Evening star., 1918-01-13

We have work enough to do"
I'D make it worth while. II you could
tatingly. Then, recalling some Of those
stories about Col. Cobo. he added.
There are two of them. you know. a
boy and a girl"
"Ah yes! I remember"
"I can direct you to tho house Of
Asensio. where they live"
"Tm-m- cobo was thoughtful. "A
girl. How old is she?"
Eighteen
Ugly as an alligator, I'll warrant"
"Ha. The most ravishing creature in
all Matanzas. All the men were mad
over her" Cueto's eyes cleaned
craftily. for he believed he had meas
ured Cobo's caliber. "She should have
married old Castano and all his money,
but she was heart and soul in the revo-
on US. you know. and sending the in
formation to that rebel, Lopez"
Lopez! Spies. were they?"
THE worst kind. You'd scarcely be-
lieve it Of a beautiful girl. with her
culture and refinement. I tell you it
broke more than one heart. De Castano,
for instance. has never recovered. He
sits all day in the Casino and grieves
for her. Such hair and eyes, such skin
as white as milk-and flesh as pure
as the petals of a flower. Well, you
wouldn't believe such charms existed"
Col. Cobo. the guerrilla, licked his full.
red lips and ran strong, square hand
over his curly. short-cropped hair.
You say you know where she-where
they are living?"
"Ah, perfectly, It's less than nights
ride. There's no one except the boy
to reckon with
How much is he worth to your
bluntly inquired the soldier, and Cueto
sat down to make the best terms pos
sible.
"Do you think he received my letter."
Rosa asked of her brother one even
ing as they sat on the board bench by
Asensio's door. 1t was familiar ques-
tion to Esteban; he had answered it
many times.
"oh, yes..' he declared. 'Lopez's mes
senger got through to Key West"
Then why doesn't he Gomez"
But. my dear. you must be patient.
Think of his difficulties"
The girl sighed. Il do. I think of
nothing else. Sometimes 1 feel that he
then again the most terrible doubts as
sail me. You know there was another
woman. Perhaps"
What an ideat' Esteban exclaimed.
LAS if he could think Of any one after
knowing you. Did he not assure you
the sole purpose of breaking off that
affair? Well, them" This subject al
ways distressed young Varona; there
fore, he changed it. Come. You
haven't heard of my good fortune.
captured another fine snake today, a
big. sleepy fellow Believe me. he'll
wake up when ! set fire to his tail
He'll go like the wind. and with every
foot he goes away will go more of
Pancho Cueto's profits
You intend to burn more of his
fields?" absently inquired the girl
Every one Of them. You should have
seen those rats when we soaked them
with oil and set them afire. They
scampered fast; but their hair is short
they don't run far. These snakes will
be better"
"It seems terrible to destroy our own
property"
Esteban broke out excitedly: he could
not discuss Pancho Cueto without los
ing control of himself. Would you
permit that traitor to fatten upon the
profits of our plantations? He thinks
he is safe; he is preparing for a rich
crop at high prices, but he shall never
reap dollar from Varona land as long
as live I shall ruin him. as he ruined
us"
Rosa shook her dark head sadly
And We are indeed ruined. Think of
our beautiful house; all our beautiful
things, too. We used to consider our
selves poor, but-how little we knew Of
real poverty. There are SO many things
Il thought it best to buy those rifles"
the brother murmured, dropping his
eyes. 1T was one chance in a million"
No doubt it was. 1t seems those
Spaniards will sell their souls"
Exactly. We can dig food from the
earth and pluck it from the trees, but
good Mausers don't grow on every
bush. Besides. of what use would
money be to US when we have no place
to spend it,"
aloud: Il wonder if Cueto found the
treasure? If only we had that
He didn't find it." Esteban declared.
positively. 'T'-he hesitated-I think
I know why he didn't"
"Yes?"
IT think 1 know where it is"
"Esteban" Rosa stared, round-eyed,
at her brother.
"oh. 1 mean it. I've been thinking
SO ever since
Where is it?" breathlessly inquired
the girl.
After furtive look over his shoulder
Esteban whispered. I'm the we'll"
You're joking
NO, no, Think for yourself It was
old Sebastian who dug that we'll
And he alone shared fathers conf
dence. That sunken garden was all
Sebastian's work: he spent all his time
there, although he was a big. strong
man and capable of any task. No one
else was allowed to tend it. Why? I'll
tell you. They feared to let any one
else draw the water. Isabel searched
for years; il that treasure had been
above ground her sharp nose would
have smelled it out, and now Cueto
has moved the very earth.'
Rosa sat back, disappointed. $50
that's your theory"
ITS moro than a theory" the boy
insisted. Look at this" From the
pocket of his cotton trousers he pro-
duced an odd-looking coin which he
placed in Rosa's hand.
why. it's gold. It's a Spanish
doubloon." she said ITS the first one
1 ever saw. Where did you find it?'
You'll think I'm crazy when / tell
you-sometimes I think SO myself.
found it in IsabeFs hand when 1 took
her from the Welt"
Rosa was stricken speechless.
"She clutched it tightly" Esteban
her hand relaxed and l saw it in the
lantern light. 1t was as if-Eell, as if
she gave it to me. ! was too badly
frightened to think much about 1t, as
you may imagine. 1t was a horrible
place, ali slime and foul water; the
rocks were slippery. But that coin
was in her fingers
Then she must have had it when she
fell"
NO, no! / saw her hands upstretched,
her fingers open, in the moonlight"
It's uncanny. Perhaps
Yes. Perhaps some unseen hand
led her to the place so that we should
at last come into our own. Who knows?
ter at first, what with our flight and
all. but NOW l reason that