Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-07-17
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Its that epmother-Isabel. II she
dreamed that 1 see you as often as 1
do Well" Rosa lifted her elo-
quent hands and eyes heavenward. 81
suppose that's why l enjoy doing i'll
so dearly love to spite her."
81 see." OReilly puckered his
brows and nodded. But why, in that
case. haven't you seen me oftener? We
might just as we'll have made the
good lady's life totally unbearable."
"Sillyl She knows nothing about
it," With a flirtatious sigh Rosa add
ed: That's what robs the affair Of its
chief pleasure. Since 1t does not bother
her in the least, think I will not al
low you to come any more"
After judicious consideration O'Reil-
y pretended to agree.
There's no fun in wreaking hor-
ribie revenge, when your enemy isn't
wise to it," he acknowledged. "Since
it's your idea to irritate your stepmoth-
er. perhaps it would annoy her If l
made love directly to her."
Rosa Uttered. and then inquired,
naively, "Can you make love, senor?"
Gan 1? It's the one ability an
O'Rellly inherfts. Listen to this now"
Reaching forth, he took Rosa's fingers
In his: "Wait - he cried as she resist
ed. pretend that you're Mrs. Varona,
your own stepmother, and that this is
her iiulpled hand I'm holding"
"Oh-li - The girl allowed his grasp
to remain. But Isabels hand isn't
dimpled: it's thin and bony. I've felt
lit on my ears often enough" Is
Don't interrupt" he told her. "Isa-
bel, lay little darling"
"Isabel'.D exclaimed voice, and
the lovers started guiltily apart. They
turned to find Esteban, Rosa's twin
brother. staring at them oddly. 'Isa-
bel?- he repeated. "What's this?"
you interrupted our theatricals. I
was rehearslng an impassioned pro-
posal to your beloved stepmother,"
O'Reilly explained, with pretense Of
annoyance.
Yes, Senior O'Reilly believes he can
infuriate Isabel by laying siege to her.
He's Abolish person" Rosa's
cheeks were family flushed and her
color deepened at the amusement in
Esteban's eyes. He makes love
wretchedly."
what little I overheard wasn't bad"
Esteban declared; then he took
O'Reilly's hand. tt@ sas,s- 't
Esteban was handsome boy,
straight, slim and manly, and his re-
semblance to Rosa was startling.
With look engaging in its frank d.
rectness, he said: Rosa told me about
your meetings here and / came to
apologize for our stepmother's discour-
tesy. I'm sorry we can't invite you
into our house, but--you understand?
Rosa and are not like her; we are
quite liberal in our views; we are al
most Americans, as you see. dare
say that's what makes Isabel hate
Americans so bitterly"
wouldn't it please her to know that
I'm becoming Cubanized as fast as
ever 1 CAM" ventured the caller.
"Oh, she hates Cubans. too !" laughed
the brother. "She's Spanish, you know.
Well. It's fortunate you didn't see her
today. Br-r! What temper! She'll
walk in her sleep tonight, if ever"
Rosa nodded soberly, and O'Reilly,
suppressing some light reply that had
sprung to his lips. inquired, curiously,
"What do you mean by thatY'
Brother and sister joined in explain
ing that Donna Isabel was given to pc
culiar actions. especially after periods
of excitement or anger, and that one Of
her eccentricities had taken the form
Of somnambulistic wanderings. "Oh,
she's crazy enough" Esteban con-
Guided. Il believe it's her evil con-
science" !.
| O'Reilly scanned the speaker silent
" for moment; then he said, with q
| gravity unusual in him, II wonder II
you know that you're suspected Of
working for the insurrecto cause"
Indeed? I didn't KNOW"