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

Jungle TO air was stirring, and dark.
ness brought forth n torment Of mos
qaijoes As day died the woods awoke
10 sounds ~ bird and insect life
strange. raUcous calls pealed forth
some familiar, others strange and IN
accustomed. Sitting there in the dark
bedevllcd by a pest Of insects. Knocked
at by these mysterious voices, and
looking forward 10 hazardous enter.
prise, OReilly began 10 curse his vivid
imagination and 50 envy the impaS-
siyeaess Of his companions. Even
Jacket, lie noted, endured the strain
better; the boy yeas cheerful, philo.
Sophicai, quite unlMpressed by his
surroundings When the mosquitoes
became unbearable he put on his trou.
sers, with some RELUCTANCE and much
ceremony.
Midnight brought a moist, warm
breeze and a few formless clouds
which served at times to dimly OBJ.
scure the moon. Watching the clouds.
O'Reilly hoped that they might prove
10 be the heralds Of a storm. None
came. Wien the moon had finally
crept down into the treetops old Hi
,ario STEPPED upon his cigarette, then
began silently 10 saddle up. The 9th
ers followed With alacrity, and fell In
behind him as he led the way into the
forest
When they had covered a couple of
miles Hlarlo refined In and The others
crowded close. Ahead, dlmly discern
bile Against the night sky, there ap-
pcGred to be thioning If the woods.
After listening for moment or two,
iIilario dismountod and slipped av ~ !;
the three riders sat their saddles with
ears strained.
Hilario returned with word that all
was well. and each man diSmouute,i to
mutIle the feet Of his horse with rags
and strips Of guDnysact provided for
The purpose. Then, one by one, tley
moved forward 10 the edge of the
clearing. The trocha lay before than
O'Reilly felt a pair of reins Thirst
into lis hand anC cound HilGrio exam
ming q large pair Of timers shears.
"Do YOU wish me to go with yoa"
he inquired of the guide.
The latter shook his head. Antonio
will go; he will keep watch while l
clear 6 path. # anything goes wrong,
wait here. Don't ride away until we
have time"
"Never fear. ] won't desert you,"
the American treasured him.
The two white-clad figures slipped
away. became indis tinct, and then dis
appeared. The night was hot, the mos
quitoes hummed dismally and settled
in clouds upon the waiting pair, mad
dening them with their poison. A half
hour passed, then the two ghostly fg-
ures materialized once more.
"Dos - grumbled Hilario. "There
are many strings to this Spanish gui-
tar. What row when they discover
that l have played n Cuban damon
upon It." The old man seemed less
surly than before.
us the way clear?" OReilly in
CURED.
AS far as the railroad, yes. We
heard voices there, and came back.
We will have to cut our way forward
after we cross the track. Now, then,
follow me without a sound"
Leading his horse by the bit ring.
Ililario moved out into the clearing
followed once more by his three COM
panionS. In spite of all precautions
the animals made tremendous racket.
or SO it seemed and. despite Hilario's
twisting and turnings, it was impos-
sihe to avoid an occasional loop Of
harbed wire, therefore flesh and cloth
Ing sutfeved grievously. But at length
the party brought UP under the railroad
embankment and paused. AS carefully
rs might be the four men assembled the
slope. crossed the rails and descended
into the ditch on the other side. An
other moment and they encountered a
taut strand of harhed wire. The metal
lie snip of Hilario's shears sounded
like a pistol shot to O'Reilly. Into the
maze of strands they penetrated, yard
by yard, clipping and carefully laying
back the wire as they went. Progress
was slow; they had 10 feel thkir way !;
the sharp barbs brought blood and
muttered profanity ut every step.
None of the four ever knew what
gave the alarm. Their first intimation
Of discovery came with a startling
"Quien vive?'' hurled ut them from
somewhere at their backs.
An instant and the challenge was
followed by a Mauser shot. Other re-
ports rang out as the sentry empiied
his rifle in their direction.
$50 They are shooting bats. :" Hi
lario grunted.
Antonio swung about and cooked his
Remington, but the other spoke sharp
~. Fool If you shoot theyNwill see
the FIRE and riddle us. A curse on the
spider that spun this web !"
II was a test OF courage to crouch
among the charred stumps. enmeshed
in thar cruel tangle Of wire, while the
night was stabhcs by daggers of fire
and while the trocha awoke 10 the
wild alarm. From somewhere in the
distance came shouted command and