The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-09-05

well, then, shall be Juan VilIar
your brother. Henceforth we shall
speak nothing but Spanish Tell me
now what was our fathers name.
where was our home, and what are we
doing tOgether?"
During the GREATNESS interval be-
fore the shower the two sat with their
heads together, talking earnestly. AS
the wind came and the cooling rain be-
gan TO rattle on the leaves overhead
they took up their bundles and set
out The big drops 1renched them
quickly Their thin garments chung
to them and water streamed down
their bodies; overhead the sky was
black and rent by vivid streaks of fire,
but they plOdded onward cheerfuIly.
Jacket was himself again; he bent
his weight against the tempest and
heightened his short strides to O'Reil-
ly's- He tried to whistle. but his teeth
chartered and the wind interfered. so
he hummed song. to drive the chill
out of his bones and to hearten his
! benefactOr- Now that he was at. last
accepted as a full partner in this enter
prise, it became his duty not only to
share its perils, but to lessen its hard
ships and to yield diversion.
The rain was cold the briers beside
the OvergrOwn path were sharp. and
they scratched the boys bare legs cru
ely; his stomach cIamOred for Il COM
panion to that solitary sweet potato.
too, but in his breast glowed ardor
and pride. Jacket considered himself
| fortunate person. very fortunate
person, indeed. Had he not found a
brother, and did not that brother love
him? There was no doubt about the
hitter, for O'Reilly's eyes. when he
looked down, were friendly and init
mate. Here was a man to die for
The dOwnpOur lasted but Il short
time, when the sun came out and dried
the mems clothes on the whole. it had
been refreshing When evening came
the Fillar brothers sought refuge in
an old sugar mill, or rather in a part
of it still standing. They were on the
main calzada now. the paved road
which links the two main cities of the
| island, and by the following noon their
destination was in sight.
O'ReiIIy felt sudden excitement
when Matanzas came into view. From
AAAAS NAA>SSAAANC NAAC NAtS Q1AAG
| it did when he had left it, except that
the blue harbor was almost empty OF
shipping while the familiar range OF
hills that hid the Yumuri-that valley
/ OF delight so closely. linked in his
! thoughts with Rosa Varona-seemed
TO smile at him like an old friend. For
the thOusandth time he asked himself
| if he had come in time to find her. or
if fate's maddening delays had proved
/ his own and the girls undoing
O'Reilly knew that although Matan-
zas was a prison and pesthole, a girl
like Rosa would suffer in periIs inf
nitely worse than Imprisonment or dis
| ease. It was a thought he could not
bear to dwell upon.
Signs of life began to appear now,
/ the travellers passed small garden
patches and occasional cultivated
! fields; they encountered loaded carts
bound into the city, and once they hid
/ themselves while a column of mounted
/ troops went by.
O'Reilly stopped to pass the time Of
/ day with a wrinkled cartman whose
detected oxen were resting.
''Going into the city. are you?' the
! fellow inquired. Starved out. I SUD-
pose. Well. it's as pleasant to starve
in one place as another"
jacket helped himself TO stalk of
cane from the load and began to strip
it with his teeth.
''WilI the soldiers allow US to enter?"
Johnnie inquired.
'Of course. Why not?, The old man
| laughed mirthlessly; then his voice
changed. Go back" he said. "go back
and die in the fields. Matanzas stinks
Of rOtting corpSeS. Go back where the
air is Clean" He swung his long lash
over the oxen, they leaned against the
load. and the cart creaked dismaIIy
on its way.
1t is never difficult to enter a trap,
and Matanzas was precisely that.
There were soldiers everywhere, but
beyond an Indifferent challenge at the
| outer blOckhOuse. a perfunctOry queS-
ton or two, Narciso and Juan VIlIar
| experienced no trouble whatever In
passing the lines. Discipline, never
| strict at best. was extremely fax at
| the brick fOrtinas along the roads, and.
since these two refugees were too poor
to warrant search. they were waved
onward by the sentries- They obeyed
silently; in aimless bewilderment they
shuffied along toward the heart Of the
! city. Almost before they realized it
they had run the gantIet and had
Joined that army of misery, fifteen
| thousand strong. The hand of Spain
had closed over them.