The Mena weekly star., 1919-02-27


 aDae raDnie which assembled at the railroad station to implore aims from me incoming passengers of the Hahana tram. Few people were travelling these days. and they were, for the most mart spanish officers to whom the sight of starving country people was no nov. eity. Now and then. however, there did arrive visitors from whom the spec taeis of so much wretchedness wruna contribution. hence there was al. ways an expectant throng at the depot. on this occasion O'ReilIy was sur. prised to hear the piteous whines for charity in the name of God turn sud. denly into subdued but vicious mut. ter of rage. Kisses were interminsled With vituperations, then the crowd fell strangely silent, parting to allow the passage of great, thick-set man in the uniform of colonel of volunteers. The fellow was unusually swarthy and he wore black scowl upon his face. while long puckerlng scar the full length of one cheek lifted his mouth into a crooked sheer and left exposed q glimpse of wolfish teeth.
 O'Reiliy was at loss to fathom this sudden alteration of attitude, the whis. tie of indrawn breaths and the wh,s. nered curses, until he heard some one mutter the name, "Cobo." Then indeed he started and stiffened in bis tracks. He fixed q fascinated stare upon inc fellow.
 Colonel Cobo seemed no lttIe pleased by the reception he created With his chest arched and his b,ock eyes gleaming malevolently he swae- gered through the press, clicking his heels noisily upon the stone flags. When he had gone Jacket voiced vicious oath.
 "So that is the butcher of babies |. exclaimed the boy. Well. now I should enjoy cutting his heart out"
 oReilly's emotions were not entire ty unlike those of his small companion. His lips became dry and white as he tried to speak.
 "What a brute. That faee- Ugh r
 He found himself shaking weakly, and discovered that new and wholly unaccountable feeling of discourage ment had settled upon him. He tried manfully to shake 1t off, but somehow failed, for the sight of Rosa's arch enemy and the mans overbearing per sonality had affected him Queerly. Cobo's air of confidence and authority seemed to emphasize O'Reiliys impo- tence and bring 1t forcibly home to him To think of his lustful persecu- ton of Rosa varona, moreover, terri fled him. The next day he resumed his hut-to-hut search. but with a llstless- ness that came from firm conviction that once again he was too late.
 That afternoon found the two friends among the miserable novels which en- circled the foot of La Cumbre, about the only quarter they had not explored. Below lay San Severino, the execution place; above was the site of the old Varona home. More than once on his way about the city o'ReilIy had lifted his eyes in the direction of the latter, feeling great hunger to revisit the scene of his last farewell to Rosa, but through fear of the melancholy effect 1t would have upon him he had thus far resisted the impulse. Today, how. ever, he could no longer fight the nor. bid desire and so. in spite of Jackets protest at the useless expenditure oi effort, he set out to climb the hill. Oi course the boy would not let him go alone.
 Little was said during the ascent The La Cumbre road seemed very long and very steep. How different the last time O'Reilly had swung up 1t The climb had never before tired him as fl did now, and he reasoned that hunger must have weakened him even more than he realized. Jacket felt the exer ton, too; he was short of breath and he rested frequently. o'Reilly saw that the boys bare. brown legs had grown bony since he had last noticed them and he felt a sudden pang at having brought the little fellow into such [ plight as this.
 "Well. hombre," he said when thsy paused to rest I'm afraid we came too late. I'm afraid we're licked"
 Jacket nodded listissslyl his opt nism, too. vas gone. They must al be dead or we would have found then before this." said he When 0'Reiii, made no answsr he continued, Tt fl tine we tSs1ght of getting away iron here. ehfs
 Johnnie was sitting with his face 1T his hands. Without lifting his head h' inquiredi "How are we going to gel away? It is easy enough to get int Matanzas, butt He shrugged hope lessly.
 Jacket frightened at the thought oi escape. "Hoi I'll bet we can find hole somewhere" said he. We're no like these others. They haven't thu spirit to try" There was moment oI silence, and then: "Caramba Yot remember those jutias we atef The, were strong, but I would enjoy thu smell of one now. Eh? Another weel of this and we shall be living on garb age like the rest of these poor pco ple."
 Leaving Jacket to take his time Johnnie completed the climb alone meditating upon the boys words. "Th' spirit to tryi" Where had his spiri gone, he wondered. Perhaps 1t had haox, crrahod hanaath fha weight O. misery he had beheld, surely he had