Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-07-19

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Copyright. BY Harper and Brothers
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SYNOPSIS.
| CHAPTER I-Don Esteban Varona q
| Cuban planter, possesses a great treasure
hoard. This wealth has been hidden III
| q we'll on the estate by Sebastian a slave
and only he and his master know the Sc
cret cache. Don Esteban's wife dies at
the birth of twins, Esteban and Rosa.
Don Esteban marries the avaricious Donna
| Isabel. who knows there is hidden treas
ure and tries to wiring the secret from Sc
| bastian. When the slave refuses she tries
to hurt him by having Evangelina, his
| daughter, whom he loves dearly and who
Is the special servant of the twins. sold.
| CHAPTER II-Through Donna Isabeiss
scheming Don Esteban risks Evangelina
at cards and loses. Crazed by the loss of
his daughter, Sebastian kills Don Este
ban and himself.
| CHAPTER III--Many years Donna Isa-
bel searched for the hidden wealth of the
| man she had married. A few years later
she seeks to marry Rosa to the rich Don
Mario, but Rosa Is promised to O'Reilly,
the American. and awaits his return from
New York, whence he has gone to break
Off his engagement to his employers
daughter. Esteban is secretly aiding the
Insurrectos.
CHAPTER IV-Donna Isabel is at the
lous administrator, who knows the deeds
to the plantation are lost with the treas
ure. One night she walks in her sleep
and meets her death in the treasure we'll
Esteban and Rosa are forced to flee when
Cueto denounces them as rebels.
Pancho Cueto, being 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 on 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
the well rope and lantern were ready
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 gruesome task which fell
to Esteban, for the well had been long
unused, IFS s'dps were oozing slime. Its
waters we're sf,ie and black. He was
on the point oil fainting when be finally
climbed out, leaving the negroes to
hoist the dripping, inert weight which
he had found IL the bottom.
Old Sehastian's curse had come
true; DCana Isabel had met the fate
he had called down upon her that day
when he hung exhausted in his chains
and w!ien. the flies tormented him.
The treasure for which the woman had
intrigued so tirelessly had been her
death. Furthermore, as if In grim
NEST irony, she had been permitted at
the very last to find 1t. Living, she
had searched to no purpose whatso-
ever; dying, she had almost grasped
1t 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 az
hour, eh?"
Estcban saw the malevolent curios-
ity in Cueto's face and started. IL
That Is my affair. Surely you don't
think"
Come, comet You Gun trust me-"
The overseer winked and smiled.
81 had business, that took me there"
stitfly declared the younger man.
Exactly! And profitable bust
ness 1t proved" Cueto laughed openly
now. well, don't mind telling you
Donna Isabel's death is no disappoint-
ment to anyone. Anybody could see"
"Stopw Esteban was turning alter
nately red and white. "You seem to
imply something outrageous"
"Now let us be sensible. / UNDER
stand you perfectly, my boy. But an
officer Of the Guardia Civil may arrive
at any moment and he will want to
know how you came to be with your
stepmother when she plunged into that
trap. So prepare yourself"
Young Varona was watching his in
quisltor now with a family speculative
frown. When Cueto had finished, Es-
teban said:
you would like me to confess to
some black iniQuity that would make
US better friends, Ell? Well, ii so hap
pens that / was not alone tonight, but
that another person saw the poor wom-
ans death and can bear me out In ey-
erything / say. No. Pancho, you over
reach yourself. Now, then"-Esteban
was quick-tempered, and for years he
had struggled against an instructive
distrust and dislike of the plantation
manager-"remember that have be-
come the head of this house, and your
employer. You will do better to think
Of your own affairs than Of mine. l
intend to have a careful reckoning
with you. think you know / have a
good head for figures" Turning his
back upon the elder man. he walked
away.
ITO be continued tomorrow