The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-09-12


wore a black scOWl upon his face, while
a long puckering scar the full length Of
one cheek lifted his mouth into a
crooked sneer and left exposed a
glimpse of wOlf1sh teeth.
O'ReiIIy was at a loss to fathom this
sudden alteration of attitude, the wfiis-
tie of indrawn breaths and the whis-
pered curses, until he heard some one
mutter the name, "GobO." Then indeed
he started and stiffened in his tracks.
He fixed fascinated stare upon the
fellow.
Colonel Cobo seemed no little
pleased by the reception he created.
With his chest arched and his black
eyes cleaning inadvertently he swag-
gered through the press, clicking his
heels nOisiIy upon the stone flags. When
he had gone Jacket voiced a vicious
oath.
$50 that is the butcher of babies 20
exclaimed the boy. "WelI, now, I
should enjoy cutting his heart OUT
O'Reilly's emotions were not entire
~ unlike those of his small companion.
His lips became dry and white as he
tried TO speak
what brutel That face Ugh 2"
He found himself shaking weakly,
and discovered that new and wholly
unaccOuntable feeling of discourage
ment had settled upon him. He tried
manfully to shake it off, but somehow
| failed, for the sight of Rosa's arch
enemy and the mans overbearing per-
sonality had affected him queerly
CObO'S air of confidence and authority
to
| tence and bring it forcibly home to
him. To think of his lustful persecu-
| ton of Rosa Varona, moreover, terri
| fed him. The next day he resumed his
hut-tO-hut search, but with a liStleSs-
ness that came from a firm conviction
that once again he was too late.
That afternoon found the two friends
among the miserable novels which en-
circled the foot of La Cumbre. about
the only quarter they had not explored.
Below lay San Severino, the execution
place; above was the site of the old
NarOna home. More than once on his
way about the city O'Reilly had lifted
his eyes in the direction of the latter,
feeling a great hunger to revisit the
scene of his last farewell to Rosa, but
|
it would have upon him he had thus
far resisted the impulse. Today, how
ever, he could no longer fight the NOR
bid desire and SO, in spite Of Jackets
protest at the useless expenditure of
effort, he set out to climb the hill. OF
course the boy would not let him go
alone.
Little was said during the ascent.
The La Cumbre road seemed very long
and very steep. How different the last
time O'Reilly had swung up it! The
climb had never before tired him as it
did now, and he reasoned that hunger
must have weakened him even more
than he realized. Jacket felt the exer-
ton, too; he was short of breath and
he rested frequently. O'Reilly saw that
the boys bare, brown legs had grown
bony since he had last noticed them,
and he felt a sudden pang at having
brought the little fellow into such a
plight as this.
well. hombre," he said when they
paused to rest, I'm afraid we came
too late. I'm ;-fraid we're licked"
jacket nodded listlessly; his opti-
nism, too, was gone. 'aThey must all
be dead or we would have found them
before this" said he. When O'ReiIIy
made no answer he continued, "'It is
time we thought OF getting away from
here, eh?"
Johnnie was sitting with his face In
his hands. Without lifting his head he
inquired: "HOw are we going to get
away7 It is easy enough to get into
Matanzas, but" He shrugged hope
lessly.
Jacket frightened at the thought OF
escape. "HO! I'll bet we can find q
hole somewhere" said he. "We're not
like these others. They haven't the
spirit to try" There was moment OF
silence, and then: "Caramba! You
remember those jutias we ate? They
: were strong, but 1 would enjoy the
{ smell of one now. Eli? Another week
Of this and we shall be living on garb
: age like the rest of these poor PEG
: pie"
/ Leaving Jacket to take his time
| Johnnie completed the climb alone
/ meditating upon the boys words. ''ThG
spirit to tryP' Where had his spiri
gone, he wondered. Perhaps 1t had
] been crushed beneath the weight O
! misery he had beheld; surely he hat
3 seen enough. Hourly contact with sick
|, ness and misfortune on such a gigantit
E scale was enough to chill anyone
r hopes, and although his sensibiIitie
e had been duIled. his apprehension
had been quickened hour by hour
s Now that ne looked the matter square
e ly in the face, it seemed absurd to be
0 Iieve that a tender girl like Rosa Va
!. roma could long have Withstood tn
!. hardships of this hideous place; strong
o er people than she had succumbed, b,
+ the hundreds. Even now the hospital
: were full, the sick lay INTENDED L
their novels. No one, Sc far as O'Refll
4 knew, had undertaken to estimate ho1
: fast they were dying or the number o
q dead which had already ridden out @
n Matanzas in those rumbling wagons
a but there were many. What chanc
e was there that Rosa had not bee
/. among the latter2
4 As he breasted the summit of L
? Cumbre, O'Reilly -beheld at some dis
d lance bent figure OF want It was
= negro woman, grubbing In the cart