Meade County news., 1918-05-02
God was jealous and took here to Para

| OOu was JSulOuo uuu lOOh mere " III u
disc"
The widowed man cried out angrily
"P0radisel What is this but Para
; dise?" He stared with resentful eyes
at the beauty round about him. "See
The Yumuri p Don Esteban flung a
long arm outward. "Do you think there
is a sight like that in heaven? Para
disc indeed j gave her everything.
She gained nothing by dying"
With grave .thoughtfulness which
proved him superior to the ordinary
slave, Sebastian replied:
"True! She had all that any wom-
ans heart could desire, but In return
for your goodness she gave you chill
dren. You have lost her, but you have
gained an heir, and a beautiful girl
baby who will grow to be another
Donna Rosa. grieved as you grieve,
once upon time, for my woman died
In childbirth, too. You remember? But
my daughter lives, and she has brought
sunshine into my old age. That is the
purpose of children" He paused and
shifted his weight uncertainty, digging
his stiff black toes into the dirt. After
time he said, slowly: "Excellency
Now, about the-well-?"
"Yes. What about lt2"
"Did the Donna Rosa confide her
share Of the secret to anyone? Those
priests and those doctors, you know"
"She died without speaking"
''Then 1t rests between you and me2"
ut does, unless you have babbled."
"Masterl" Sebastian drew himself
up and there was real dignity In his
black face.
Understand, my whole fortune Is
there-everything, even to the deeds Of
patent for the plantations. If thought
there was danger Of you betraying me
l would have your tongue pulled out
and your eyes torn from their sockets"
The black man spoke with SIM
pllclty that carried conviction: "Times
are unsettled, Don Esteban, and death
comes without warning. You are
known to be the richest man In this
province and these government officials
are robbers. Suppose--I should be left
alone? What them"
The planter considered for a mo-
ment. "Well, when my children are old
enough to hold their tongues they will
have to be told. If tim gone, you shall
be the one to tell them. Now leave me !;
this is no time to speak Of such things"
Sebastian went as noiselessly as he
had come. On his way back to his quar-
ters he took the path to the well-the
place where most of his time was ordl-
narily spent. Sebastian had dug this
well, and with his own hands he had
beautified its surroundings until they
were the loveliest on the Varona
grounds. 1t was Sebastlan's task to
keep this place green, and thither he
took his way, from force of habit.
Through the twilight came Pancho
Cueto, the manager, youngish man,
with narrow face and bold, close-set
eyes. Spying Sebastian, he began:
$50 Don Esteban has an heir at
last?"
The slave rubbed his eyes with the
heel of his huge yellow palm and an
swered, respectfully:
"Yes, Don Pancho. Two little angels,
boy and girl" His gray brows
drew together In a painful frown.
Donna Rosa was a saint. No doubt
there Is great rejoicing in heaven at
her coming. Eth? What do you think?"
"Um-m! Possibly. Don Esteban will
miss her for time and then, dare
say, he will remarry." At the negro's
exclamation Cueto said: "Sol And
why not1 Everybody knows how rich
he Is. From Oriente to Plnar del Rio
the women have heard about his treas
ure."
"What treasurer" asked Sebastian,
after an lnstant's pause.
Cuetos dark eyes cleaned resent
fully at this show Of ignorance, but he
laughed.
"Ho! There's careful fellow for
you! No wonder he trusts you. But
do you think have neither eyes nor
ears? My good Sebastian, you know
all about that treasure; in fact, you
know far more about many things than
Don Esteban would care to have you
tell. Come now, don't your"
Sebastlan's face was like a mask
carved from ebony. "Of what does this
treasure consist?" he inquired. II have
never heard about it."
"Of gold, of jewels, of silver bars
and precious ornaments" Cueto's head
was thrust forward, his nostrils were
dilated, his teeth cleaned. "Oh, II is
somewhere about, as you very well
know! Bah! Don't deny It. I'm no
fool. What becomes Of the money
from the slave girls, eh7 And the
sugar crops, too7 Does It go to buy
arms and ammunition for the rebels?
No. Don Esteban hides 1t, and you
help him. Come" he cried, disregard
ing Sebastian's murmurs Of protest,
did you ever think how fabulous that
fortune must be by this time? Did you
ever think that one little gem, one
bag of gold, would buy your freedom?"
don Esteban has promised to buy
my freedom and the freedom Of my
girl"