Meade County news., 1918-07-18

HSnIS, UT OH IOrnal OCCASIONS. ne
wore both waistcoat and trousers, but
at other times he dispensed entirely
with the latter, and his legs went
naked. They were naked now, as, with
the modesty Of complete unconscious
ness, he squatted in the shade, putting
thOughtfully at his giant cheroot.
Once Jackets mind was fastened
upon any subject, 1t remained there,
and after time he continued:
'Did told you about that battle of
Pine Bravo? Eh?" He turned his big
brown eyes upward to O'Reilly. "Cris-
to! skill more'n q dozen men that
dayw
ut was hot scrlmmage," Judson at
tested. "Some Of LuQue's nlggers, those
tall, lean, hungry fellows from Santi-
ago, managed to hack their way
through wire fence and get behind a
detachment of the enemy who had
made stand under a hill. They
charged, and for wonder they got
close enough to use their machetes. It
was bloody work-the kind you read
about-no quarter. Somehow jacket
managed to be right in the middle of
the butchery. He's a bravo kid, all
right. Muy malo"
At that moment Branch approached,
his long face set in lines of discomfort,
even deeper than usual. He had been
wandering about the camp in one of
his restless fits, and now he began:
"Say what do you think I've been
doing? I've been looking up some grub
for Miss Evans, and can't find any,"
"Can't find any?"
"Nothing fit for her to eat. You
don't expect her to live on this infer
nal, eternal beef stew"
"Didn't Major Ramos bring anything
along| OReilly asked.
"He says there's a famine Mt Cubi-
tas."
WED better look into this" Judson
exclaimed, and, finding that his clothes
were dry, he hurrledly began to dress
himself.
Together, the three men made an in
vestigation Of the camps resources,
only to discover that Branch was right.
There was, indeed, but little food of
any kind, and that little was of the
cOarsest. Ordinarily, such a condition
of affairs would have occasioned them
no surprise, for the men were becoming
accustomed to more or less chronic
scarcity of provisions; but the pres.
enCe of Norine Evans put quite DIFF.
ferent complexion upon the matter,
They were stlll discussing the situation
when Miss Evans, having finished her
afternoon nap, threw open the flaps OF
her tent and stepped out.
When she had listened to the &c.
count apOlogetlcally submitted by her
three friends, she drew her brows to.
gcther, saying, plaintlvely: ooh dearl
We've been going short for week,
and Major Ramos told me we'd fare
better when we got here. had my
mouth all set for banquet. Couldn't
you even find the poor dog bOne"
I'm afraid the cupboard is bare"
O'lellly acknowledged.
''Do you know what I want for din,
ner" Norlne inquired "Lamb chops
with green peas, some nice white bread,
a salad, and coffee"
The three men looked at er anxious
ly. Judson stirred uneasily.
"Thats what want. l don't expect
to get it."
With sigh of relief the captain ex.
claimed, 81 thought you were giving
your order"
Goodness, no" with laugh the
girl seated herself upon her one camp.
chair, inviting her callers to dispose
themselves on the ground about her
'If you can stand the food, dare say
can. Now then, tell me what you've
been doing since you left Cubitas. I've
been frightened to death that some o.
you would be hurt. That's one reaso.
why I've been working night and dg.
helping to get the hospitals In shape
/ can't bear to think of our boys being
wounded. Everything is so differen,
to what thought 1t would be, and I'm
so weak and ineffective. The medical
supplies l brought are nearly all gone
and I've learned what hard work II |,
fitting up hospitals when there's moth
ing TO fit them up with" She sighed
81 imagined was going to work woA
ders-I thought l was going to be
Florence Nightingale, and the mel
were going to idollze me-
"DOn't they?" Judson demanded.
"No. That is-nOt In exactly tn,
way I expected"
"They all want to marry her.
O'Rellly explained.
"Insolent bunch !" growled the cap
tain. Then he swallowed hard ant
said, "But for that matter, so do l."
"How silly you boys can be" Norln'
laughed. 81 dare say the others are
joking too, but"
"Jolsing" O'Rellly grinned. "Not a
all. I'm the only single man in camI
who isn't in love with you. When vol
arrived this morning there was gen
eral stampede for the river. I'll be
the fish In this stream will taste Of soaI
for years to come"
AS IL to point O'Reilly's words at the
| annanrnH GnInnaI ov,aa