Evening star., 1918-01-13

posely left his clothes behind him, and
the door of his room unlocked. but
under his naked left arm he carried the
revolver.
He was a long time in his bath.
When he returned to his chamber he
found his garments very nearly as he
had left them. He smiled as he crept
into bed and tucked the netting under
his thin mattress. They could search
him now. whenever they pleased. for
the revolver and its box of precious
cartridges reposed on a duty beam over
the bathroom, where no one would ever
think of looking.
During breakfast. and afterward
O'Reilly felt watchfuI eyes upon him.
When he returned to his hotel he
found Mr.. Carbajal in the cafe con-
cocting refrescos for some military
officers. who scanned the American
with bold. hostile glances. O'Reilly
complained to the proprietor of d
toothache.
At once Mr.. Carbajal was sympa-
thetic; he was also admonitory. blam-
ing the afHiction upon that bath of the
previous evening. Excessive bathing,
he declared. was injurious, particularly
in the winter season; it opened ones
pores. and it dried ones skin and
rendered one liable to the attacks of
every disease. Heato Perspiration?
Was it wise to resort to unnatural and
artificial means in order to rid oneself
of a trifling annoyance If perspiration
were injurious. nature would not have
provided it. In fact, it was natures
method of keeping the body clean, and
if people were unreasonably fastidious
about such things a little cologne
TO the senses than any number of
baths. That was the purpose of
cologne. This habit of bathing at fixed
intervals of a week or two, regardless
NJ l IL
was. responsible for all of O'Reilly's
rheumatism. Mr.. Carbajal, for one,
knew better than to overdo the thing.
He had never suffered an ache or a
pain in his life and his teeth were
perfectly sound, as he demonstrated
by beating vigorously upon them with
his mixing spoon.
O'Reilly was impressed by this argu-
ment. he acknowledged, but unfor-
tunately it did not remedy the pain
that was killing him. During the hot
test part of the day, when he knew the
town would be asleep. he reappeared in
the cafe, his cheek in his hand He
declared that something had to be done.
at once, and Inquired the name and
address of the best local dentist.
Mr.. Carbajal named several. among
them DIR. Tomas Alvarado. whereupon
his guest hurried away, followed at
respectful distance by the secret agent.
Finding DR.. Alvarado's office was
closed. as he had anticipated. O'Reilly
proceeded to the doctors residence
There was some delay when he rang
the bell. but eventually the dentist him
self appeared. O'Reilly recognized him
from his resemblance to his brother.
He addressed him in English.
Il come from Felipe" he began. HE
well remembers the day you whipped
him to keep him from going to the
Ten Years War"
The languor of DIR. Alvarados siesta
pr,yc X, ,al e-tr r,rtp h hte,o
who are you?' he muttered.
MY name is O'Reilly. I am an
American, friend. so don't be alarmed
The man you see approaching is fol-
lowing me, but he thinks 1 have come
to you with a toothache."
What do you want?
Il want your help in joining the in
surrectos."
BY this time the detective had come
within earshot. Making an effort at
self-possesslon, the dentist said: Very
well. ! will meet you at my office in
a half hour and see what can be done"
Then he bowed.
O'Reilly raised his hat and turned
away.
Or. Alvarado's dentists chair faced a
which, after the Cuban fashion, opened
directly upon the sidewalk, rendering
both the waiting room and the office
almost as public as the street itself
Every one of these windows was wide
open when Johnnie arrived; but it
seemed that the dentist knew what he
was about, for when his patient had
taken his seat and he had begun an
examination of the troublesome tooth,
he said, under his breath:
II, too. am watched. Talk to me in
English. When 1 press. thus. upon
your gum. you will know that some
one is passing. Now. then, what is the
meaning of your amazing message from
Felipe?"
While DR.. Alvarado pretended to
treat a perfectly sound molar, johnnie
managed. despite frequent interrupt
tions. to make known the reason and
circumstances of his presence.
But there are no rebels around here
Alvarado told him.. You could escape
to the country. perhaps. but what then?