Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1920-01-01

on her back. launched backs are lucky.
you know; hers is worth a fortune"
"Why. this b"a-s the Arabian
Nights -" Norine sasped.
lit beats" Branch paused. then
vagged his head warningly at the girl.
II don't believe word Of il and YOU
mustn't"
Then Johnnie told the story. When
he had finished there was a long mo-
menr OF silence Then Norine Gna-
vered TREMENDOUSLY: 'sihag boy, That
blessed boy"
ITS al too welrdiy improbable
O'Reilly Smiled. "nu: ask Rosa ar
Jacket-the boy IS bursting 10 tell
some one. lie nearly died because lie
couldn't brag aAout It To Captain ho-
tin, and there won't be any holding
aim now. I'm afraid he'll tip off the
ueWs about that treasure Ia spite Of all
ny warnings Those jewels are .
temptation; WON'T rest easy until
they're safely locked M in some gooo
vault. Now then. I've told you every.
thing. but I'm dyins for news. Tell me
about yourselves about Esteban. l ex.
pected to find hin wei. What aiis
hinf"
"Oh. Johnnie" Norine began. Ties
very i'll. He Isn't getting well. Hell
ne, Johnnicl Hep me to get him
home"
"Of course I viii. Wen take him
and Rosa away whore they can forget
Cuba and al the misery il has caused
them. Wen make him well-don't
worry"
O'ReilIy saw little Of his sweetheart
that day. for Norine promptly bore The
girl of to her own quarters and there
attended tn her needs the most press
ing Of which was clothing.
While O'Reilly was similarly en-
gagged in making himself prcsentable,
he and Branch talked earnestly with
the result that they repaired later t.
General Gomez. OReiIly concluded by
saying:
I've done wha came TO do, sir, but
Miss Varona is badly shaken by all She
has been through. She's very nervous
and far from well. Esteban, too, isn't
recovering"
General Gomez nodded. Miss Evans
declares he must have a change. and
we have arranged to send him out OF
the country. His sister, poor child
should 50. too"
"Thoy should 20 Mt once" ORellly
said. positively. THAT'S why we came
to see you Let us-Eranch and ne
take all three Of them to the United
States"
'But how? How can you take two
women and sick man"
"NeW manage somehow" O'Reilly
declared ct isn't far across to the
Bahama Banks. I'll agree to come
back if you so desire"
Gomez shook his white head. "No
You came to find and save your fiancee,
and you volunteered To serve with Us
while you were doing SO. We have no
desire to keep any man against his VIII
Some one must escort Miss Evans. who
ID our guest. Why not you two?
esting ceremony this afternoon" Go
mez went on. HAS your arrival
changed the rlans?'
ooh no, sir - OIetlly said, quickly
"Td like to make i. doubly interesting
II Miss Varona Will consent to sucL
short notice
Bravo! You have way of doina
the unexpected. Why not? l dcnt
think Miss yarona VIII have 1t in hel
heart to refuse YOU anything"
The old soldier was right Rosa did
not gainsay her lover, and toward sun
down the city among the leaves wit
messed an unaccustomcd scene
Rosa, very dainty in her borrowed
nurses uniform WAS roWd-eyed
timid; she evoked much admiration
bat when she was addressed as Sonora
O'Reilly she blushed TO the roots Of
her hair and slrank close - her hus
bands side. Branch proved to be a
happy choice as Esteban's proxy, fol
he relieved Norine's anxiety and smoth
cred her apprehenstons.
When Rosa and O'Reilly returned Ii
Tstehan's cabin they found Norint
ahead of them. She was kneeling be
side the sick mans hammock, ana
through the doorway came the low, in
innate murmur of their voices. Rosa
drew her husband away, whispering
happily:
"IIe viii get we'll God end that won.
derful girl wOntslct him die"
CHAPTER XXI.