Mexico Missouri message., 1918-06-06
CHAPTER VIII.
The Spanish DoubIoon.

The Spanish DoubIoon.
On the whole, Pancho Cuetos plans
had worked smoothly. After denounc-
ing the Varona twins as traitors he had
managed to have himself appointed
trustee for the crown, for all their
properties, consummatlon for which he
had worked from the moment he read
that letter of Esteban's on the morn
ing after Donna Isabel'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.
It was a task that required the labor
of many men for several weeks, and
when it was finished there was scarce
ly growing thing left upon the place.
Only a few Of the larger trees re-
mained. Cueto was disappointed at
finding nothing, but he was not dis
couraged. Next he tore down the old
slave barracoons and the outbulldings,
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, badled, incredulous, while all
Matanzas laughed at him. Having sac
rlficed his choicest residence, he re-
tired in chagrln to the plantation Of
La JOya.
| But Cueto was now q 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 jeop-
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? Cueto 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 a beardless
boy-a band Of blacks who were max.
ing the upper valley unsafe for Span,
ish scouting parties.
Cursing the name of Varona, PanchC
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 a field of Cueto's cane was
burned, and his laborers reported see
ing Esteban and some negroes riding
into the wood. The overseer tool
horse within the hour and rode pell
nell to Matanzas. In the city at this
time was a certain Colonel Cobo, IL
command of Spanish voluR eeers, thost
execrable convict troops from the-Isl,
Of Pines whose atrocities had alread!
marked them as wolves rather thai
men, and to him Pancho went will
his story.
"Ah, yes That Varona boy Pv,
heard of him." CObo remarked, WheI
his caller had finished his account. "H,
has reason to hate you, dare say, fo
you robbed him." The co onel smiled
disagreeably.
Cueto murmured something TO tn
effect that the law had placed him il
his position as trustee for the crown
and should therefore protect him; bu
Colonel Cobo's respect for the law,
seemed, was slight. In his view ther
was but one law in the land, the Law
of force.
"Why do you come to me?" he asked
"That fellow is a desperado," Pan
cho declared. "He should be de
stroyed."
''Bahl The country is overrun wit
desperadoes of his kind, and worse
Burning crops is nothing new. L,
make an end OF him soon enough, bu
nearly all of my men are in Cardenas
We have work enough to do"