To this the officer in command sent the reply that Gomez could begin to fire as quickly as he pleased, for not a soul in Arroyo Blanco should be allowed to leave the town; he intended to keep the women and children within the walls, to suffer whatever fate was in store for him.

The women and children pleaded to be allowed to leave, but the Spanish officer was determined to keep them, and they were obliged to stay.

On receiving this cruel answer, Gomez opened fire, using his dreadful dynamite-gun.  For several days he laid siege to the town, without gaining any advantage.

The Spaniards tried to get help from the main army by signalling with the heliograph.  This is an instrument by which rays of light are thrown from a mirror, and flashed from one point to another.  It is much used in war.

The Cubans, however, prevented the heliograph from being used, and hoped that they had the Spaniards cut off from their friends.

By some means the news of the siege reached the main army, and three thousand troops were sent to the relief of Arroyo Blanco.

No sooner did Gomez see the first of the Spanish soldiers appearing over the hills, than he laid a plan to win a brilliant victory.

Pretending to be alarmed at the arrival of the Spanish troops, he withdrew his men from the siege of the town, and appeared to be retreating.

Delighted with their success, the Spanish pursued the Cubans, who led them into a valley between two hills.

This was the trap into which Gomez had planned to lure his enemy.

When the Spaniards had reached a place that seemed favorable to his wishes, Gomez gave the signal—­Cubans poured down the hillsides, from behind every rock and bush, surrounded the Spaniards, and completely defeated them, the Spaniards suffering a severe loss, many of them being killed, wounded, or taken prisoner.

It is said that this victory has so alarmed Weyler that he has sent to Havana for more troops, and declares that he cannot stand against Gomez without more soldiers to help him.

The people of Havana do not like this.  Weyler has many more soldiers than Gomez, and the citizens do not want to be left at the mercy of the insurgent bands that are in the neighborhood of the city.

* * * * *

A great deal of interest is being taken in the investigation, by the New York Legislature, into the subject of Trusts.

A Trust is the combination of a number of persons who are interested in the manufacture of a certain article.

These persons join together, and agree to pay certain prices for making the goods they deal in, and to ask a certain price for the article when they sell it again.

They put all their money together, and become one company.  Each member of the Trust has to bind himself to do what the members think best, and though there may be several hundred factories in one Trust, all obey the one set of rules, just as if they were but one body.