Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1918-05-24


"I'll give you water, but first tell me
where-where God in heavens. Can't
you see that 1, too, am perishing?"
II must have a drink"
'"Tell me first"
Sebastian lifted his head and, meet
ing the speakers eyes, laughed hoarse-
~.
At the sound of his unnatural merri-
ment Isabel recoiled as if stung. She
stared at the slaves face in amazement
and then in fury. She stammered, in
coherently, "You-you have been
lying!"
ooh not The treasure'is there, the
greatest treasure in all Cuba, but you
shall never know where it is. I'll see
to that. 1t was you who sold my girl;
it was you who. brought me to this; it
was your hand that whipped me. Well,
Til tell Don Esteban how you tried to
bride his secret from me! What do
you think he'll do then? Eth? You'll
feel the lash on your white back
"YOu fool!" Donna Isabel looked
murder. "Tll punish you for this; I'll
make you speak if I have to rub your
wounds with SALT
But Sebastian closed his eyes
YEARLY. "You can't make me suffer
more than have suffered" he said.
"And now-I curse you. May that
treasure be the death of you. May you
live in torture like mine the rest of
your days; may your beauty turn to
ugliness such that men will spit at
you; may you never know peace again
until you die in poverty and want"
But Donna Isabel, being supersti-
tious, fled with her fingers in her ears;
nor did she undertake to make good
her barbarous threat, realizing oppor-
timely that it would only serve to be-
tray her desperate intentions and put
her husband further on his guard.
AS the sun was sinking beyond the
farther rim of the Yumuri and the val
ley was beginning to fill with shadows
Esteban VarOna rode up the hill. His
temper was more evil than ever, if that
were possible, for he had drunk again
in an effort to drown the memory of his
earlier actions. With him were Pablo
Pea, and Mario de Castano, Col. Men
doza y Linares, old Pedro Miron, the
advocate, and others of less cOnSe-
quence, whom Esteban had gathered
from the Spanish club. The host dis
mounted and lurched across the court
yard to Sebastian.
$50, my fine fellow" he began.
"Have you had enough Of rebellion by
this timer"
Sebastian's face was working as he
turned upon his master to say: II
would be lying if I told you that 1 am
sorry for what I 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
brandished his riding-whip threaten
ingly. II do as please with my slaves.
I tolerate no insOlence. Your girl?
Well, she's in the house Of Salvador
Don Pablos 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 his 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 subdued yet, Ell? You
need another fiogging.'
"Curse 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
hell. May your children's bodies grow
filthy with disease; may they starve;
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. 'T'll make an
end of this black fend, 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 dam
gerous, it 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 its
scabbard. But he did not hand it to
his friend. He heard shout, and
turned in time to see a 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 a 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 it's
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
mon the flags. and thon-SohaStian