The Monticellonian., 1918-06-21

| ing after Donna lsabel's death. That
there was a treasure Cueto had never
doubted, and, once the place was his
to do with as he chose, he began his
search.
Commencing at the lower edge of the
grounds, he ripped them up with Sc
ries of deep trenches and cross-cuts.
1t was task that required the labor
of many men for several weeks. and
when it was finished there was scarce
~ growing thing left upon the place.
Only few of the larger trees re-
manned. Cueto was disappointed at
finding nothing, but he was not dis
couraged. Next he tore down the old
slave harracoons and the outbuidings,
after which he completely wrecked the
residence itself. He pulled it apart bit
by bit, brick by brick. He even dug up
its foundations, but without the reward
of so much as a single peseta FL
nally. when the villa was but a heap
of rubbish and the grounds a scar
upon the slope of La Cumbre, he de-
sisted, baftled. incredulous, while all
Matanzas laughed ut him. Having sac
rificed his choicest residence, he re-
tired in chagrin to the plantation of
La Joya.
But Gueto was now a man with a
grievance. He burned with rage, and
his contempt for the boy and girl he
had wronged soured into hatred. In
time he began to realize also that so
long as they lived they would ieop-
ardize his tenure of their property.
Public feeling, at present was high;
there was intense bitterness against all
rebels but the war would end some
day. What then? Gueto asked him
self. Sympathy was ever on the side
of the weak and oppressed. There
would come day of reckoning.
AS if to swell his discontinue and
strengthen his fears, out from the hills
at the head of the Yumuri issued ru-
mors of little band of guerrilleros,
under the leadership of beardless
boy--a band of blacks who were max
ing the upper valley unsafe for Span
ish scouting parties.
Cursing the name of Varona, Pancho
Cueto armed himself. He did not ven
ture far alone, and, like Donna Isabel
before him, he began to have bad
dreams at night.
One day field of Cuetos cane was
burned, and his laborers reported see
ing Esteban and some negroes riding
into the wood. The overseer took
horse within the hour and rode pell-
nell to Matanzas In the city at this
time was a certain Colonel Cobo, in
command of Spanish volunteers, those
execrable convict troops from the Isle
of Pines whose atrocities had already
marked them as wolves rather than
men, and to him Pancho went with
his story.
"Ah, yes That Varona boy I've
heard of him." Cobo remarked, when
his caller had finished his account. "He
has reason to hate you, l dare say. for
you robbed him." The colonel smiled
disagreeably.
Cueto murmured something to the
effect that the law had placed him in
his position as trustee for the crown,
and should therefore protect him; but
Colonel Cobo's respect for the law. it
seemed, was slight. In his view there
was but one law in the land, the law
of force.
"Why do you come to me?" he sked.
THAT fellow is desperado," Pan
cho declared He should be &C.
stroyed.'
Bah The country is overrun with
desperadoes of his kind, and worse.
make an end of him soon enough. but
nearly all of my men are in Cardenas.
We have work enough to do"
I'D make it worth while, if you could
put an end to him." Pancho said, hes
itatingly. Then. recalling some of
those stories about Colonel Cobo, he
added, There are two of them, you
know, boy and girl
''Ah, yes I remember"
81 can direct you to the house of
Asensio, where they live
"Um-ml" Cobo was thoughtful. "A
girl. How old is she?"
Eighteen
''Ha The most ravishing creature
in all Matanzas. All the men were
mad over her.
Colonel Cobo the guerrilla licked
his full, red lips and ran a strong,
square hand over his curly, short
cropped hair. You say you know
where she-where they are living?"
"Ah. perfectly It's less than n
nights ride. There's no one except
the boy to reckon with"
"How much is he worth to your"
bluntly inquired the soldier, and Cueto
sat down to make the best terms pos
sible.
DO you think he received my let
ter?" Rosa asked of her brother one
evening as they sat on the board bench
IT,. IL 70 In