Mexico Missouri message., 1918-05-23

open moonlight; then ne sighed with
relief: "Ah-h! Now l see! 1t Is my
stepmOther. She is asleep"
For moment or two they watched
the progress Of the whlte-robed figure !;
then Esteban stirred and rose from his
seat. "She's 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 somnambullst's deliberate
progress toward the mouth of the we'll
continued he called her name softly.
Donna Isabelw Then he repeated it
louder. Donna Isabeli 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-
surlngly. 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, a
movement which brought her danger
ously close to the lip of the well.
"Stop! Go backl" screamed the
young man.
Above his warning there came a
Shrek, shrill 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
bled, 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 a noisy
rattle Of rock and pebble and a great
splash far below; a chuckle of little
stones striking the water, then a faint
bubbling. Nothing more. The stepson
stood in his tracks, sick, blind with
horror; he was swaying over the open
ing when Asenslo 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 tC
the pounding on his door, the few serv
ants that the establishment supported
had been thoroughly awakened. CuetC
thought they must be out of theil
minds until he learned what had be
fallen the mistress Of the house. Then
being a man of action, he too ISSUED
swift orders, with the result that b.
the time he and Esteban had run t.
the well rope and lantern were read,
for their use. Before Esteban cOulC
form and fit loop for his shoulder
there was sufficient help on hand t,
lower him into the treacherous abyss
That was a gruesome task which feI
to Esteban, for the well had been lon
unused, its sides were oozing slime, 1t
waters were stale and black. He wa
on the point of fainting when he finall
climbed out, leaving the negroes t
hoist the dripping, inert weight whlc
he had found at the bottom.
Old Sebastlan's curse had com
true; Donna Isabel had met the fat
he had called down upon her that da
when he hung exhausted In his chain
and when the flies tormented hin
The treasure for which the woman ha
intrigued so tirelessly had been he
death. Furthermore, as If in grin
NEST irony, she had been permitted {
the very last to find II. Living, ST
had searched to no purpose what's
ever; dying, she had almost graspe
1t In her arms.
Once the first excitement had abate
, and messenger had been sent
town, Cueto drew Esteban aside ar
. questioned him.
+ "a shocking tragedy and most o
: culiar," said the overseer. "Nothir
could amaze me more. Tell me, no
a did you come to be there at such 9
, hour. ehf"
q Esteban saw the malevolent curIo
, ity In Cueto's face and started. az
That is my affair. Surely you dor
think"
> "Come, comet You can trust me
!, The overseer winked and smiled.
| II had business that took me there
: stifiy declared the younger man.
"ExactlyI And a profitable bul
! ness It proved" Cueto laughed open
t now. swell, don't mind telling "
Donna labels dsath Ia no disappOin