Meade County news., 1918-07-18
CHAPTER XIV,
That Sick Man From San Antonlo.

That Sick Man From San Antonio.
1t was part of the strategy practlced
by the Cuban leaders to divide their
forces into separate columns for the
purpose Of raiding the smaller Spanish
garrisOns and harassing the troops sent
to their relief, reassembllng these
bands only when and where some tell
ing blow was to be struck.
When O'Reilly and Branch enlisted
in the Army of the Orient they were
assigned to the command of Col. Mig
uel Lopez, and it was under his leader.
ship that they made their first ac-
Quaintance with the peculiar methods
of Cuban warfare.
There had been, at first, some doubt
of Branch's fitness to take the field at
all-he had suffered u severe hemor-
rhage shortly after his arrival at Cubl-
tas-and 1t was only after hysterical
demonstration on his part that he had
been accepted as a soldier. He simply
would not be left behind. At first the
Cubans regarded him with mingled
contempt and pity, for certainly no
less promising volunteer had ever
taken service with them. But upon
the occasion of the very first fight all
ill-will disappeared as If by magic, for,
although Branch deliberately disobeyed
orders, he nevertheless displayed such
amazing audacity in the face of the
enemy, such theatrical contempt for
bullets, as to stupefy every one. More
over, he lived up to his reputation; he
continued to be insanely daring, vary
ing his exploits to correspond with his
moods, with the result that he attained
a popularity which was unique, nay,
sensational.
O'Reilly alone understood the reason
for the fellows morbid SSSbiIity. his
suicidal recklessness; bug CEnEK L1 pri,
vately demonstrated he HsN EEI ~ told
to mind his own busineaA lilA aA Hat
ly refused to modify krs 5sAA@; he
seemed really bent upC.. >...,ottiilg the
disease that made his life a misery.
But, as usual, fate was perverse;
she refused to humor the sick mans
hope. When, after blindly inviting
death, Leslie had emerged from sew
eral engagements unscathed, his sur
prise-and perhaps a natural relief at
finding himself whOle--became tinged
with a certain apprehension lest he
survive those deliberately courted dam
gers only to succumb to the ills and
privations Of camp life. The fellows
tongue grew ever sharper; his society
became intOlerable, his gloom Oppres-
sive and irresistibly contagious. When,
after several weeks of campaigning,
the column went into camp for short
rest, OReilly decided that he would
try to throw off the burden Of Leslie's
overwhelming detection, and, if pos
slble, shift n portion of it upon the
shoulders of Captain Judson.
On the day after their arrival O'Reil-
ly and the big artilleryman took advaD-
tage of pleasant stream to bathe and
wash their clothes; then, while they
lay in their hammOcks, enjoying the
luxury of a tattered Oil-clOth shelter
and waiting for the sun to dry their
garments, O'Reilly spoke what was in
his mind.
"Tm getting about fed up on Leslie"
he declared. Hes the worlds cham
pion crepe-hanger, and he's painted the
whole world such deep, despondent
blue that I'm completely dismal. You've
got to take him off my hands,"
OReilly's youthful assistant, who at
the moment was panstakingly manu-
featuring a huge, black cigar for him
self out of some purloined tobacco,
pricked up his ears at the mention OF
Branch's name and now edged closer,
eXclalming:
"Caramba! There's a hero for you.
Meester Branch is the bravest man
ever seen. Our people call him Eel
Demonio'w
ORellly jerked his head toward the
Cuban. "YOu see? He's made the hit
Of his life, and yet he resents 1t. My
nerves are fraycd out. I've argued my
self hoarse, but he msconstrues every
thing say. wish you'd convince him
that he has chance to get well; it
might alter his disposition. II some
thing doesn't alter it I'll be court-mar-
tailed for shooting man in his sleep
and I'll hit him right in the middle, no
matter how slim he fs." O'Rellly COM
pressed his lips firmly.
The assistant, who had finished roll
ing his cigar, now lighted it and re-
peated: "Yes, sir, Meester Branch is
the bravest man 1 ever seen. You re-
member that first battle, eh? Those
Spanlards seen him comm and threw
down their guns and beat 1t. laugh
to skill myself that day."
"Jacket" was at once the youngest
and the most profane member Of Colo
mel Lopez's entire command. The most
shocking oaths fell from his beard
less lips whenever he opened them to
speak English, and OReilly's efforts to
break the boy of the habit proved quite
unavaillng.
This Camagueyan boy was a char
acter. He was perhaps sixteen, and
small for his age-a mere child, in
fact. Nevertheless, he was seasoned
veteran, and his American camp-mates