The Mena weekly star., 1919-01-23
cHAPrER XIV.



.olees INTO separate columns for the
purpose of raiding the smaller Spanish
sarrlsons and harassing the troops semi
70 their relief, reassemblIng tbess
Dands only when and where some tell,
ing dow was to be struck.
when O'Reilly and Branch enIisteA
In the Army Of the Orient thew rvars
assigned to the command of Col. Mic
uel Lopez and 1t was under his leader
snip that they made their f,rst az
qualntanee with the peculiar method,
Of Cuban warfare.
Ihere had been, at first. some douh,
OF Branch's fitness to take tbo eaIa :,
aii--he had suffered severe hemor.
rnage shortly after his arrival at Cuhi.
,as-ano It was only after hystericaI
demonstration on his part that he had
oeen accepted as soldier. He simnl,
would not be left behind. At first ths
ouoans regarded him with mingled
contempt and pity, for certainly M
iess promising volunteer had eve,
taken service with them. But unor
tne occasion of the very first fight all
iH-wiil disappeared as If by magic for
although Branch deliberately disobeved
orders, ne nevertheless displayed such
amazing audacity in the face of the
enemy such a theatrical contempt 70,
puiiets' as to stupesy every one. More
over, ne lived up to his reputation: he
continued to be Insanely daring. vary.
ing his exploits to correspond with bis
moods, with the result that he attained
popularity which was unique, nav
sensational
oKeiliy alone understood the reason
Tor the fellows morbid irritabilitv his
suicidal recklessness; but when no nri.
Vateiy demonstrated he was gruffiy told
TO mind his own business. Branch fat
~ refused to modify his conduct: he
seemed really bent upon cheating the
disease that made his life misery.
But, as usual, fate was peryerse !.
she refused to humor the sick mans
nope When, after blindly inviting
death. Leslie had emerged from sew.
Graz engagements unscathed. his sur
prise-and PERHAPS a natural relief M
nnuing himself wn0le--became tinged
with certain apprehension lest he
survive those deliberately courted dan.
gers only to succumb to the Ills and
priyations Of camp life. The fellows
tongue grew ever sharper; his society
became intolerabIe, his gloom oppres.
sive and irresistibly contagious. When,
after several weeks of campaigning,
the column went into camp for short
rest, O'Reilly decided that he would
try to throw off the burden of Leslie'A
oveiN helming detection, and, If pos.
sible, shift a portion of II upon the
shoulders Of Captain Judson.
On the day after their arrival O'ReiI-
ly and the big artilleryman took advan-
tage Of a pleasant stream to battle ana
wash their clothes; then, while they
lay in their hammocks, enjoying the
luxury Of a tattered oil-cloth shelter
and waiting for the sun to dry their
garments, O'Reilly spoke what was In
his mind
TIN getting about fed up on Leslie"
he declared. Hes the worlds cham
pion crepe-hanger, and he's painted the
whole world such deep, respondent
blue that I'm completely dismal. You've
got to take him of my hands"
OReilly's youthful assistant, who at
the moment was painstakingly manu-
featuring huge, black cigar for him.
self out OF some purioined tobacco,
pricKed up MS ears at the menuon ol
Branchs name and now edged closer,
exclaiming:
"Carambal There's hero for you.
Meester Branch is the bravest man i
ever seen. Our people call him sEl
Demonio'r'
oReilly jerked his head toward the
Cuban. "You seer He's made the hit
of his life, and yet he rescnts 1t. My
nerves are frayed out. I've argued my
self hoarse, but he misconstrues every
thing say. wish you'd convince him
that he has chance to get well; 1t
might alter his disposition, If some
thing doesn't alter It I'll be court-mar-
tailed for shooting man in his sleep
and I'll hit him right in the middle, no
matter how slim he is" o'Reilly COM
pressed his lips firmly.
The assistant. who had finished roll
ing his cigar, now lighted It and re-
peated: "Yes, sir, Meester Branch Is
the bravest man / ever seen. You re-
member that first battle, Ell? Those
Standards seen him comm and threw
down THAR guns and beat it. i laugh
to skill myself that day."
"Jacket" was at once the youngest
and the most profane member of Colo
mel Lopez's entire command. The most
shocking oaths fell from his beard
less lips whenever he opened them to
speak English, and 0'Reilly's efforts to
break the boy of the habit proved quite
unavailing.
This Camagueyan boy was a char
acter. He was perhaps sixteen, and
small for his age--a mere child, In
fact. Nevertheless, he was a seasoned
veteran, and his American camp-mates
had grown exceedingly fond Of him. He
was a pretty. graceful youngster; MS
ewes were large and soft and dark; his
face was as sensitive and mobile as
that of n girl; and yet, despite his
youth. he had won reputation for
daring and ferocity quite as notable IN
its way as was the renown OF Leslie
Branch.
IN order to expand his knowledge OF
urhteh nv the way, he was