The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-05-23


Cueto's face took on a craftier express
sion -She is a likely girl. and when
she grows NJ she viii be worth more
than you. uer father. Don't forget that
Don Esteban Is before all else a busi-
ness man. Be careful that some one
doesn't make him 50 good an otter for
your girl that he viii forget his prom
Use and-sell her.
Sebastian uttered q hoarse. animal
cry and the whites Of his eyes showed
through the gloom. He would never
sell Evangelina 70
Cueto laughed aloud once more. -of
course! He would not dare, ehi 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 slave
declared. stifYening himself slowly.
''and that is TO be faithful TO Don Es-
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 beer his
custom, steered n middle course In
politics, In that way managing to avoid
a 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
diplomatically with both factions and
went on raising slaves and sugar to his
own great profit.
The twins. Esteban and Rosa, devei-
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 aud 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 a mercenary marriage
he turned bitterly against his wife.
Her curiosity he sullenly resented, and
he unblushingly denied his possession
OF any considerable wealth. In fact.
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 few into a
rage. and 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
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 a dine came when they lived
In frank eamity; when Isabel never
spoke to Estsban 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 crnnlng.
II was only natural under such con-
ditions that Donna Isabel should learn
to dislike her stepchildren-Esteba
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 10 persecute Evange-
lina's sweetheart, a slave named Assem-
sio.
to guess the reason for Sebastlan's
many privileges, and one of her first
efforts had been to win the old mans
confidence. II was In vain. however.
that she fattered and cajoled, or
stormed and threatened: Sebastian
withstood her as a towering ceiba with
stands the summer heat and the win.