Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1918-07-19

ness iudu. DE NdFSIu1 tldt SotHS oliC
doesn't make him so good an offer for
your girl that he will forget his prom
Use and-sell her"
Sebastian uttered a hoarse, animal
cry and the whites of his eyes showed
through the gloom. "He would never
sell Evangelina r.
Cueto laughed aloud once more. "Of
course! He would not dare, eh2 am
only teasing you. But seel. You have
given yourself away Everything you
tell me proves that you know all about
that treasure"
Il know but one thing" the slavs
declared, stiffening himself slowly,
land that is to be faithful to Don Els
teban." He turned and departed, leav-
Ing Pancho Cueto staring after him
meditatively.
In the days following the birth OF
his children and the death OF his wife,
Don ESteban Varona, as had been his
custom, steered a middle course In
politics, in that way managing to avoid
clash with the Spanish officials who
| ruled the island, or an open break with
his Cuban neighbors, who rebelled be-
meath their wrongs. Esteban dealt
automatically with both factions and
went on raising slaves and sugar to his
own great profit.
The twins, Esteban and Rosa, devel-
oped into healthy children and became
| the pride of Sebastian and his daugh-
| ter into whose care they had been
given. AS for Evangelina, the young
negress, she grew tall and strong and
handsome. until she was the finest
slave girl in the neighborhood.
| Then, one day, Don Esteban Varona
remarked, and the Donna Isabel, who
had been a famous Habana beauty,
came to live at the quinta. The daugh-
ter of impoverished parents, she had
heard and thought Much about the
mysterious treasure of La Cumbre.
Before the first fervor of his honey
moon cooled the groom began to fear
| that he had made a serious mistake.
Donna Isabel, he discovered, was both
vain and selfish. Not only did she
crave luxury and display, but with sim
gular persistence she demanded to
know all about her husbands financial
affairs.
Now Don Esteban was no longer
| young; age had soured him with sus-
picion, and when once he saw himself
as the victim of mercenary marriage
he turned bitterly against his wife.
Her curiosity he sullenly resented, and
he unblushingly denied his possession
| IN 20
he tried with malicious ingenuity to
make her believe him poor man. But
Isabel was not of the sort to be readily
deceived. Finding her arts and CO.
| quetries of no avail, she flew into a.
rage, and a furious quarrel ensued-
the first of many. For the lady could
not rest without knowing all there was
to know about the treasure.
She searched the quinta, Of course
whenever she had a chance, but she
| discovered nothing--with the result
that the mystery began to engross her
whole thought. She pried into the OBJ
scurest corners, she questioned the
slaves. she lay awake at night listening
| to Esteban's breathing, In the hope OF
surprising his secret from his dreams.
| At length time came when they lived
| In frank enmity; when Isabel never
| spoke to Esteban except in reproach or
anger, and when Esteban unlocked his
| lips only to taunt his wife with the
/ fact that she had been thwarted de-
spite her cunning.
| 1t was only natural under such con-
1 hAI chn
to dislike her OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
had told her frankly that they would
| inherit whatever fortune he possessed.
| AS may be imagined, she found ways
to vent her spite upon the twins. She
widened her hatred so as to include old
| Sebastian and his daughter, and even
went so far as to prosecute Eyange-
| llna's sweetheart, a slave named Assem-
sio
1t had not taken Donua Isabel long
| to guess the reason for Sebastian's
| many privileges, and one of her first
| efforts had been to win the old mans
| confidence. 1t was In vain, however,
that she flattered and caJoled, or
stormed and threatened; Sebastian
| AlLHStOOu HeT dS LOWtEtuS NtADd Will
stands the summer heat and the win
| ter hurricane.
His firmness made her vindictive,
and so In time she laid scheme TO
estrange him from his master
Donna Isabel was crafty. she began
to complain about Evaagelina, but II
was only after many months that she
yentured to suggest to her hus band
| that he sell the girl. Esteban, Of
course, refused point-blank; he was too
| fond OF Sebastlan's daughter, he de-
clared, 20 think Of such thing.
$50, that is IT," sneered Donna Isa-
bel. swell, she is young and shapely
and handsome, as wenches go. l rather
suspected you were fond Of her"
With dificulty Esteban restrained an
oath. "You mistake my meaning" he
said stif1y. "Sebaatian has served me
faithfully, and Evangelina plays with