The Raymer enterprise., 1919-04-17
CHATTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.
rhat Click Man Prom Can Aatoals.
y was part of the strategy psastiesd
by the Cuban leaders 10 divide their
forces i1to sspasnte ccIpmns tbe the
purpose ef rai1ins the smaller epanisA
garrisons and harassing the troops sent
y tbeil rGlisk reassembling these
bands oaly Wheu md where some tall
ing blow was to be struck.
When O,Reilly and Branch enlisted
In the Army Of the Orient they were
assigned to the command Of Col. Mig
uel Lopez. and II vas under his leader
ship that they made their Arst &C.
quaIntancs with the peculiar methods
Of Cuban warfare. e 8rI 4H
There had been. at flrst. some doubt
Of Branch's fitness to take the field at
all-he had suffered Z severe he.nor-
rhage shortly after his arrival at Cubi.
tas-and II was only after q hysterical
Demonstration On his part that be had
beea accepted % . soldier. He simply
would not be LEFT behind. At first tho
Cubans regarded him with mingled
contempt and pity, for certainly no
les promising volunteer had ever
taken service with them. But upon
the occasion Of tie very first fsht all
ill.will disappeared - n BY msyie. for.
although Branch deliberately disobeyed
orders, be nevertheless displayed such
amazing audacity In the face Of the
enemy, such q theatrical contempt for
ballet4 ~ to stupefy evesy one. More
evse. b lived Up to hls reputation; he
continued to BE- ipssnsly daring vary-
Ing hls exploits b cprespond with his
mood. with ths result that he attained
. popularity which was unique. nay,
Sensational H M5 a1.
0Rsilly alone understood the reason
for the fellows morbid irritabiltty, his
suicidal rscklessness; but when hs pri.
vately rsmonstrated he was grunly told
to mind his own business. Branch nat
y refused to modify his conduct: he
seemed really bent upon cheating the
disease that made his Life q misery.
But - usual, fate was perverss; !;
shs refused b humor the sick mans
hope. When, after blindly inviting
death. Leslie had emerged from sew
asl engasements unscathed, his sur.
prise e-and perhaps Z natural relief at
finding himself whole became tinged
with = certain apprehension lest he
survive those deliberately courted dan
gers only to succumb to the ills and
privations Of camp Life. The fellows
tongue grew ever sharper; his society
became intolerable. his gloom oppres-
sive and irresistibly contagious. When,
after several weeks Of campaigning,
the column went into camp for . short
rest 0Reilly decided that he would
Try to throw OF the burden Of Lsslie's
overwhelming detection, and, II Dos
sible, shift q portion Of 1t upon the
shoulders Of Captain Judson.
On the day after their arrival O'Reil-
" and the big artilleryman took advan-
tage Of Z pleasant stream to baths and
wash their clothes; then, while they
lay In their hammocks, enjoying the
luxury Of q tattered oil-cloth shelter
and waiting for the sun to dry their
garments. ORALLY spoke what WAS In
his mind.
I'm getting about fed up on Leslie"
he declared. Hes The worlds cham
pion crepe-hangef. and he's painted the
whole world such . deep. despondent
blue that I'm completely dismal. You've
got to take him Oh my hands,"
0Rsilly's youthful assistant who at
the moment was painstakingly manu-
featuring q huge. black cigar for him
self out Of some puriolned tobacco,
pricked up his ears at the mention Of
Branch's name and now edged closes,
e1claiming:
sCaramba There's . hero for you.
Aeester Branch u the bravest man I
ever seen. Our people call him 'El
Demonio'w
O'ReIlly jerked his head toward the
Cuban. lyon aeAf He'a made tho hit
Of his life. and Jet he resents It Ny
nerves are frayed out. I've argued my.
self hoarse. but he misconstrues every
thing say. Iwish you'd convince him
that he has . chance to get well; It
might alter his disposition. II some
thing doesn't alter It I'll bs court-mar.
tialed for shooting . man IN his sleep-
and I'll hit him right In the middle no
matter how slim he ID" OReilly com
pressed bis lips firmly.
The assistant, who had finished ron.
Ing his cigar. now lighted II and ~
peated: Yes. Or. Nesster Brunei y
the bravest man ever seen. Yol n.
member that hrst battle, ehf Those
Spaniards seen him comm and threw
down their guns and beat II ! laugh
to skill myself that day"
"Jacket" was at once The youngest
and the most profans msmbsr Of Colo-
mel Lopes's entire command. The most