Judsonia weekly advance., 1918-08-07

Gomez was counted one of the worlds ablest guerrilla leaders; and indeed 1t had required the quenchless enthu- siasm of real military genius to fuse into a homogeneous fighting force the ill-assorted rabble of nondescripts whom Gomez led, to school them to privation and to render them sufficient ly mobile to defy successfully ten times their number of trained troops. This, however, was precisely what the old Porto Rican had done, and in doing it he had won the admiration of mili- tary students.
 With a bluntness not unkind he asked O'Reilly what had brought him to Cuba.
 When O'Reilly explained the reason for his presence the old fighter nod ded
 "So? You wish to go west, eh?"
 ''Yes. sir. I want to find Colonel Lopez"
 Lopez? Miguel Lopez?" the gen eral inquired quickly. "Well, you won't have to look far for him." General Gomez leathery countenance frightened into smile "He happens to be right here in Cubitas" Calling Judson to him, he said: Amigo take Mir. O'Reilly to Colonel Lopez; you will find him somewhere about. I am sorry we are not to have this young fellow for soldier; he looks like q real man and quite equal to five quintos, eh?"
 It was the habit of the Cubans to rpfnY fn thnj,. the fifth part of man! With wave of his hand Gomez returned to his reading.
 Col. Miguel Lopez, handsome, anil mated fellow, took O'Reilly's hand in a hearty clasp when they were intro duced; but moment later his smile gave way to frown and his brow darkened.
 "So! You are that O'Reilly from Matanzas." said he. q know you now, butt never expected we would meet"
 "Esteban Varona told you about me. did he not7"
 The colonel inclined his head.
 I'm here at last, after the devils own time. I've been trying every way to get through. The Spanlards stopped me at Puerto Principe-they sent me fectly crazy. T. You" O'Reilly swallowed hard. You know where Esteban is? Tell me-
 Have you heard nothing?"
 Nothing whatever. That Is, noth- ing since Rosa, his sister You un- derstand, she and I ged-"
 "Yes, yes Esteban told me all about you."-
 Something in the Cubans gravity of manner gave O'Reilly warning. A sud den fear assailed him. His voice shook as he asked:
 "What is 1t? Not bad news?"
 There was no need for the officer to answer. In his averted gaze O'Reilly read confirmation of his sick est apprehensions.
 "Tell me! Which one?" he whis- pered.
 Both '"
 O'Reilly recoiled; a spasm distorted his chalky face. He began to shake weakly, and his fingers plucked aim- lessly at each other. Lopez took him by the-arm "Try to control yourself" said he. "Sit here while I try to tell you what little I know. Or would 1t not be better to wait awhile, until you are calmer ?" As the young man made no answer, ex- cept to stare at him in a white agony of suspense. he sighed:
 "I will tell you all I know-which isn't much. Esteban Varona came to me soon after he and his sister had fled from their home; he wanted to join my forces, but we were harassed on every side, and didn't dare take the girl-nO woman could have en- dured the hardships we suffered. So I convinced him that his first duty was to her, rather than to his country, and he agreed. He was a fine boyl He had spirit. He bought some stolen rifles and armed band of his own which wasn't bad idea. I used to hear about him. Nobody cared to molest him, I can tell you, until finally he killed some of the regular troops. Then of course they went after him. Meanwhile he managed to destroy his own plantations, which Cueto had robbed him of. You know Cueto?"
 "Yes"
 "Well, Esteban put an end to him after while; rode right up to La Joya one night, broke In the door, and macheted the scoundrel in his bed. But there was mistake of some sort. It seems that body of Cobo's volun- teers were somewhere close by, and the two parties met. I have never learned all the details of the affair, and the stories of that fight which came to me are too preposterous for belief.