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

cd IN THIS lGtIeF 20 Nelp you IL SUM
enterprise Command me, sir"
As briefly as possible Johnnie made
known the object of his journey. The
officer nodded his comprehension, but
rs he did SO a puzzled expression
crossed his face.
Yes. l reported that Miss Yarona
had gone into the city took some
pains to ind out. Do you have reason
20 doubt-"
mot the least, sir"
"Then-why have you come all this
wayY"
q came 10 find her and to fetch her
20 her brother
"But-you don't understand. She Is
actually inside the lines, in Matan-
zas--a prisoner"
Exactly. | intend TO so into Matan-
zas ana bring her out
General Betancourt drew back, as
tonished My dear MANI he ex-
claimed. care you maGG'
O'Reiny smiled family. quite
probably. All lovers are mildly mad,
/ believe"
"Ah! Lovers! 1 begin to see. But
how do you ncan n 20 about this
thiS-imposSible undertakings"
you told rae just now that l could
pass for a Cuban. Wen, / am going
TO put il 70 the tesr. i'll once get into
the city / shall manage somehow to
get out again, ana bring her with me"
"Um-m :" The general appraised
O'Reilly speculauvely. NO doubt You
can get int is not so difficult to en-
ter, I believe. and especially to one
who speaks The language like a native.
But the retura-I fear you Will find
that another matter. Matanzas is
place of pestilcnce hunger, despair.
No one goes there from choice any
more, and no one ever comes out"
$50 I shoulG imagine" The speak
ers careless tone added to General Be
tancOurt's astoniShIneEt. Bless ne :"
he exclaimed. what an cxtraortli-
nary young man! Is it possible that
YOU do not comp ehend the terrible
conditioner A sudden thought struck
him and he inquired quickly: Tel me,
you are rot ~ any chance that hero
they call III DeHoni0? l have heard
that he IS indeed a demon. No? Very
well. You say you wish to visit Ma
tanzas, and | am instructed to help
you. How can l d. 500"
O'Reiily hesitted an instant. "For
one thing. I need money. IL haven't
a single peseta."
- ~ -
lars l possess"
Johnnie expressed his gratitude for
this ready assistance. zone thing
more, said he. win you give my
boy, jacket, a new pair of trousers
and send him back to the Orient at the
first oppertunify?'
"Of course. It is done" The gen
eral laid friendly hand upon O,Reil-
ly's Shoulder saying, Grayely: 1T
would relieve ne intensely to send you
back with him, for have fears for
the success Of your venture. Matanzas
is he'll; 1t has swallowed up thou.
sands Of our good countrymen: thou
sands have died there. I'm afraid you
do not realize what risks you are TAX
ing"
O'Reilly did not allow this we'll
meant warning to influence him. nor
did he listen TO the admonitions Of
those other Cubans who tried 70 argue
with him out of his purpose, once it
became known. On the contrary, he
proceeded with his preparations and
spent that afternoon in satisfying him
self that Rosa had indeed left the Pan
de Matanzas before Cobos raid.
Among Betancourt's troops was q
man who had been living in the hills
at the time Asensio and his family
had abandoned their struggle for ex-
istence, and TO him OReIlly went This
fellow. it seemed. had remained with
his family in the mountains some time
after Asensio's departure. 1t was
from him that O'Reilly heard his first
authentic report Of the atrocities per
petrated by Cobo's volunteers. This
man had lost his wife, his little son
and all the scanty belongings he pos
sessed. With shaking hands up
stretched TO heaven. the fellow cursed
the author OF his mlsfortunes.
Il live for one thing!" he c-iej
shrilly-"to meet that monster, and L
butcher him, as he butchers womeI
and children"
O'Reilly purposeiy left his most IN
pleasant task 10 the last. When hi,
arrangements had been completed and
he had acquainted himself as far as
possible with tho hazards he was likely
TO encounter he took jacket aside ano
broke the news to him that on the fol
lowing morning they n1st part AS
he had expected, the boy refused to
listen to him. O'Reilly remained firm
and Jacket began to weep copiously
He worked himself up to hysterical
crescendo which threatened TO arouse
the entire encampment. But OReilly
was unmoved.
''Be quiet" he told the boy. 81
won't let you so with me. and that
ends it. 1t will be hard enough for one
man to slip through: two would be
sure to fail"
sGTbnea -