Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1918-05-09

tian's voice gathered strength. "Ten
thousand men In ten thousand years
would never find the place. and nobody
knows the secret but Don Esteban and
me-"
81 believe you. l knew all the
time it was here. Well? Where is it,"
Sebastian hesitated and said, pite-
ously, 81 am dying"
Isabel could scarcely contain herself.
"Tll give you water, but first tell me
where-where God in heavenl Can't
you see that !, too, am perlshingT
81 must have n drink"
"Tell me first"
Sebastian lifted his head and, meet
ing the speakers eyes, laughed hoarse-
ly.
At the sound of his unnatural merri-
ment Isabel recoiled as If stung. She
stared Mt the slaves face in amazement
and then in fury. She stammered, in
coherently, "You-you have been
lyingw
ooh no! The treasure is there, the
! greatest treasure in all Cuba, but you
shall never know where it is. I'll see
| to that. 1t was you who sold my girl
it was you who brought me to this; it
was your hand that whipped me. Well,
| I'll tell Don Esteban how you tried to
| bride his secret from me! What do
| you think he'll do then? Eth? You'll
feel the lash on your white back"
"YOu foOl!" Donna Isabel looked
murder. "I'll punish you for this; I'll
make you speak if / have to rub your
wounds with salt"
But Sebastian closed his eyes
YEARLY. "You can't make me suffer
more than l have suffered" he said
"And now-I curse you. May that
treasure be the death Of you. May you
live in torture like mine the rest of
your days; may your beauty turn to
ugliness such that men will spit at
you; may you never know peace again
until you die in poverty and want"
But Donna Isabel, being supersti-
tious, fled with her fingers in her ears {;
nor did she undertake to make good
her barbarOus threat, realizing oppor-
tunely that it would only serve to be-
tray her desperate intentions and put
her husband further on his guard.
AS the sun was sinking beyond the
farther rim of the Yumuri and the val
ley was beginning to fill with shadows
Esteban VarOna rode up the hill. His
temper was more evil than ever, If that
were possible for he had drunk again
in an effort to drown the memory of his
earlier actions. With him were Pablo
Pea, and Mario de Castano, Col. Men
doza Linares, old Pedro Mlron, the
advocate, and others of less conse-
quence, whom Esteban had gathered
from the Spanish club. The host dis
mounted and lurched across the court
yard to Sebastian.
$50, my fine fellow" he began.
"Have you had enough of rebellion by
this timer
Sebastian's face was working as he
turned upon his master to say: II
would be lying If told you that I am
sorry for what did. 1t is you who have
done wrong Your soul is black with
this crime. Where Is my girl?"
"The devil! To hear you talk one
would think you were free man." The
planters eyes were bleared and he
brandished his riding-whip threaten
ingly. II do as please with my slaves.
1 tolerate no insolence. Your girl >?
Well, she's in the house of Salvador,
Don Pablo's cochero, where she be-
longs"
Sebastian had hung sick and limp
! AIo fiY,or hut nj 9
he suddenly reused. He strained at
his manacles and the bars groaned un.
der his weight. His eyes began to roll
his lips drew back over his blue gums
Noting his expression of ferocity, Este
ban cut at his naked back with the
riding-whip, crying:
"Ho! Not subdued yet, eh2 You
need another flogging."
Course you and all that is yours,
roared the maddened slave. MAY you
know the misery you have put upon
me- May you rot for million years In
hell. May your children's bodies grow
filthy with disease; may they starve
may they"
Sebastian was yelling, though his
voice was hoarse with pain. The lasl
! drew blood with every blow. Mean
while, he wrenched and tugged at his
bonds with the fury of a maniac.
! "Pablo! Your machete, quick =
, painted the slaveowner. "I'll make al
J end of this black fiend, once for ALL"
/ Esteban Varona's guests had looked
Z on at the scene with the same mild in
| 4 kI,1
! ping Of a balky horse; and, now tina
the animal threatened to become dan
gerous, it was in their view quite tn,
! proper thing to put it out of the way
/ Don Pablo Pea stepped toward hi
! mare to draw the machete from IT
5 scabbard. But he did not hand it t,
his friend. He heard shout, an,
turned in time to see a wonderful ant
| a terrible thing.
4 Saho ctiap had hraead his nakad foo