Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1918-07-18

open moonlight; then he sighed with
relief: "Ah-h Now | see! 1t is my
stepmother. She is asleep"
For a moment or two they watched
the progress of the whte-robed figure;
then Esteban stirred and rose from his
seat. "Shes too close to that well.
There is" He started forward a
pace or two. 'They say people who
walk at night go mad if they're awak-
ened too suddenly, and yet"
When the somnambulist's deliberate
progress toward the mouth of the well
continued he called her name softly.
Donna Isabel y Then he repeated it
louder. Donna Isabel! Wake up"
The woman seemed to hear and yet
not to hear She turned her head to
listen. but continued to walk
Don't be alarmed" he said, reaS-
suringly. ut is only Esteban-Donna
Isabel Stop" Esteban sprang for
ward, shouting at the top of his voice
for at the sound of her name Isabel
had abruptly swerved to her right, q
movement which brought her danger
ously close to the lip of the well.
stop! Go back !" screamed the
young man.
Above his warning there came a
Shrek, shrll and agonized-a wall of
such abysmal terror as to shock the
night birds and the insects into still
ness. Donna Isabel slipped, or STUN
hled, to her knees, she balanced briefly.
clutching at random while the earth
and crumbling cement gave way be-
meath her; then she slid forward and
disappeared almost out from between
Esteban's hands. There was noisy
rattle of rock and pebble and great
splash far below; a chucke of little
stones striking the water, then a faint
bubbling. Nothing more. The stepsOn
stood in his tracks, sick, blind with
horror he was Swayng over the open.
ing when Asensio dragged him back.
Pancho Cueto, being a heavy sleeper,
was the last to be reused by Esteban's
Outcries. When he had hurriedly
slipped into his clothes in response to
the pounding en- his door, the few serv-
ants that the establishment supported
had been thoroughly awakened. Cueto
thought they must be out of their
minds until he learned what had be-
fallen the mistress of the house. Then,
being man of action, he too issued
swift orders, with the result that by
the time he and Esteban had run to
% a 10 lt+
! for their use. Before ESteban could
| form and fit loop for his shoulders
| there was sufficient help on hand to
| lower him into the treacherous abyss.
| That was a gruesome task which fell
| to Esteban, for the well had been long
| unused, its sides were oozing slime, its
waters were stale and black. He was
! on the point of fainting when he finally
I climbed out, leaving the negroes to
| hoist the dripping, inert weight which
he had found at the bottom.
| Old Sebastians curse had come
! true; Donna Isabel had met the fate
! he had called down upon her that day
: when he hung exhausted in his chains
and when the flies tormented him.
The treasure for which the woman lad
intrigued so tirelessly had been her
death. Furthermore, as If in grim
NEST irony, she had been permitted at
the very last to find It, Living, she
had searched to no purpose whatso-
ever; dying, she had almost grasped
it in her arms.
Once the first excitement had abated
and a messenger had been sent to
town, Cueto drew Esteban aside and
questioned him.
"a shocking tragedy and most pc
culiar," said the overseer. "Nothing
could amaze me more. Tell me, how
did you come to be there at such an
hour. eh?'
Esteban saw the malevolent curios
ity in Cueto's face and started az
That is my affair. Surely you DOM
think"
"Come, comet You can trust me-
The oyerseer winked and smiled
81 had business that took me there,
stiffiy declared the younger man.
Exactly And a profitable bust
ness it proved !" Cueto laughed openly
now. "Well, don't mind telling yor
Donna IsabeJs death Is no disappoint