Mexico Missouri message., 1918-07-11

nights, or on formal occasions, ne |
wore both waistcoat and trousers, but !
at other times he dispensed entirely !
naked. They were naked now, as, with |
the modesty Of complete unconscious
ness, he squatted In the shade, putting |
thoughtfuIly at his giant cheroot.
Once Jackets mind was fastened !
upon any subject, 1t remained there,
and after O time he continued:
'Dld told you about that battle of
Pine Bravo2 Eh7" He turned his big
brown eyes upward to o'Rellly. "Crls-
tol 1 skill more'n a dozen men that
day."
ut was hot scrlmmage," Judson at
tested. "Some Of Luque's niggers, those
tall, lean, hungry fellows from Santi-
ago, managed to hack their way
through a wire fence and get behind q
detachment Of the enemy who had
made a stand under q hill. They
charged and for a wonder they got
close enough to use their machetes. 1t
was bloody work-the kind you read
about--no quarter. Somehow Jacket
managed to be right in the middle of
the butchery. He's bravo kid, all
right. Muy major
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
doing2 I've been looking up some grub
for Miss Evans, and can't find any,"
"Can't find anyf"
"Nothing f1t 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?" 0'Reilly asked.
''He says there's a famine at Cubi.
tas."
"We'd better look into this" Judson
exclaimed, and, finding that his clothes
were dry, he hurriedly began to dress
himself.
Together, the three men made an In
vestigatlon 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
eoarsest. Ordinarily, such a condition
of affairs would have occasioned them
no surprise, for the men were becoming
accustomed to a more or less chronic
scarcity of provisions; but the pres
ence of Norine Evans put quite DIFF.
ferent complexion upon the matter.
They were still 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-
gether, saying, plaintively: "Oh dear
We've been going short for a 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?"
'trm afraid the cupboard is bare"
O'Reilly acknowledged.
'Do you know what want for din
ner?" Norine inquired. 'Lamb chop:
with green peas, some nice white bread
salad, and coffee"
The three men looked at her anxious
ly. Judson stirred uneasily.
''That's what want. don't expec
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 dispos,
: themselves on the ground about her
eff you can stand the food, dare say,
can. Now then, tell me what you'v,
been doing since you left Cubitas. rvl
, been frightened to death that some o
you would be hurt. That's one reason
why I've been working night and da.
helping to get the hospitals in shape
can't bear to think of our boys belni
wounded. Everything is so differen
: to what thought it would be, and Tn
t so weak and ineffective. The medica
? supplies brought are nearly all gone
: and I've learned what hard work 1t 1
: fitting up hospitals when there's moth
1 ing to fit them up with" She sighed
t 81 imagined was going to work Won
: ders--I thought / was going to be
: Florence Nightingale, and the me-
: were going to idOlize me-
D 'Don't they2" Judson demanded.
"No. That iS-not In exactly tn
way / expected"
: "They all want to marry her,
: O'Reilly explained.
s "Insolent bunchT growled the car
: tain. Then he swallowed hard an
e said, "But for that matter, so do L"
Y slow silly you boys can bel" Norm
b laughed. 81 dare say the others ar
joking too. but"
t "JokingT' o'ReiIly grinned. "Not a
= all. I'm the only single man In cam
4 who isn't In love with you. When 20
! arrived this morning there was ger
o eral stampede for the river. I'll be
o the fish in this stream viii taste Of soa
e for years to come"
As III fo Doint O'ReiIlv's words af III