Mexico Missouri message., 1918-08-01
'come here" commanded the Ameri-

tlnct he consigned his idol to a warmer
place than Cuba.
I'm a tough kid" he declared.
Don't get gay on me-"
The two parleyed briefly; then, when
satisfied that no violence was intended
him, the boy sat down to listen. But,
as before, neither argument nor appeal
had the slightest effect upon him. He
denied that he had followed his bene-
factor; he declared that he was free
agent and at liberty to go where he
wllled. If 1t so Glanced that his fancy
took him to the city Of Matanzas at
the same time O'Reilly happened to
be travelling thither, the circumstance
might be put down to the long arm of
coincidence. If his company were dis
tasteful to the elder man, O'Reilly was
free to wait and follow later; 1t was a
matter of complete indifference to
Jacket. He had business in Matanzas
and he proposed to attend to it. The
boy lied gravely. unblushingly. New
ertheless, he kept watchful eye upon
his hearer.
every WE'LL" O'Reilly told him final
ly. 81 give in."
jackets face Instantly lit up. He
radiated good humor; he hitched his
body closer.
"By - I get my own way, don't
II" he laughed.
Indeed you do" O'Reilly laid a
hand fondly upon his loyal follower.
"And don't mind telling you that I'm
more than half glad of 1t. IL was
getting lonesome. / didn't know how
much could miss you. But now we
must make some plans, we must have
an understanding and decide who we
are. Let me see-yOur real name is
Narciso-"
''Narciso Villar."
swell, then, shall be Juan Villar,
your brother. Henceforth we shall
speak nothing but Spanish. Tell me
now, what was our fathers name,
where was our home, and what are we
doing together?"
During the breathless interval be-
fore the shower the two sat with their
heads together, talking earnestly. AS
the wind came and the cooling rain be-
gan to rattle on the leaves overhead
they took up their bundles and set
out. The big drops drenched them
quickly. Their thin garments clung
to them and water streamed down
their bodies; overhead the sky was
black and rent by vivid streaks of fire,
but they plodded onward cheerfully.
Jacket was himself again; he bent
his weight against the tempest and
heightened his short strides to O'Reil-
ly's. He tried to whistle, but his teeth
chartered and the wind interfered, so
he hummed a song, to drive the chill
out of his bones and to hearten his
benefactOr. Now that he was at last
accepted as full partner In this enter
prise, 1t became his duty not only to
share its perils, but to lessen its hard
ships and TO yield diversion.
The rain was cold, the briers beside
the overgrown path were sharp, and
they scratched the boys bare legs cru
ely; his stomach clamored for q COM
panion to that solitary sweet potato,
too, but in his breast glowed ardor
and pride. Jacket considered himself
a fortunate persona very fortunate
person, indeed. Had he not found a
brother, and did not that brother love
him? There was no doubt about the
latter, for O'Reilly's eyes, when he
looked down, were friendly and inti-
mate. Here was man to die for.
The downpour lasted but short
time, when the sun came out and dried
the mems clothes; on the whole, 1t had
been refreshing. When evening came
the Villar brothers sought refuge in
an old sugar mill, or rather in a part
of 1t still standing. They were on the
main calzada now, the paved road
which links the two main cities of the
island, and by the following noon their
destination was In sight.
-OReilly felt a sudden excitement
when Matanzas came into view. From
this distance the city looked quite as
1t did when he had left it, except that
the blue harbor was almost empty of
shipping, while the familiar range Of
hills that hid the Yumuri--that valley
of delight so closely linked in his
thoughts with Rosa Varona-seemed
TO smile at him like an old friend. For
the thousandth time he asked himself
If he had come in time to find her, or
If 'fate's maddening delays had proved
his own and the girls undoing.
O'Reilly knew that although Matan-
zas was a prison and a pesthole, a girl
like Rosa would suffer In perils inf
nitely worse than Imprisonment or dis
ease. 1t was a thought he could not
bear to dwell upon.
Signs of life began to appear now,
the travellers passed small garden
patches and occasional cultivated
fields; they encountered loaded carts
bound into the city, and once they hid
themselves while column Of mounted
troops went by.
O'Reilly stopped to pass the. time Of
day with a wrlnlled cartInan whose
detected oxen We're resting.
"GoIng into the city, are youY' the
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