Mexico Missouri message., 1918-05-02

brother" she cried, shrilly. "We'Il tell
Don Pablo to go home and leave our
Evangellna."
my blessed dovesi But will they
listen to your" moaned the slave.
Papa does whatever we ask" they
assured her, gravely. "If he should
growl Wen come back and hide you In
the big wardrobe where nobody will
ever find you" Then hand In hand,
with their long nightgowns lifted to
their knees, they battered out into the
hall and down toward the living room,
whence came the shouting and the
laughter.
Don Mario de Castano, who was fac
ing the door, stopped in the midst Of a
ribald song to cry: God be praised
What's this l seeT
The others looked and then burst
into merriment, for across the litter Of
cards and dice and empty glasses they
saw dimpled girl and boy, as like as
two peas. They were just out Of bed
they were peering through the smoke,
and blinking like two little owls.
"Sol You awaken the household
with your songs" some one chided Don
Mario.
Two cherubs from heaven" another
exclaimed.
But the father lurched forward. a
frown upon his face. "What is this, my
dears?" he inquired, thickly. run
back to your beds. This is no place
for you"
1--WE love Evangelina," piped the
twins. "You must not let Don Pablo
have her-if you please"
"Evangelina7"
They nodded. 1--WE love her. .
She plays with us every day. q.
We want her to stay here. She
belongs to u.s."
Accustomed as they were to prompt
compliance with their demands, they
spoke imperiously; but they had never
seen a frown like this upon their ia
theirs face.
go to your rooms, my sweethearts,"
Don Esteban directed.
1--WE want Evangelina. She belongs
to u.s." they chorused, stubbornly.
Don Pablo shook with laughter. "Sol
She belongs to you, eh2 And I'm to
be robbed of my winnings. Very well,
then, come and give me kiss, both of
you, and I'll see what can be DONE"
But the children saw that Don Pab-
los face was strangely flushed, that
his eyes were wild and his magnificent
beard was wet with wine; therefore
they hung back.
you won your bet fairly" Esteban
growled at him. "Pay no heed to these
babies"
"Evangelina is ours" the little ones
bravely repeated
Then their father exploded: "The
devil! Am 1 dreaming? Where have
you learned to oppose me? Back to
your beds, both of you" Seeing them
hesitate, he shouted for his wife. "Ho,
therel Isabel, my Lowell Come put
these imps to rest. Or must l teach
them manners with my palm? A fine
thing, truly! Are they to be allowed
to roam the house at will and get a
feverp
Mere mention of their stepmother's
name was enough for Rosa and Este
ban; they scuttled away as fast as
they could go, and when Donna Isabel
came to their rooms, a few moments
later, she found them in their beds,
with their eyes deceitfully squeezed
shut. Evangelina was covering in a
corner. Isabel had overheard the wager,
and her soul was evilly alight; she
jerked the slave girl to her feet and
with a blow of her palm sent her to
her quarters. Then she turned her at
tention to the twins. When she left
them they were weeping silently, both
for themselves and for Evangelina,
whom they dearly loved.
Day was breaking when Esteban
VarOna bade his guests good-by at the
door Of his house. AS he stood there
Sebastian came to him out of the
mists of the dawn. He was half crazed
from apprehension, and now cast him
| self prone before his master. begging