The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-12-18
An Episode of
Cuba
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

During that period in Cuba when the
people were under the heel of Captain
General Weyler two young men. Jose
Herrara and Manuel Furtado one the
son of sugar planter. the other law
yer who hunted up cases of flaw of
title. then levied blackmail on the
holder of the property. came into COLI
sion
Senorita Inez MADEIRA. the daughter
of a Spanish gEandee who had emf
grated from Spain many years before.
was one Of those southern beauties
whose dark eyes. over which sweep
long lashes. render them enhancing
She and Herrara met at a ball given
by wealthy planter, and the meeting
resulted in a love affair. At the time
Senior MADEIRA, who had sunk a fortune
I'm Spain before coming to Cuba and
had always since been impecunious
had been approached by Manuel Fur
tado for the hand of Senorita Inez
The grandee was at first disposed to
regard the application as an insult. but
when Furtado announced that he had
accumulated. considerable fortune
and would supply the old mans wants
the latter turned listening ear
The entrance of Herrara into the
play made a great difference to Fur
tado. What might probably have re-
suited without his interference was
now impossible. But he did not real
ize this. He had been introduced to
Senorita Inez by her father. and she
had received him graciously Then
came to the lawyer a temptation 10 put
| his rival out of the way. Those We're
times when persons in Cuba were very
easily put out of the way. The captain
general was an autocrat whose order
would send any man to prison or be
| fore firing squad.
Furtado lodged information at the
palace that Jose Herrara was not only
a revolutionist, but that he was plot
ting to bring United States troops int.
the island to expel the Spaniards. One
evening when Herrara was expec ed to
call on Senorita MADEIRA he did not ar
rive. On the way to her home he was
waylaid by order of the governor aid
carried to prison. No one knew of his
arrest. Furtado had reported that If il
were. known that he were captive 1t
would exasperate his friends. and they
were sufficiently numerous to make
trouble. So his arrest was kept secret.
Soon after this came the Spanish
American war and the landing of Unit
ed States troops in Cuba. Herrara lay
in prison till the war ended. then came
npfh he y-ira alrs1 n
| having communicated with any one out
| side his Jail during the hostilities He
| learned that Senorita MADEIRA. suppos
| ing him to be dead, was in mourning
| for him. He knew that some one had
| procured his arrest and confinement
but did not know who that person was.
Before making himself known to any
| one he instituted inquiries as to his ac
| cuser, and since the records were now
| open to him he soon learned that he
had been betrayed by Manuel Furtado.
Jose determined to punish his ira.
ducer before making himself known to
the girl he loved. Either he or Manuel
must die, and If it were Jose it was
| better that he should not leone to life
1 to be mourned a second time. He was
| weak from confinement and gave him
| self brief respite before tackling his
| enemy, who had turned in favor of tho
| revolutionists just in time to be on the
! winning side and. having given con-
siderable sum to the cause, was In ia
| yor with the people and the American
| provisional management.
Furtado was an occasional visitor al
the home of Senior MADEIRA. Senorita
Inez did not like him; but, being igno
rant of the trouble he had brought upon
her lover, to please her father she
treated him civilly. Herrara, learning
of these visits, lay In wait for his en-
envy.
| One night Furtado was stopped b.,
one who blocked his way. There was
no light except that of a half moon
and Furtado did not recognize the man
he had injured.
| You don't remember me-" said He.
/ rara
! ST do not
/ Il am Jose Hcrrara, whom you in
formed against falsely and whose ar
rest on this very spot you instigated-
an appropriate spot for the settlements
| OF the account between u.s."
/ Are you going to murder me?''
No. Are you unarmed? q
II have not SO much as penknife.' ;,
Take that" Jose handed him a
cavalry saber. Il have its duplicate"
Il prefer to meet you with others to
see fair play" replied Furtado, land
prefer pistols. | know nothing of
the use of Il saber."
"Nor |. f.ut. as to fair play, you are
not giver of fair play and conse-
i quently not entitled to it yourself As
to sabers. they make less noise than
/ pistols. and the survivor will have a
better chan'e to get away unnoticed
| On guardr'
Within ten minutes Herrara left his
| enemy dead in the road
Senorita MADEIRA was sitting In q
dimly lighted garden beside her home
| when the gat< opened aud Herrars
entered
Jose!' she exclaimed. Are you OF
the quick or the dead? 2"
4 am of the quick; | have just left