Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-07-06

shook his head.
Donna Isabel was ready to faint and
her voice quavered as she went on ::
Understand me, we part the best OF
| friends despite all have heard against
you. I do not believe these stories
people tell, for you probably have en-
amieS Even II all they said were
true, should force myself to be leni-
ent because Of your affection for my
husband" Aa
The man rose, still smiling. ut is I
who have been lenient," said he.
"Eh? Speak plainly"
"Gladly. I have long suspected that
Don Esteban hid the deeds Of his prop
erty with the rest Of his valuables, and
now that you admit"
Donna Isabel recoiled sharply. "Ad-
nit! Are you mad? Deeds! What
| are you talking ahcnt2" Her eyes met
his bravely enough, but she could feel
her lips trembling loosely.
Casting aside all pretense, the over
seer exclaimed: for ei amor &c ntos!
An end to thisl know why you sent
for me. You think ! have been rob
bling you Well. to be honest. so I
have. Why should toll as I do while
| you and those twins live here In lux
ury and idleness. squandering money
to which you have no right"
"Have I lost my reasonr" sasped the
widow. "No rghtf'
"At least no better right than l.
! Don't you understand You have no
title to these plantations! They are
mine. for have paid the taxes out OF
my own pockets now these many
years"
Taxes! What do you meanT
~ paid them. The receipts are In
my name"
| Heaven! Such perfdyi And you
who knew him!"
'The deeds have been lost for so
long that the property would have re-
verted to the crown had it not been
for me. You doubt that, eh? Well. APP
peal to the court and you will find that
| it is true. Now, then, let US be frank.
Inasmuch as we're both In much the
same FIX, hadn't We better continue
our present arrangements he stared
unblinEingly at his listener. "Oh, l
mean It! Is 1t not better for you to
| be content with what my generosity
prompts me to give, rather than to
risk ruin for both by graspins for too
muchT
1.-THE outrage! I warrant you have
grown rich through your stealing"
Isabers voice had gone fat With con-
sternation.
"Rich7 Well, not exactly. but COM
fortably well or" Cueto actually
smiled again. mo doubt my frankness
! is a shock to you. You are angry at
my proposition. eh7 Never mind. You
will think better of it IN time, II you
| are sensible woman. But now, since
at last we enjoy such confidential re-
lations, let US have no more Of these
miserable suspicious Of each other.
Let US entirely forget this unpleasant
misunderstanding and be the same
good friends as before"
Having said this. Pancho Cueto stood
silent moment in polite expectancy
then receiving no ineligible reply, he
bowed low and left the room. .
| To the avaricious Donna Isabel Cue
| to's frank acknowledgment Of theft
was maddening, and the realization
that she was helpless, nay, dependent
upon his charity for her living, fairly
| crucified her proud spirit.
All day she brooded, and by the time
evening came she had worked herself
into such q state Of nerves that she
could eat no dinner. Some time during
the course Of the evening a wild idea
came to Isabel. knowing that the man
Rger would spend the night beneath
her roof, she planned to kill him. AT
first 1t seemed 4 simple thing to do
merely a matter Of a dagger or pis-
tol, while he slept-but further thought
revealed appalling risks and difficult
ties, and she decided to walt. Poison
was far safer.
Constant broodlng over the treasure
| had long since affected Donna Isabefs
brain, and as consequence she often
dreamed about It. She dreamed about
1t again tonight, and, strangely enough,
her dreams were pleasant. Sebastian
appeared, but for once he neither
cursed nor threatened her; and Este.
ban, when he came, was again the
lover who had courted her in Ha.
bana. It was amazing, delightful.
Esteban and she were walking through
the grounds Of the quinta and he was
telling her about his casks Of Spanish
sovereigns, about those boxes bound
with iron, about the gold and silver Or
haments of heavenly beauty and the
pearls as large as plums. As he talked
Isabel felt herself grow hot and cold
with anticipation; she experienced
spasms of delight.
Then of a sudden Isabefs whole
dream-world dissolved. She awoke, OF
thought she did, at hearing her name
shouted. But although she underwent
the mental and the physical shock d