If it so
chanced that his fancy took him to the city of Matanzas at the
same time O'Reilly happened to be traveling thither, the
circumstance might be put down to the long arm of coincidence. If
his company were distasteful to the elder man, O'Reilly was free
to wait and follow later; it was a matter of complete indifference
to Jacket. He had business in Matanzas and he proposed to attend
to it. The boy lied gravely, unblushingly. Nevertheless, he kept a
watchful eye upon his hearer.
"Very well," O'Reilly told him, finally. "I give in."
Jacket's face instantly lit up. He radiated good humor; he hitched
his body closer.
"By----! I get my own way, don't I?" he laughed.
"Indeed you do." O'Reilly laid a hand fondly upon his loyal
follower. "And I don't mind telling you that I'm more than half
glad of it. I--I was getting lonesome. I didn't know how much I
could miss you. But now we must make some plans, we must have an
understanding and decide who we are. Let me see--your real name is
Narciso--"
"Narciso Villar."
"Well, then, I shall be Juan Villar, your brother. Henceforth we
shall speak nothing but Spanish. Tell me now, what was our
father's name, where was our home, and what are we doing
together?"
During the breathless interval before the shower the two sat with
their heads together, talking earnestly.
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