Mexico Missouri message., 1918-08-08

? city. Now and then, however, there die
arrive visitors from whom the spec
/ tacle of so much wretchedness wrunl
contribution, hence there was al
ways an expectant throng at the depot
On this occasion O'ReilIy was sur
. prised to hear the plteous whines fol-
charity in the name of God turn sud
= denly into a subdued but vicious NUT.
ter Of rage. Kisses were intermingled
with vituperations, then the crowd fell
strangely silent, parting to allow the
passage of great, thick-set man in the
uniform of a colonel of volunteers. The
fellow was unusually swarthy and he
wore black scowI upon his face, while
a long puCkering scar the full length of
one cheek lifted his mouth into a
crooked sneer and left exposed. a
glimpse of wolfish teeth.
OReilly was at loss to fathom this
sudden alteration of attitude, the whis-
tie of indrawn breaths and the whis-
pered curses, until he heard some one
mutter the-namc, "Cobo." Then indeed
he started and stiffened in his tracks.
He fixed fascinated stare upon the
fellow.
Colonel CobO seemed no little
pleased by the reception he created.
With his chest arched and his black
eyes cleaning malevOlently he swag-
gered through the press, clicking his
heels noisily upon the stone flags. When
he had gone jacket voiced a vicious
oath.
80 that is the butcher of babies !"
exclaimed the boy. "Well, now.
should enjoy cutting his heart out"
oReilly's emotions were not entire
~ unlike those of his small companion.
His lips became dry and white as he
tried to speak.
What brute! That face Ugh !"
lie found himself shaking weaklv
and discovered that new and wholly
unaccOuntable feeling of discourage
ment had settled upon him. He tried
manfully to shake it off, but somehow
tailed, for the sight of Rosa's arch
enemy and the mans overbearing per-
Sonality had affected him oueerly.
CoOos air of confidence and authority
seemed to emphasize O'Reilly's impo-
tence and bring it forcibly home TO
him' 10 think of his lustful persecu.
tion of Rosa Yarona, moreover, terri
neu MIN. The next day he resumed his
hut-to-hut search, but with a listless-
ness that came from q firm conviction
that once again he was too late,
That afternoon found the two friends
among the miserable novels which en-
clrcled the foot of La Cumbre, about
the only quarter they had not explored
Below lay San Severino, the execution
place; above was the site of the old
Varona home. More than once on his
way about the city O'Reilly had lifted
ms eyes in the direction of the latter,
teeling a great hunger to revisit the
scene OF his last farewell to Rosa, but
through fear of the melancholy effect |
II would have upon him he had thus
tar resisted the impulse. Today, how
ever, he could no longer fight the NOR
Dld desire and so, in spite of Jackets |
protest at the useless expenditure of |
effort, he set out to climb the hill. OF |
course the boy would not let him 90 |
alone.
Little was said during the ascent.
Inc La Cumbre road seemed very long
and very steep, How different the last
time OReilly had swung up it! The |
climb had never before tired him as II |
did now, and he reasoned that hunger
must have weakened him even more
than he realized. Jacket felt the exer-
tlon, too; he was short of breath and |
he rested frequently. O'Reilly saw that
the boys bare, brown legs had grown
Dony since be had last noticed them,
and he felt a sudden pang at having
brought the little fellow into such n
plight as this.
"Well, hombre," he said when they
paused to rest 'rm afraid we came
too late. I'm afraid we're licked"
Jacket nodded listlessly; his opti-
mlsm, too, was gone. "They must all
be dead or we would have found them
before this" said he. When O'Reilly
made no answer he continued, at is
time we thought of getting away from
here, eh?"
Johnnie was sitting with his face In
his hands. Without lifting his head he
away? 1t is easy enough to get into
Matanzas, but" He shrugged hope
lessly.
Jacket frightened at the thought of
escape. "Ho! I'll bet we can find q
hole somewhere" said he. "We're not
like these others. They haven't the
spirit to try" There was moment of
silence, and then: "Carambal You
remember those jutias we ate? They
were strong, but q would enjoy the
smell of one now. Eh? Another week
of this and we shall be living on garb-
age like the rest Of these poor peo-
pie"
Leaving Jacket to take his time,
Johnnie completed the climb alone,
meditating upon the boys words. ''The
spirit to tryW Where had HIS spirit
gone, he wondered. Perhaps it had
been crushed beneath the weight of
n /