Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-17
1915, BY Harper { Bros.l


NORM rolled his eyes at Jacket He
pondered the marvel of what he. had
seen. he muttered something to him.
self.
For the sake of Miguelito." Jacket
urged. "Caramba! What a hard-heart-
ed father begot that boy"
Hush" The fisherman was scowl-
ing. To O'Reilly he said: You do
wrong to tempt poor man.
my brother Estaban is sick. He is
a frail little lad with a crooked back
God will reward you
Perhaps! But how much will you
pay"
all that I have"
mo. it is not enough"
OReiiIy took Jackets hand and
turned away. I'm sorry" said he. Il
wish 1 might offer you more" He
had taken several steps before NORM
hailed him.
Come back tomorrow" the fisher
man cried. GROSSLY. I'VE will try to talk
like sensible people,
The brothers Villar were back at
Morin's fish-stand on the following
thereafter until they at last prevailed
over the Spaniards fears and won his
promise of assistance. That much ac-
complished, they made several cautious
purchases, coat here, shirt there.
a pair of trousers in another place,
until they had assembled a complete
boys outfit of clothing.
At first Rosa refused absolutely to
desert her two faithful negro friends.
and O'Reilly won her consent to cno-
had put the matter squarely up to
Asensio and his wife and after both
had refused to enter into it. Asensio
declared that he was too sick to be
moved. and asserted that he would
infinitely prefer to remain where he
was. provided he was supplied with
sufficient money to cover his needs
Evangelina agreed with him.
Then, and not until then. did Rosa
begin her preparations. First she
made Evangelina cut her hair, a sac
rilege that wrung signs and tears and
loud lamentations from the black wom-
an, after which she altered the suit
of boys clothing to fit her figure. or
rather to conceal it.
When at last she put it on for
O'Reilly's approval she was very shy:
very self-conscious, and SO altogether
unboylike that he shook his head posi-
lively.
my dear, you'll never do he told
her You are altogether too pretty"
But wait until 1 put that hideous
hump upon my back and stain my face.
Perhaps" he said, doubtfully. A
moment, then his frown lightened
You give me thought" said he. You
shall wear the jewels"
w ear Inem. HOW
"On your back, in that very hump. 1t
will be the safest possible way to con-
ceal them"
Rosa clapped her hands in delight.
why, of coursei 1t is the very thing.
Wait until 1 show you"
Profiting by her first moment alone
Evangelina and her husband being
still in ignorance of the contents of
the treasure box-Rosa made bundle
out of the Jewels and trinketS and
fastened
After few experiments she adjusted
it to her liking. then called O'Reilly
once more. This time he was better
satisfied; he was, in truth, surprised at
the effect of the Disagreement. and, after
putting Rosa through several rehearsals
in masculine department, he pronounced
the disguise as nearly perfect as could be
hoped for: An application of Evan
gelina's stain to darken her face, a
few tatters and liberal application of
dirt to the suit, and he declared that
Rosa would pass anywhere as boy.
There came a night when the three
of them babe goodbye to their black
companions and slipped away across
the city to that section known as
Pueblo Nuevo, then followed the road
along the water front until they found
shelter within the shadows of rickety
structure which had once served as a
bathhouse. The building stood parti-
ally upon piles and under it they crept,
knee-deep in the tapping waves To
Matanzas: to their right. the lights of
the Penas Atlas fort; ahead of them.
empty and dark save for the riding
lights of a few small coasting vessels,
lay the harbor.
The refugees waited long time:
they were beginning to fear that old
Morin's nerve had weakened at the
eleventh hour, when they beheld skin
approaching the shore. 1t glided closer,
entered the shade of the bathhouse.
then a voice cried:
''Pset! You are there?' 1t was
NORM himself
bent to his oars and the skiff shot
out. You were not observed?' he in
quired;;.
NORM rowed in silence for time.
then confessed: This business is not
to my liking. There is too much risk.
Think of me putting my. neck in
"How Jacket chuckIed. at is just
the sort of thing that enjoy. II
Miguelito was captain of his fathers
boat we'd been in Cardenas by day
break"
when do you sail?" o'Reilly asked.
"At dawn, God permitting. You will
have to remain hidden and you mustn't
even breathe. l have told my men that
you are members of my wife's family
good Spaniards, but I doubt If they will
believe it,
Then you are to De my. uncle!
Jacket inquired from his seat in the
bow. "Caranfba" That's more than 1
can stand. To be considered a Spaniard
is bad enough, but to be known as the
nephew of an old miser who smells
of fish, 1t is too nuch!"
Badinage of this sort did not dis
please the fisherman. 1T is not often
they board US nowadays" he said, more
hopefully, but of course one never
can tell Perhaps we will sail out o
tnTr nnS
He brought the skiff alongside
battered old schooner and his Passsn-
gers clambered aboard. There was a
tiny cabin aft and Oh it. sheltered from
the night dew hy !oese fold of the
mainsaiI, were two sleeping men. The
newcomers foIIuyves: Mprin down into
the evil little caeil. where he warned
them in q gt.-tcrgrlz whisper:
mot q sound. mind you If any one
comes aboard. you nus. shift for your
selves. Creep in.o the hold and hiGe.
OF course, # we are searchcG-' He
muttered something, then CROPPED his
way out on deck, and closed the hatch
behind him.
It was inky dark in the cabin; the
occupants dared mot move for fear of
waking the sailors overhead. Time
passed slowly After n while Jacket
yawned and sighed and erurtbied TN
der his breath. Finally he stretched
himself out UPON narrow hoard bench
ard fell asieep. 0'Reilly drew Rosa to
him and she snuygied comfortably into