Evening star., 1918-02-03

lighted her vastly. and she was almost
offended when O'Reilly threatened one
particularly forward sleuth with a
thrashing. thereby ending her fun.
1t was a strangely restless gathering.
The Cubans sat in groups or in pairs
with their heads together. smoking furi-
ously and whispering. pausing now and
then to glare balefully at some detective
who drew within ear-shot. Every hour
increased the strain
On the street it became known that a
party of fllibusters was in the city, and
curious townspeople came to investi-
gate, while others journeyed to the
water front to stare at the big ocean
going tug which had slipped into the
harbor on the evening previous. When
they learned that she was none other
than the Dauntless. that most famous
of Cuban blockade runners. and that
dynamite Johnny" O'Brien himself was
In command interest grew. The ex-
ploits of that redoubtable mariner were
familiar to the citizens of Charleston.
and their sympathies were quite natu-
rally with the cause he served, there
fore they were disappointed to behold
A revenue cutter at anchor close along
side the Dauntless. Her steam was up;
she was ready for instant action; 1t
seemed Impossible for Dynamite
Jotnny'' TO get his cargo and his pas
sengers aboard under her very nose.
Some imaginative person claimed TO
have a tip that the Dauntless intended
to ram fhe revenue cutter. ana warn
ing to that effect appeared in the even
Ing paper. together with the rumor that
a Spanish cruiser was waiting just out
side the three-mile limit.
charleston awoke with a start and
tfe Cuban patriots who FOUND then.
selves the object of this sudden interest
huzzed like flies. They muttered ana
whispered more mysteriously than ever
and consumed even greater 9uantl'ies
of tobacco The detectives became pam
fully alert
To O-Reiily and his two companions
If seemed that the expedition had al
ready failed. Through some bionoeF
its plans had evidently become known
and all was ruined. That was the worst
Of these Cubans; Trey couldn't keep
secret Branch stalked the hotel lobov
like restless wrath. OReiliy was
furious OF the entire party Ramos alone
maintained an unruffied pi~easan..s, ~ c,n,e ne
many quite oblivious TO the general
feeling of disnay-
ON the next afternoon word was
quietly passed to get ready, al ana ,nd nd
baggage, began to leave the ho,ei IN
groups followed. of course. by the
watchful spies ., x,u
denarture Norine whispered: Listen!
Everything is all right. We're not
going aboard the Dauntless at all
she's here as blind.
Are you suree" O'Reiiiy shot heS
Mai. Ramos himself gave that story
70 the newspapers. It's all part OF
his plan / promised not to tell. but
/ lust can't help myself. Gee. III
having a good time.
Leslie Branch shook his head mourn.
fully. You NAV enjoy IT. but l oon I.
he grumbled. Well end by pelns
week in damp cell. with my
OReilly, whose spirits had risen
masicaliy, cIapped him heartily on the
back. crying: Consratoiatiohs. iou Ae
feeling better.
planned .,o e-s, kick
vo1,'ye made since we hit cold weather.
Ry the time we reach Cuba you II pc
nice and melancholy and your cough
will be all gone.
Ramos led his three charges 10 tHe
railroad station and into the rear coacn
of a south bound train. where tne
other members of the expedition nad
already found seats. AS they CLIMBED
aboard secret service agen. sa essds h~ ~
to follow them, but he was stopped oS
q brakeman. who said:
You can't ride in here. This Is
special car. Some sort OF picnic
party. They're 'wops' or Greeks or
something
Other detectives who attempted to IN
wade the privacy of that rear coach
after the train had gotten under way
were also denied Meanwhile, the
flibusters cast restraint aside. and for
the first time intermingled freely.
evening came. then night. and still the
party was jerked along at the tan oI
the train without hint as to its desti-
nation. About midnight those who
were not DOING noted that they had
stopped at an obscure pine-woods
junction, and that when the tram gov
under way once more their own car
did not move. The ruse was now ap-
parent Owing to the lateness OF tine
hour. it was doubtful if any one in
the forward coaches was aware that
the train was lighter by one car
There was a brief delay Then
locomotive crept out from siding.
coupled up to the standing car and
drew it of upon another track, soon
the excursion party" was being rushed
swiftly toward the coast. some twenty
Mai Ramos came down the aisle.
laughing. and spoke to his American
proteges.
"Well, what do you think of that. eh ?
Imagine the feelings OF those good
deputy marshals when they wake up
] bet they'll rub their eyes: ,o,
Miss Evans bounced excitedly IN her
seat. She clapped her hands
You must have friends in high
places" O'Reilly grinned. and the
CUBAN agreed -
Yes, / purposely drew attention to
US in Charleston. while our ship was
loading She's ready and waiting for
us now. and by daylight We ought to
be safely out to sea. Meanwhile the
Dauntless has weighed anchor and is
steaming north. followed, hope. by all
the revenue cutters hereabouts
II was the darkest time of the night
when the special train came to stop
at bridge spanning one of the deep
southern rivers. In the stream below.
dirnly outlined in the gloom. lay the
Fair PLAY, a small tramp steamer. Her
crew were up and awake. The new
arrivals were hurried aboard. and
within a half hour she was feeling her
way seaward.
With daylight. caution gave way to
haste. and the rusty little tramp began
TO drive forward for all she was worth.
She cleared the three-mile limit safely
and then turned south. Not a craft
was in sight; not a smudge of smoke
discolored the sky line.
1t had been trying night FOR the
flibusters. and when the low coast line
was dropped astern they began to think
of sleep. Breakfast of sort was
served on deck. after which those
favored ones who had berths sought
them. while their less fortunate COM
panions stretched out wherever they
could find a place.
Johnnie O'Reilly was not one of those
who slept. He was too much elated.
Already he could see the hills of Cuba
DOING behind their purple wells. In
fancy he felt the fierce white heat from
close walled streets and scented the