Judsonia weekly advance., 1918-06-12


 stared at the slaves face in amazemen and then in fury. She stammered, in coherently 'You-you nave been lying!"
 "Oh no! The treasure is there, the greatest treasure in all Cuba. but you shall never know where it is. I'll see to that. It was you who sold my girl it was you who brought me to this Ii was your hand that whipped me. Well I'll tell Don Esteban how you tried tc brlbe his secret from me! What dc you think he'll do then? Eh? You'll feel the lash on your white back"
 You fool !" Donna Isabel looked murder. "I'll punish you for this; Fl make you speak if l have to rub youl wounds with salt"
 But Sebastian closed his eyes wearily. You can't make me suffer more than I 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- tunely 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 Farona 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 PeZa, 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 time?"
 Sebastians face was working as he turned upon his master to say: ''I would be lying if I told you that am sorry for what l did. It 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 d free man." The planters eyes were bleared and he brandished his riding-whip threaten ingIy. T do as please with my slaves. l tolerate no insolence. Your girl? Well, she's in the house of Salvador, Don pablo's 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 un- 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 crying:
 "Ho! Not subdued yet. eh? 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 he'll May your children's bodies grow filthy with disease; may they starve i; may they-'
 Sebastian was yelling, though his voice was hoarse with pain. The lash drew blood with every blow. Mean while, he wreIched and tugged at his bonds with the fury of a maniac.
 "Pabol Your machete, quick !" panted the slaveowner. "I'll make an end of this black fiend, once for all"
 Esteban Varonas guests had looked on at the scene with the same mild in terest they would display at the whip ping of a balky horse; and, now that the animal threatened to become dan gerous it was in their view quite the proper thing to put it out of the way. Don Pablo Peza stepped toward his mare to draw the machete from it's 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 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 its anchorage in the solid masonry, as a shrub is uprooted from soft ground. The rods bent and twisted; there was