"
"What will O'Reilly say?"
"I'm afraid we'll never see O'Reilly again. Cuba frightens me. It
has taken him, it will take Esteban, and--that would break my
heart."
"Do you love him as much as that?"
Norine raised her eyes and in their depths Branch read her answer.
"Well, that ends the rest of us," he sighed. "There's a Minister
of Justice here, I believe; he sounds as if he could perform most
any kind of a ceremony. We'll find out for sure."
It so happened that the President and well-nigh the entire
Provisional Cabinet were in Cubitas. Leslie and Norine went
directly to the former. The supreme official was eager to oblige
in every way the guest of his Government and her dare-devil
countryman, El Demonio. He promptly sent for the Minister of
Justice, who in turn gallantly put himself at Norine's disposal.
He declared that, although he had never performed the marriage
ceremony he would gladly try his hand at it. In no time the news
had spread and there was subdued excitement throughout the camp.
When Norine left headquarters she was the target of smiles and
friendly greetings. Women nodded and chattered at her, ragged
soldiers swept her salutes with their jipi-japa hats, children
clung to her and capered by her side. It was vastly embarrassing,
this shameless publicity, but it was touching, too, for there was
genuine affection and good-will behind every smile.
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