Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-07-16

uuenCey WfOnl EsteDdn ndd gathered
from the Spanish club. The host dis
mounted and lurched across the
courtyard to Sebastian.
$50 my fine fellow" he began.
"Have you had enough of rebellion by
this time?"
Sebastans face was working as he
turned upon his master to say: 81
would be lying If told you that am
sorry for what did. 1t is You who have
done wrong. Your soul is black with
this crime. Where is my girl?" ~
"The devil. To hear you talk one
would think you were free man." The
planters eyes were bleared and he
brandlshed his riding-whip threaten
ingly. II do as please with my slaves.
tolerate no insolence. Your girl?
, Well, she's in the house of Salvador
Don Pablo's cochero, where she be-
longs"
Sebastian had hung sick and limp
against the grating, but at these words
he suddenly reused. He strained at
| his manacles and the bars groaned I'M
der hls.weight His eyes began to roll
his lips drew back over his blue gums
Noting his expression of ferocity, Este
ban cut at his naked back with the
riding-whip, crying:
"Ho. Not subducd vet, Ell? You
T need another flogging." 81
Course you and all that is yours"
roared the maddened slave. MAY You
know the misery you have put upon
me. May you rot for million years in
he'll May your ehildren's bodies grow
filthy with disease; may they starve i;
| may they
Sebastian was yelling, though his
voice was hoarse with pain. The lash
drew blood with every blow. Mean
while, he wrenched and tugged at his
bonds with the fury of maniac.
pablo! Your machete, quick ~
painted the slaveowner. "I1l make an
end of this black fiend, once for ALL"
Esteban Varona's guests had looked
on at the scene with the same mild in
terest they would display at the whip
ping of balky horse; and, now that
the animal threatened to become dan
gerOus, 1t was in their view quite the
proper thing to put it out of the way.
Don Pablo Pea stepped toward his
mare to draw the machete from it's
scabbard. But he did not hand it to
his friend. He heard shout. and
turned in time to see wonderful and
a terrible thing.
Sebastian had braced his naked feet
against the wall; he had bowed his
back and bent his massive shoulders
"a back and pair of shoulders that
looked as bony and muscular as those
Of an ox-and he was heaving with
every ounce Of strength, in his enor-
nous body. AS Pablo stared he saw
the heavy grating come away from its
anchorage in the solid masonry, as a
shrub Is uprooted from soft ground.
The rods bent and twisted; there was
a clank and rattle and clash of metal
upon the flags; and then-Sebastian
turned upon his tormentor, free man,
save only for the wide iron bracelets
and their connecting chain. He was
quite insane. His face was frightful to
behold; 1t was apelike in it's animal
rage, and he lowered above his master
like some tabled creature out of the
African jungle of his forefathers.
Sebastian's fists alone would have
been formidable weapons, but they
were armored and weighted with the
old-fashioned, hand-wrought irons
which Pancho Cueto had locked upon
them. Wrapping the chain in his I'm
gers. the slave leaped at Esteban and
struck, once. The sound of the blow
was sickening for the whole bony
structure of Esteban varona's head
gave way.
There was Mortified cry from the
other white men. Don Pablo Peza ran
forward, shouting. He swung his
machete, but Sebastian met him before
the blow could descend, and they went
down together upon the hard stones
Again Sebastian smote, with his mas
sive hands wrapped in the chain and