Meade County news., 1918-08-08
CHAPTER xvI-contInued.

dD ldIICICu 10 bhC POOACob Va DShNAA
courts common soldiers; his shoes
were broken and disreputable his cot
ton trousers, snagged by barbed wire
and brambles, and soiled by days in
the saddle and nights in the grass,
were in desperate need Of attention.
His beard had grown, too, and his skin,
where It was exposed, was burnt to
a mahogany brown. Certainly there
was nothing about his appearance to
bespeak his nationality.
The general continued: II am direct
ed in this letter to help you In some
enterprise. Command me, SIR"
As briefly as possible Johnnie made
known the object of his journey. The
officer nodded his comprehension, but
as he did so puzzled expression
crossed his face.
Eyes, 1 reported that Miss Varona
had gone into the city-I took some
pains to find out. Do you have reason
TO doubt"
"Not the least, sir"
"Then-why have you come all this
way?"
II came to find her and to fetch her
to her brother"
"But-you don't understand. She is
actually inside the lines, in Matan-
Eas-a prisoner"
Exactly. intend to 60 into Matan-
Eas and bring her out"
General Betancourt drew back, as
tonished. "My dear manp he ex-
claimed. "Are you mad?"
O'Reilly smiled family. "Quite
probably. All lovers are mildly mad,
I believe"
"Ahl Loversl I begin to see. But
how do you mean to go about this
this-impossible undertaking?"
"You told me just now that I could
pass for Cuban. Well, I am going
to put 1t to the test. If once get into
the city I shall manage somehow to
get out again, and bring her with me-"
"Um-ml" The general appraised
O'Reilly speculatlvely. "No doubt you
can get init is not so difficult to en-
ter, believe, and especially to one
who speaks the language like native.
But the return-I fear you will find
that another matter. Matanzas is a
place of pestilence, hunger, despair.
No one goes there from choice any
more, and no one ever comes out"
$50 / should imagine" The speak
er's careless tone added to General Be
tancourt's astonishment. "Bless me r.
he exclaimed. "What an extraordi-
nary young mani Is 1t possible that
you do not comprehend the terrible
conditions7" A sudden thought struck
him and he inquired quickly: "Tell me,
you are not by any chance that hero
they call El Demonio? / have heard
that he is indeed demon. No? Very
well You say you wish to visit Ma
tanzas, and / am instructed to help
you. How can do so2"
O'Reilly hesltated an instant. 'cFor
one thing, need money. II haven't
a single peseta."
"You are welcome to the few dol
lars I possess"
Johnnie expressed his gratitude for
this ready assistance. zone thing
more" said he. "Will you give my
boy, jacket, a new pair Of trousers
and send him back to the Orient at the
tirst opportunityr
"Of course. It is DONE" The gen.
eral laid friendly hand upon O'Reil-
ly's shoulder, saying, gravely: 1T
would relieve me intensely to send you
back with him, for I have fears for
the success Of your venture. Matanzas
is hell; 1t has swallowed up thou
sands Of our good countrymen; thou
sands have died there. I'm afraid you
do not realize what risks you are TAX
Ing"
O'Reilly did not allow this we'll
meant warning to influence him, nor
did he listen to the admonitions of
those other Cubans who tried to argue
with him out Of his purpose, once 1t
became known. On the contrary, he
proceeded with his preparations and
spent that afternoon in satisfying him
self that Rosa had indeed left the Pan
de Matanzas before Cobo's raid.
Among Betancourt's troops was a
man who had been living In the hills
at the time Asensio and his family
had abandoned their struggle for ex-
istence, and to him O'Reilly went. This
fellow, 1t seemed, had remained with
his family In the mountains some time
after Asenslo's departure. 1t was
from him that O'Reilly heard his first
authentic report Of the atrocities per-
petrated by Cobo's volunteers. This
man had lost his wife, his little son,
and all the scanty belongings he pos
sessed. With shaking hands up
stretched to heaven, the fellow cursed
the author of his misfortunes.
II live for one thingp he cried
shrilly-"to meet that monster, and to
butcher him, as he butchers women
and children"
O'Reilly purposely left his most un-
pleasant task to the last. When his
arrangements had been completed and
he had acquainted himself as far as
possible with the hazards he was likely
to encounter, he took Jacket aside and
hroka tho naxuo IN him tho& IN tho foI