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It was fortunate indeed that he knew no Spanish and that lish, for mere admiration, even of the fervent Latin quality, would scarcely have been proof against his spleen As it was, his ca hi eccentric in who spirit of patriotism

O'Reilly alone understood the reason for the fellow's morbid irritability, his suicidal recklessness; but when he privately reruffly told to mind his own business Branch flatly refused tothe disease that made his life a misery

But, as usual, Fate was perverse; she refused to hu death, Leslie had eements unscathed, his surprise--and perhaps a natural relief at finding hied with a certain apprehension lest he survive those deliberately courted dangers, only to succumb to the ills and privations of camp life Cuban equiphts are cool--these were perils indeed for a weak-lunged invalid Branch began to fret Rain filled him with more terror than fixed bayonets, a chill caused hian to have agonizing visions of hi in some leaky hovel of a hospital It was typical of his peculiar irritability that he held O'Reilly in some way responsible, and vented upon hirew ever sharper; his society becaious When, after several weeks of ca, the column went into camp for a short rest, O'Reilly decided that he would try to throw off the burden of Leslie's overwhel dejection, and, if possible, shift a portion of it upon the shoulders of Captain Judson

On the day after their arrival O'Reilly and the big artillerye of a pleasant stream to bathe and wash their clothes; then, while they lay in their ha the luxury of a tattered oil-cloth shelter and waiting for the sun to dry their gar about fed up on Leslie," he declared "He's the world's chaer, and he's painted the whole world such a deep, despondent blue that I'ot to take hirunted "What ails hiht Haven't you guessed why he runs such desperate chances? He's sick--thinks he's going to die, anyhow, and wants to finish the job quick I'm the one who has to endure him"