Meade County news., 1918-05-23

open moonlight, tnen ne signed Wltn
relief: "Ah-h Now seel 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. "Shes too close to that well.
There is" He started forward a
pace or two. "They say people who
walk at night go mad II they're awak-
ened too suddenly, and yet"
When the somnambullst's deliberate
progress toward the mouth Of the well
continued he called her name softly.
donna Isabel" Then he repeated 1t
louder. "Donna Isabel! 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. 1T 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 backi" screamed the
young man.
Above his warning there came q
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 q noisy
rattle Of rock and pebble and great
splash far below; q 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 heavy sleeper,
was the last to be reused by Esteban's
Outcrles. When he had hurriedly
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 a 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 n gruesome task which fell
to Esteban, for the well had been long
unused, It's sides were oozlng slime, its
waters were stale and black. He was
on the point Of faintlng when he finally
climbed out, leaving the negroes to
hoist the dripping, inert weight which
he had found at the bottom.
Old Sebastlans curse had come
true; Donna Isabel had met the fate
he had called down upon her that day
when he hung exhausted in his chains
and when the flies tormented him
The treasure for which the woman haG
intrigued so tirelessly had been hel
death. Furthermore, as II In grim
NEST irony, she had been permitted al
the very last to find II. Living, she
had searched to no purpose whatso
ever; dying, she had almost graspet
1t In her arms.
Once the first excitement had abatet
and messenger had been sent t
town, CuetO drew ESteban aside anC
questioned him.
"a shocking tragedy and most pc
cullar," said the overseer. Nothing
could amaze me more. Tell me, how
did you come to be there at such al
hour. eh2"
Esteban saw the malevolent curios
ity in Cueto's face and started. "I-
That is my affair. Surely you dom
think"
"Come, comet You can trust me-
The overseer winked and smiled.
II had business that took me there,
stiffly declared the younger man,
"Exactlyl And a profitable bust
ness 1t provedl" Cueto laughed openl,
now. 'Well, don't mind telling yol
| Donna Isabel's death Is no disapnoInt