Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-11-11

! thinking of the girl. he said doubt
/ fully:
I'm afraid Miss Evans isn't equal
10 the trip.'
'%onscnsel Tn equal 10 anything
Norine declared. And indeed she looked
capable enough rs she stood there IT.
her short walking suit and stout boots
Branch alone declined the invitation
vowing that he was too weak to bulge
IF there was the failitest prospect OF
riding to the interior he infinitely pre-
ferred to await the. opportunity, he
said even at the risk of an attack by
Spanish soldiers In the peantime.
1t took O'Reilly but a short time to
collect the few articles necessary foi,
the trip indeed, his bundle was sc
small that Norine was dismayed.
Can't | take any elothes?" she In
CURED IN Il panic. 81 can't live with.
ont a change"
1T IS something you'll have tc
learn" he told her. IAN insurrectc
with two shirts is wealthy. Some oil
them haven't any"
isn't ii likely to rain on us?"
Its almost sure to-"
Miss Evans pondercd this prospect;
ihen She laughed. 1T must feel fun
NY" She said.
There were three other members OF
the travelling party men who kne"
something of the country round about.
they were good fighters, doubtless, but
In spite of their shiny new weapons
they rcscmbled solderseeven less thar
they bad boon when they Lett New
York; one ever. wore q derby hat anC
pointed patcnt-leather shoes. Never
thelcss Norine, Evans thought the little
cavaIcade presented quite martha
appearance as it filed away into th'
jungle.
Che first few miles were trying, foi
the coast was swampy and thickl}
grown up to underhrush but In time
the jungle gave place 10 higher timber
and to open savannas deep in guino;
grass. Soon after noon the travellers
came to a, farm, the owner of which
was Known To one of the guides, anC
here a stop was made in order to sc.
cure horses and food.
Johnuie. who was badly tagged from
the previous nights work, found
shady spot and stretched himself out
FOR n nap.
The shade Yves grateful. OReill5
enjoyed his sleep.
The party had penetrated TO the foot
hills Of the Sierra de Cubitas, and as
they assembled, the scenery changed
Rarely is the Cuban landscape any
thing but pleasing 1t is Il smiling
island. 1t has been said, too, that CIV
crything in 1t is friendly to man. tht
people are amiable. warm-heartod; tn'
very animals and insects are harmless
But here in the Cubitas range all Wa:
different. The land was stern and Tor
bidding: canyons deep and damn
raised dripping walls to the sky; bridl,
paths skirted lodges that were boil,
and fearsome, or lost themselves il
gloomy iungles as noisome as Spanish
dungeons. Hidden away in these fast
messes, the rebel experiment had cs
tablished It's capital. Here safe from
surprise, the soldiers OF Gomez ant
AIaceo and Garcia rested between at
tacks, nursing their wounded and re-
cruidng their strength for further sal
hes.
1t was a strange seat Of govern
ment-no nation ever had a stranger
for the state buildings were huts Of
bark and leaves, the army was uni
formed in rags. Cook fires smoldered
in the open giades; cavalry horses
grazed in the grassy streets, and wood
smoke drifted over them.
The second evening brought O'Reilly
and Miss Dvans safely through, and at
news of the expeditions success
pack train was made ready TO go to
its assistance. Norines letter from the
New York jnnta was read, and the
young woman was warmly welcomed.
One of the better luts was vacated for
her use, and the officers of the pro-
visional government called to pay their
respects.
There were other Americans in Gu
9itas us O'Reilly soon discovered. Dur
ing his first inspection of the village
he heard himself hailed in his. own Ian
guage. and young man in dirty
white trousers\ and jacket strobe
toward him.
"Welcome to cur city" the stranger
cried. I'm Judsen. captain of artil
lery. DEPARTMENT. del Oriente; and
you're the fellow who came with the
quinine lady. aren't you?"
O'Reilly acknowledged his identity.
and Judson grinned. "Haye you met
the old man." he inquired->"G General
Gomez?"
'No; I'd like to meet him"
'Come along, then; I'll introduce
you"
Gen. Maxine Gomez. father of pa
triots, bulwark OF the Cuban cause.
was seated in a hammock, reading
some letters; O'Reilly recognized him
instantly from the many pictures he
had seen. He looked up at Judson's