?'
Eyes, sir. II want to find Colone
Lopez"
Lopez? Miguel lopez" the gen
eral inquired quickly. "Well you won'
have to look far for him." Genera.
Gomez leathery countenance lightenet
into a smile. "He happens to be right
here in C%ubitas." Calling Judson tt
him, he said: amigo, take Mr.. O'Reill!
to Colonel Lopez; you will find hin
somewhere about. I am sorry we are
not to have this young fellow for 6
soldier; he looks like a real man and
quite equal to five quintos, eh?"
1t was the habit Of the Cubans tt
ACLCA " C1lC SuclulcS us uu1uLOS-
the fifth part of a mani! With a wave
Of his hand Gomez returned to his
reading.
Col. Miguel Lopez, a handsome, ami
mated fellow, took O'Reilly's hand il
a hearty clasp when they were intro
duced; but a moment later his smile
gave way to a frown and his brow
darkened.
$50! You are that O'Reilly from
Matanzas," said he. II know you now
butt never expected we would meet
"Esteban Varona told you about me
did he nOt?"
The colonel inclined his head.
"Tm here at last, after the devils
own time. I've been trying every way
to get through. The Spaniards stopped
me at Puerto Principe-they sent me
back home, you know. I've been per
fectly crazy. + You" O'Reilly
swallowed hard. "You know where
Esteban is? Tell me-"