The Ordway new era., 1918-10-11
CHAPTER VIII.
The Spanish Doubloon.

On the whole. Pancho Cueto's plans
had worked smoothly. After denounc-
Ing the yarona twins as traitors he had
managed to have himself appointed
trustee for the crown. for all their
properties, consummstion for which he
had worked from the moment he read
that letter Of Esteban's on the morn
ing after Donna Isabel's death. That
there was a treasure Cueto had never
doubted. and. once the place was his'
to do with as he chose. he began his
search.
Commencing at the lower edge Of the
grounds, he ripped them up with Sc
ries Of deep trenches and crOss-cuts-
II WIS task that required the labor
OF many men for several weeks, and
when IT was finished there was scarce
| ly growing thing left upon the place.
Only a few OF the larger trees re-
manned. Cueto was disappointed at
finding nothing. but he was not dis
couraged. Next he tore down the old
slave barracoons and the ou'bulldlngs,
after which he completely wrecked the
/ residence itself He pulled II apart bit
/ by bit, brick by brick. He even dug up
| it's foundations. but without the reward
of so much as single peseta. FL
nally, when the villa was but heap
of rubbish and the grounds scar
upon the slope Of La Cumbrs. he de-
sisted, baffied incredulous, while a.
Matanzas laughed at him. Having SEC
rlfced his choicest residence. he re-
tired in chagrin to the plantation of
La Joya.
But Cueto was now o man with
grievance. He burned with rage, and
his contempt for the boy and girl he
had wronged soured into hatred. In
time he began TO realize also that so
long as they lived they would Jeop-
ardize his tenure OF their property.
Public feeling, at present, was high;
there was intense bitterness against all
rebels; but the war would end some
day. What then? Cueto asked him
self. sympathy was ever on the side
OF the weak and oppressed. There
would come a day Of reckoning.
As II to swell his discontinue and
strengthen his fears. out from the hills
at the head OF the Yumuri Issued ru-
mors of little band of guerrilleros.
under the leadership OF o beardless
boy-a bnnd OF blacks who were max
ing the upper valley unsafe for Span
ish scouting parties.
Cursing the name of yarona, Pancho
Cueto armed himself He did not ven
ture far alone. and. like Donna Isabel
before him, he began to have bad
dreams at night.
One day field of Cuetos cane was
burned, and his laborers reported see
ing Esteban and some negroes riding
into the wood. The overseer took
horse within the hour and rode pell-
nell to Matanzns. In the city at this
time was certain Colonel Cobo, in
command OF Spanish volunteers, those
execrable convict troops from the Isle
OF Pines whose atrocities had already
marked them as wolves rather than
men, and to him Pnneho went with
his story.
"Ah, yes That varona boy. I've
heard OF him." Cobo remarked, when
his caller had finished his account. "He
has reason to hate you. dare say, for
you robbed him." The colonel smiled
dlsagreeably.
I Cueto murmured something to the
effect that the law had placed him In
. his position as trustee for the crown
) and should therefore protect him; but
, Colonel Cobo's respect for the law, II
I seemed. was slight. In his view there
was but one law In the land, the Law
4 OF force.
E "why do you come to mei" he asked
THAT fellow is a desperado," Pan
. cho declared. He should be de
: stroyed."
. 'Bahl The country is overrun with
( desperadoes of his kind. and worse
Burning crops is nothing new. r,
make an end of him soon enough, bu
!. uearly all of my men are In Cardenaa
, We have work enough to do"