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"And how does it operate?" queried one

"It is one of those ingenious Yankee contrivances I have never seen one quite like it, but ence makes its principle plain Evidently one inserts the tube into the dynamite, so, and presses the bulb---"

There came a loud cry from General Antuna, who had bent closer; he clapped his hands to his face and staggered fro his action to his words the colonel had squeezed the bulb, with the result that a spray of salt water had squirted fairly into his superior officer's interested and attentive countenance

"My eyes! Dios eneral, and his subordinates looked on, frozen with consternation

The author of this calamity blanched; he was stricken dumb with horror

Some one cried: "A doctor, quickly Jesus Cristo! Such carelessness!"

"This is terrible!" another stammered "It will explode next"

There was a concerted scramble away from the table

Leslie Branch laughed--it was the first tiive audible evidence of amusement His reedy frame was shaken as by a painful spasm; his colorless face was distorted, and from his lips issued queer, hysterical barks and chortles "Tell 'ely

When this welcoeneral had proved it to be true, there was a great sigh of relief, followed by a subdued titter at the colonel's expense The latter was chagrined Having e behind an assunity But it was plain that he still considered these Aerous people, and that his suspicions were as keen as ever

The interruption served to end O'Reilly's ordeal, for the moment at least, and attention was now turned to his companion It was evident from the first that Branch's case was hopeless He readily acknowledged hi sent articles for publication through the h; froo hard with hi hi his captors not to treat him with the contempt or with the severity they reserved for Ament for the moment was suspended, and the two prisoners were led away, after which another delay ensued

At last O'Reilly was recalled; but when he re-entered the big roo hiize for the inconvenience we have put you to," the coan