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Fortunately there was no shortage of food for the horses, and so, despite the necessity of nuood ti hills, through sweeping savannas, past ees, to their journey's end A fortunate encounter with a rebel partida from General Betancourt's army enabled them to reach headquarters without loss of tiry, they disallant officer's hut

General Betancourt read the letter which O'Reilly handed him, then looked up with a smile

"So! You are one of Gomez's Americans, eh? Well, I would never have known it, to look at you; the sun and the wind have ht almost mistake you for a Cuban cabinet officer"

O'Reilly joined in the laughter evoked by this remark He was quite as tattered as the poorest of Betancourt's common soldiers; his shoes were broken and disreputable; his cotton trousers, snagged by barbed wire and brarass, were in desperate need of attention His beard had grown, too, and his skin, where it was exposed, was burnt to aabout his appearance to bespeak his nationality

The general continued: "I am directed in this letter to help you in some enterprise Command me, sir"

As briefly as possible Johnnie made known the object of his journey The officer nodded his comprehension, but as he did so a puzzled expression crossed his face

"Yes, I reported that Miss Varona had gone into the city--I took some pains to find out Do you have reason to doubt--"

"Not the least, sir"

"Then--why have you come all this way?"

"I came to find her and to fetch her to her brother"

"But--you don't understand She is actually inside the lines, in Matanzas--a prisoner"

"Exactly I intend to go into Matanzas and bring her out"

General Betancourt drew back, astonished "My dear man!" he exclaimed "Are you mad?"

O'Reilly smiled faintly "Quite probably All lovers are in to see But--how do you ?"

"You toldto put it to the test If I once get into the city I shallher with eneral appraised O'Reilly speculatively "No doubt you can get in--it is not so difficult to enter, I believe, and especially to one who speaks the language like a native But the return--I fear you will find that another er, despair No one goes there from choice any more, and no one ever comes out"