Cuba -- History -- Revolution, 1895-1898 -- Fiction
Without a glance over his shoulder the man turned into a large, walled
inclosure. When Johnnie followed he found himself in one of the old
cemeteries. Ahead of him, up a shady avenue bordered with trees, the
stranger hurried; then he swerved to his left, and when O'Reilly came
to the point where he had disappeared there was nobody in sight.
Apprehending that he had made some mistake in the signal, O'Reilly
hastened down the walk. Then at last, to his great relief, he heard a
sibilant:
"Psst! Psst!"
It came from behind a screen of shrubbery, and there he found the Cuban
waiting. The latter began rapidly:
"Our plans are complete. Listen closely. One week from to-day, at ten
o'clock in the morning, you must be in Manin's drug-store. Directly
across the street you will see two negroes with three horses. At
fifteen minutes past ten walk out San Rafael Street to the edge of the
city, where the hospital stands. The negroes will follow you. There is
a fort near by--"
"I know."
"It commands the road. You will be challenged if you pass it, so turn
in at the hospital. But do not enter the gates, for the negroes will
overtake you at that point. They will stop to adjust the saron of the
lead horse. That will be your signal; mount him and ride fast. The
Spaniards will fire at you, but if you are hit one of the blacks will
take you on his horse. If one of them is hit or his horse falls you
must stop and take him up. Ride out half a mile and you will find a
band of Insurrectos in the woods at the right. They know you are
coming. Now, adois and good luck."
With a smile and a quick grip of the hand the messenger walked swiftly
away. O'Reilly returned to his hotel.
At last! One week, and this numbing, heartbreaking delay would end; he
would be free to take up his quest. O'Reilly choked at the thought; the
blood drummed in his ears. Rosa would think he was never coming; she
would surely believe that his heart had changed. As if it could! "O
God! Come quickly, if you love me." Well, a week was only seven days.
He longed to risk those Spanish bullets this very hour.
But those seven days were more than a week, they were seven eternities.
The hours were like lead; O'Reilly could compose his mind to nothing;
he was in a fever of impatience.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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