The Mena weekly star., 1918-12-05
CHAPTER VIII.
The Spanish poubIoon.

had worked smoothly. After denounc-
ing the varona twins as traitors he had
managed to have himself appointed
trustee for the crown, for all their
properties. contamination 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 treasure Cueto had never
doubted, and, once the place was his
to do with as be 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.
1t was 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-
NAMED. cueto was disappointed at
finding nothing, but he was not dis
couraged. Next he tore down the old
slave barrecoons and the outbuildings,
after which he completely wrecked the
residence itself. He pulled 1t apart bit
by bit, brick by brick. He even dug up
Its foundations. bur without the reward
of so much as single peseta. Fl.
nally. when the villa was but heap
of rubbish and the grounds a scar
upon the slope of La Cumbre, he de.
sisted, baffied, incredulous. while all
Matanzas laughed of him. Having sac
rificed his choicest residence, he re.
tired in chagrin to the plantation OF
La Joya.
But Cueto was now a man with a
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 thenf Cueto asked him
self. sympathy was ever on the side
Of the weak and oppressed. There
would come 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 q beardless
boy-a band OF blacks who were max
ing the upper valley unsafe for Span
ish scouting par les.
Cursing the n, me OF varona, Pancho
Cueto armed hir lself. He did not ven
ture far alone, and, Ike Donna Isabel
before him, he began to have bad
dreams at night.
One day a field of Cueto's 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 peIl-
nell to Matanzas. In the city at this
time was a 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 Pancho went with
his story.
"Ah, yesi 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
disagreeahly.
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. 1t
seemed. was slight. In his view there
was hut one law in the land, the law
OF force.
'Why do you come to mef" he asked.
.That fellow Is desperado," Pan
stroyed."
'Bahl The country is overrun with
desperadoes of his kind, and worse.
Burning crops Is nothing new. I'D
make an end of him soon enough, but
nearly all Of my men are In Cardenas.
We have work enough to do"
I'D make 1t worth while, IL you could
put an end to him." Pancho said, hes
itatingly. Then. recalling some Of
those stories about Colonel Cobo, he
added. "There are two OF them. you
know, boy and girl"
"Ah, yesl remember
Il can direct you to the house Of
Asensio. where they live"
ssUm-m r. Cob0 was thoughtful. -
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."
Colonel Cobo, the guerrilla, licked
his full. red lips and san strong,
square hand over his curly, short
cropped hair. "You say you know
where she-where they are HvGng?"
"Ah. perfectly IT'S less than q
nignts ride. There's no one except
the boy 10 reckon with
"How much Is he worth to your"
bluntIy inquired the soldier. and Cueto
sat dnvrn m mako the hest terms nos