Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-12-19

he meadows were the dead or faS9n
.renks Of another variety. the caboaEet
oa,n. the green heart Of which hld
long formed a staple article Of diet ror
the inSurrectos. Spanish axes hFd
aeen mt work here and not sing
nee remained alive. The green hSsr
+ the valley farther down was dottfd
with The other. the royal kind that
monarch OF tropic vegetation when
lends To The Cuban landscape its Pc
.yliar and distinctive beauty. l.
"Yonder is the camino" said Ae
.ountryman. pointing into the valley;
it will lead You 10 the main roaN
nd there-he turned to the nortsi-.
vari-'Is slatanzas. Go with God
ma don't drak the well water. WHICH
: polluted from The rains" With n
smile ana wave Of the haud the nSn
urned back and plunged into tSe
Jungle.
As O'Reilly descended The slope &c
ea)ized keenly that he WAS alone aad
n hostile territory. The hills and the
woods from Pinar del Rio - oriette
were Cuban, ar, Mt most. thcy wvFc
disputed grouud. BUT here in t)c
plains and valleys near The cities spain
vns supreme From this moment On
OReiIly knew he must rely entirely
Ipon himself. The success of his 60
tcrrrsc-his very life-hingcd upon
dis caution. his powers OF diSsimulR-
don. his ability to pass rs a harmlcSF
bolpicss pacifico. II gave him an ia
accustomed thrill, by no means pleaq-
lut
Tie road. when he came to II. proved
70 be deep eHtter winding between
red clay banks cut by the high wheefs
If clumsy cane carts Inasmuch rs 10
crops Whatever had been moved over
The road during The past season, il va
l.ow little more than I'm oozy, STICKY
rut Not roof, not n chimney was ~
sight the valley was deserted. Here
Was a fertile farming counry-and yet
no living thing, no sound OF bells, rIsa
voices. no Growing cocks, no LOWING
cattle. Il was depressing to O'ReillE
aad more. FOR there was something
meuaciug and threatening about it alF
Toward noon the breeze lesseneJ
and il became inSuflerably hot. =
bank Of clouds in the east promised q
cooling shower. SO Johnnie sought the
nearest shade to wait for ii, and toaE
advantage Of the delay TO eat his slcIS
der lunch. He was mcditatively munch
ing sweet potato when sound n
his bnck caused him to leap 70 his fee.
in alarm. he whirled. then utteree
an exclamation Of amaZement Sentcf
not fifty feet away was n bare-leggeE,
boy. similarly engaged in eating q
sweet potato. 1t was Jacket HI,
brown cheeks were distcnded. hi-
bright, inquisitive eyes were fixed upof
OReilly from beneath defiant scowl
Jacket I" cried the man. "WhGt thS
devil are you doing here?"
you goin' to let me come alongf-
challenged the intruder.
$50 You followed me, after / sat-
/ didn't want your" O'Reilly spoke RI
proacGulIy; but reproaches had nc
effect upon the lad. With a mild ex
pletivc, Jacket signifed his cortempt
for such a weak form Of persuasion.
"Sce here, now" ORelIly stepped
closer. Lets he sensible about this.'s
But jacket scrambled to his feet ant.
retreated warily, stuiIing the uneaten
portion Of the sweet potato into his
mouth. 1t was plain that he had no
confidence in OReilIy's intentions.
Muttering something in munleE
voice, he armed himself with stou,
stick. i
Come here" commanded the Amerl-
can.
Jacket shook his head. He made
painful attempt TO swallow. ana
when his utterance became more dig
tina he consigned his idol to Il warm%
place than Cuba
I'm Il tough Kid" he declares.
Don't get gay on me-"
The two parleyed briefly; then. when
satisfied that no violence was intended
him, the boy sat down to listen. Bux,
as before, neither argument nor appeil
had the slightest effect upon him. He
denied that he had followed his benl>
factor; be declared that he was q frCe
ft-f III ann az l4Utlt ~ EO NlttIG Ut
willed. If it so CHANGED that his fancy
took him 10 the city of Matanzas at
the same time O'Rcilly happened to
be travelling thither, the circumstance
might be put down to the long arm ef
coincidence. If his company were dl,
tasteful to the elder man. O'Reilly WAS
free to wait and follow later; it was a
natter of complete Indifference rs
Jacket. He had business in AIatanzas
and he proposed to attend to it. The
boy lied gravely, unblushingly. Nex
artheiess, he Kept a watchful eye upoa
his hearer.
VERY we'll" OReilly told lin nna
". Il give in"
Jackets face instantly lit up. IL
radiated good humor; he hitched his
body closer.
by -! get my own way, don't
r" he laughed.
Indeed you do" oTenly laid 4