Evening star., 1918-03-31
90 RAINBOW'S END

then Joined with nimble fingers il
adorning their costumes. When tht
girls came down the street, hand il
hand. they received an ovation from
. men and women alike. Norine was
pleased; she smiled and blushed and
ran the gantlet bravely enough. But
excitement, was upon the verge OF
collapse. Nevertheless she was happy;
her eyes were shining. her face was
transfigured. her hand. when she took
O'Reilly's, was cold and tremulous. but
1T warmed and grew steady under his
grasp.
Many people-an Cubitas. in fact
had assembled to witness the romantic
double wedding, but few actually sue
ceeded. for Esteban's hut was too
small to accommodate more than the
highest officials Of the provisional gov
ernment. SO the others were forced to
wait outside in the gathering dusk.
And those ministers. those secretaries
of departments, those generals and
colonies. what a motley crowd they
formed! There was scarcely whole
garment among them. They were sun
burnt. wind-browned, earnest men, the
old ones grayed and grizzled from
worry. the younger ones wasted from
hardships in the field. But out of their
rags and poverty shone stately cour-
tesy and consideration. They were
gentlemen. men Of culture and refine
ment, the best and oldest blood of
Cuba. Both Norine and Johnnie had
earned their gratitude, and the story of
the tarona twins was typical of the
there were warm congratulations.
well turned Latin pleasantries, elabor-
ate compliments upon the beauty of the
brides.
Then. afterward, there was a sur
prise-a genuine surprise-in the form
of a banquet at the big mess shelter.
with an orchestra concealed behind a
screen OF fresh-cut palm leaves stuck
into the soft earth This was the mems
part of the celebration, the official
compliment to Cuba's guest. 1t was
a poorly furnished banquet. with a
service of tin and graniteware and
Clipped china, and there was little to
eat, but the true spirit of festivity was
present. The Lone Star emblem Of the
new republic was draped with the
Stars and Stripes, and there were many
speeches.
Norine's protests at leaving Esteban
went unheeded, and Leslie Branch es-
eorted her in PLACE of the bridegroom,
hammock. Her amazement passed all
bounds when. from the hidden recess
behind the palm leaves, came not the
music OF mandolins and guitars. but
der the leadership of Cuba's most en-
inent bandmaster. Whence the PLAYERS
nad come, where they had found their
instruments. was a mystery, but they
10y GU we'll uiVlnely, so 1t Seemd to
the music-hungry diners
Such banquet as that wasI Son,e
one had contributed a demijohn Of
Wine. and there was coffee, too. at the
!ast. IA made from the berries Of some
at the 1nglaterra, was forced to apnear
ana take homage for this final triumnh
ROSA, very dainty in her borrowed
nurses uniform, was round-eyed. timid.
sh she evoked much admiration, but when
she biushed to the roots of her hair and
shrank close to her husbands side To
reel herself secure, to see on all Sides
friendly faces. to know that these fine
men men ana women-there were numerous
good cuban matrons presept-were her
own people and meant her well. was al
most unbelievable. She had so long been
hidden. she had SO long feared every
strangers glance. it was not strange
that she felt ill at ease, and that the
banquet was grave ordeal for her.
Branch proved to be happy choice as
ssteban's proxy. for he relieved Norine's
lnxiety and smothered her apprehen-
nons. When called upon to speak he
eifef at escaping the further hazards of
his war. Prompted by some freakish
'erversity. and perhaps unduly stimu-
ated by the wine he had drunk, he made
pen concession of his amazing cow
O'Reilly interpreted for him and we'll {
Ugh every sentence evoked laughter. Ell
)emon1os heroic reputation had pre-
eded him: therefore his unsmiling ef-
ort to ridicu1e himself struck the audi 6
nee as new and excruiciatingly funny
hase of his eccentricity. Encounterinp
his blank wall of disbelief, Branch
vaxed more earnest. more convincing; in S
Melancholy detail he described his ar
ant timidity. his cringing fear of pain, 7
lis adherence of blood and steel His e
face was genuinely solemn. /