The Mena weekly star., 1919-02-06

Killing. You wouldn't know Matanzas o'Reilly. It is a desert.
 T finally became able to drag myself around the hut. But had no means or sending word to Rosa, and the un. certainty nearly made me crazy. My clothes had routed from me: my bones were just under the skin. must have been a shocking sight. Then one day there came fellow travelling east with messages for Gomez. He was one of Lopez men, and he told me that Lo. peg had gone to the Rubi Hills with Maceo, and that there were none of our men left in the province. He told me other things, too. It was from him that learned" Esteban Varona's thin hands clutched the edges of his hammock and he rolled his head weak. ly from side to side. "It was he who told me about Rosa. He said that Cobo had ravaged the Yumuri and that my sister-was gonel"
 There, there We know better now. \ O'Reilly said. soothingly.
 Tt was a hideous story, a story of rape, murder. I wonder that I didn't go mad. It never occurred to me to doubt, and as a matter of fact the fei- low was honest enough he really be- lieved what he told me. After the man had finished I felt the desire to get away from all I had known and loved, to leave Matanzas for new fields and give what was left of me to the cause. was free to enlist, since couldn't reach Lopez, and I came to join our forces in the Orient.
 "That is how you found me in this province. Lopez man never delivered these dispatches, for we were taken crossing the trocha-at least I was taken. for Pablo was killed. They'd have made an end of me, too. I dare say, only was so weak. It seems a century since that night. My memory doesn't serve me very well from that point, for they jailed me, and I grew worse. l was out of my head a good deal"
 The two men fell silent for a while Esteban lay with closed eyes, exhaust. ed. OReilly gave himself up to frown. ing thought. His thoughts were not pleasant he could not, for the life of him, believe in Rosa's safety so i'm. plicitly as he had led Esteban to sup. pose; his efforts to cheer the other had sapped his own supply of hope leaving him prey to black misgivings He was glad when Norine Evans re. turn put an end to his speculations.
 Have you narrowed this poor mans feelings sufficiently for once7" she in. quired of O'Reilly.
 T have. I'll agree to talk abou, nothing unpleasant hereafter"
 Esteban turned to his nurse. There Is something I want to tell you both"
 Wait until tomorrow" Norine ad- vised.
 But he persisted: "Noi I must tell it now. First, however, did either of you discover ar cid coin in any of my pockets-an old Spanish doubloon7"
 That doubloon again." Norine lift ed her hands protestingly, and cast a meaning look at O'Reilly. You talked about nothing else for a whole week. Let me feel your pulse"
 Esteban surrendered his hand with suspicious readiness.
 You were flat broke when we got you" O'ReiIly declared.
 Probably. seem to remember that somebody stole it."
 "Doubloonsl Pieces of eight Gold en guineasf" exclaimed Norine. "Why those are pirate coins They remind me of Treasure Island; of Long John Silver and his wooden leg; of Ben Gum and all the rest"
 Esteban smiled uncomprehendingly "Yes7 Well, this has to do with treas. ure of the Varonas. My father buried it., He was very rich, you know, and -ie was afraid Of the Spaniards. O'Reil. ly knows the story"
 Johnnie assented with grunt Sure I know all about it."
 Esteban raised himself to his elbow "You think it's a myth, joke. We'll it's not. I know where 1t Is. I found iti"
 Norine gasped Johnnie spoke sooth- ingly:
 Don't get excited, old man; you've talked too much today"
 Hal" Esteban fell back upon his pillow. T haven't any fever. I'm as sane as ever was. That treasure exists. and that doubloon gave me the