Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-04-25

through the gloom. "He would never
sell Evangelina !"
Cueto laughed aloud once more. "Of
course! He would not dare, eh? I am
only teasing you. But see! You have
given yourself away. Everything you
tell me proves that you know all about
that treasure"
II know but one thing" the slave
declared, stiffening himself slowly,
"and that is to be faithful to Don Es-
teban." lie turned and departed, leav-
ing Pancho Cueto staring after him
meditatively.
In the days following the birth Of
his children and the death OF his wife,
Don Esteban Varona, as had been his
custom, steered q middle course in
politics, in that way managing to avoid
a clash with the Spanish officials who
ruled the island, or an open break with
his Cuban neighbors, who rebclled be-
Meath their wrongs. Estcban dealt
| automatically with both factions and
! went on raising slaves and sugar to his
own great profit.
The twins, Esteban and Rosa, devel- !
oped into healthy children and became
the pride Of Sebastian and his daugh-
ter, into whose care they had been
given. AS for Evangelina, the young
negrcss, she grew tall and strong and
handsome, until she was the finest
slave girl in the neighborhood.
Then, one day, Don Esteban Varona
remarked, and the Donna Isabel, who
had been q famous Habana beauty,
came to live at the quinta. The daugh-
ter of impoverished parents, she had
heard and thought much about the
mysterious treasure of La Cumbre.
Before the first fervor of his honey
moon cooled the groom began to fear
that he had made a serious mistake.
Donna Isabel, he discovered, was both
vain and selfish. Not only did she
crave luxury and display, but with sin.
gular persistence she demanded tC
know all about her husbands financial
affairs.
Now Don Esteban was no longer
young; age had soured him with sus.
picion. and when once he saw himself
as the victim of a mercenary marriage
he turned bitterly against his wife,
], Her curiosity he s~ullenly resented, and
he unblushingly denied his possession
of any considerable wealth. In fact,
he tried with malicious ingenuity to
make her believe him a poor man. But
| Isabel was not of the sort to be readily
| deceived. Finding her arts and CO.
--,@s ~I-~ Glow Hrfo n
> rage, and a furious quarrel ensued-
. the first Of many. For the lady coulG
: not rest without knowing all there was
e to know about the treasure.
She searched the quinta, of course
s whenever she had a chance, but she
discovered nothing-with the result
that the mystery began to engross hel
O scurest corners, she questioned thu
g slaves, she lay awake 1T night listening
to Esteban's breathing, in the hope O.
O surprising his secret from his dreams
At length a time came when they livet
in frank enmity; when Isabel neve:
spoke to Esteban except in reproach O
It anger, and when Esteban unlocked hi
lips only to taunt his wife with tn
u fact that she had been thwarted de
spite her cunning.
1t was only natural under such con
diti0ns that Donna Isabel should lear
IS to dislike her stepchildren-Esteba
! had told her frankly that they woull
inherit whatever fortune he possessed
It AS may be imagined, she found way
~ to vent her spite upon the twins. Sh
widencd her hatred so as to include oil
e Sebastian and his daughter, and eve
g went SO far as to prosecute Evangt
ID lina's sweetheart, q slave named Aser
h siO.
il 1t had not taken Donna Isabel Ion
S. to guess the reason for Sebastian
many privileges, and n of hcr frs
efforts had been to win the old man
confidence. 1t was in vain, hoWeve,
It. that she f1attered and cajoled, G
le stormed and threatened; Sebastia
withstood her as a towering ceiba will
or stands the summer heat and the viii
ut ter hurricane.
or His frmncss made her vindictiv'
W and so in time she laid a scheme t
~ estrange him from his master.
IN Donna Isabel was crafty. She bega
ou to complain about Evangelina, but
was only after many months that 81
ventured to suggest to her husban
lis that he sell the girl. Esteban, {
We course, refused point-blank he was tc
fond of Sebastian's daughter, he d,
PC clared, to think Of such q thing.
-, $50 that is it." Snpare0 Donna Is.
re bel. "Wcll, she is young and shape!
ia and handsome, as wenches 60. I rattle
suspected you were fond of her.
M With difficulty Esteban restrained a
CIV oath. "1ou mistake my meaning"
said stifly. Sebastian has served n
faithfully, and Evangelina plays wit
s.? my children. She is good to them; ST
ou is more of a mother to them than 70
have ever BEEN"
:. HIS that rhy Won dracs hnr like