The Washington herald., 1919-12-05
Go On with the story.

tunnel; E<tebsn finally escspes. sorely wounded
and tno to drsg himself bach to Rcsa
Go On with the story.
CHAPTER XvII-CONTINUE
When she had listened to the ac-
count alphabetically submitted by her
three friends. she drew her brows to-
gether. saying. plaintively: "Oh dear:
We've been going short for a week,
and Major Ramos told me we'd fare
better when we got here. had my
mouth all set for a banquet. Couldn't
you even find the poor dog a bone?"
Norine was thinner and browner
than when she had come to Cuba. but
she in no way showed the effect Of
any serious or continued lack Of nour-
ishment. In fact, a simple diet and
an outdoor life had agreed with her
amazingly.
I'm afraid the cupboard Is bare"
O'Reilly acknowledged.
They're getting ready to slaughter
another guttspercha OK" Branch said,
gloomingly. He's a veteran of the
Ten Years War. That means stew
again! STEW. One puncture-proof.
rubber OK and a bushel OF sweet pota-
toes for 40 men,"
DO you know what ! want for
dinner" Norine inquired Lamb
chops with green peas, some nice
white bread. a salad. and coffee"
The three men looked ct her an
xiously. Judson stirred uneasily.
That's what ! want. / don't ex-
pect TO get it,
With a sigh OF relief the captain
exclaimed. Il thought you were giving
your order"
Goodness, no" With a laugh the
girl seated herself upon her one camp
chair, inviting her callers TO dispose
( themselves on the ground about her.
If you can stand the food, / dare
say / can. Now then, tell me what
you've been doing since you left Gu
bitas. I've been frightened to death
that some OF YOU would be hurt. That,
one reason why I've been working
! night and day helping 10 get the hos
Z pitfalls in shape. ! can't bear to thinb
/ of our boys being wounded"
Not much chance Of our getting
/ shot" O'Reilly told her. But Leslie
he needs a good talking to. He has
gone into the hero business"
/ Branch uttered a disdainful grunt
Nothing OF the sort. lin a sick man
| il I'd rather get shot than suffer .
I slow death from neglect. it's my owl
business. isn't it? Imagine fcedinG
/ an invalid on boiled bicycle tires
/ Gee Id like TO have a meal OF nc,
/ nourishing -ptomsines for a change
Hero? Humph:'
Norine eyed the complainant criti.
! cally. then said: The diet agrees with
: L. 4
Branch turned a somber glance upor
her and gave vent to a bitter. sneerinG
I laugh. 1t was plain that he believed
she. too. was attempting TO pull tho
wool over his eyes. Il wish | could
eat 'em raw
Listen" Norine went on. let,
play a game. Wen imagine thi,
is Delmonico's and well take turni
ordering the best things to eat tina
We can think of. The one VIII,
orders best. wins. Well call tn,
game" She frowned thoughtfuI
ily.
Call it vittles.' o'ReiIy sug
gested.
"'Vittles' it is Maybe il will
give us an appetite for supper
Leslie. you begin. Come now. han,
your hat to the hatboy. then fol
low the head waiter. This way
sir. Table for one: Very good
sir. Here's a cool one. in from
of the electric fan. We have al
exceptional selection of cold dishe
today, sir. Perhaps you would lik,
a nice halibut salad"
No halibut salad" Branch an
swered. striving valIantly to ente
into the spirit of Norine's pretend
ing. Il had it for breakfast. Ant
say. turn of that fan: I'm just bacI
from Cuba. Now then. you ma!
bring me some oysters"
I Oysters are out Of season.
o'Reilly murmured. politely. "bu
our CLAIMS are very fine"
Some oysters" Branch insisted
stubbornly. After that. a cup o
chicken broth. a Erilled sweet
bread, and toast Melba."
| Joe Judson put an abrupt end {,
the invalid's meal by hurting a cloC
at him. crying: You're in Delmoni
cos. not in Battle Creek. Let some
body order who knows how. Wei
have steak and onions all round"
Il want Strawberries" Norfne cried
They're ripe now. Strawberries anc
I u Oll-ll- lHl1lh OF II.
There was a tense silence. which
| o'Reilly broke by saying. Il gues.
'Vittles' isn't a very good name, afte,
ALL"
1T doesn't seem to fill my wants. :
the girl ACKNOWLEDGED. Let's tali
| about something else"
Miss Evans did seem truly concern.
ed for the welfare of her boys" n.
she termed the little group of Amer.
cans whom she had met, and she
showed. by asking numerous ques-
| tions, that her interest was keen.
The men were glad to talk and sht
soon gained an insight into the pecu.
liar, aimless. unsatisfactory, and vel
effective method OF warfare practiseC
by the Insurrecto armies: they told
her Of the endless marches arc
counter-marches, the occa siona
akirmishes, the feints. the inconolusiv,
engagements which were all a par
Of the general stratesy-operation
which served to keep the enemy con
stantly on guard. like a blind swords
man. and would, it was hoped, eventu
ally wear down their patience anC
endurance. In her turn, Norine re
lated something of what she was do
ing and how her labor OF mercy pro
gressed.
I'm nearly discouraged" she con
fessed, finally. Everything is so diff.
| ferent to what I thought Il would be
and I'm so weak and ineffective. The
medical supplies l brought are nearly
I