The Monticellonian., 1918-06-21


eat once more? Good things 10 eat."
Her lip quivered. "Oh-Tm SO hun
gry."
Poor little girl -
Wait till OReilly hears about this"
Rosa was all excitement once more.
Hell be glad he came and got me.
/ If he does come.
Esteban caressed her. Hell come,
never fear. | know it. Every time |
leave you my heart is in my throat for
fear Of what may happen in my at
sence-and yet can't always be at
your side"
There You acknowledge that I
handicap You. Except for me you would
be making Il glorious name for your
SELF
Nothing of the sort. More probably
! I'd be getting myself killed. Mo- It's
better this way. We must he brave
and patient and-thint of what IS witt
ing for us at the bottom of that well,
1t was indeed great piece of luck
which had enabled Esteban Narona 10
buy half=dozen Mausers from Span
iSh soldier. Through Asensio's nc
quaintance he had protited by the dis
/ honesty of an enemy. and, although 1t
had taken all his money to effect the
| purchase. Esteban considered the sac
rifice well worth while The fire of
patriotism burned fiercely in him. rs
did his hatred of Pancho Cueto, aud
the four trusty young negroes To whom
81 IL
and himself, an armed party large
enough to be reckoned with These
blacks We're excitable fellows. and
Wretched marksmen, but, on the other
hand. each and every one had been
raised with a machete ut his hip and
knew how te use il. After few pre-
/ liminary forayS under Esteban's lead
erShip they had absorbed Bit of dis
cipline and were beginning TO feel
military ardor.
In the Cuban field forces there We're
many negroes, and few of their fell
low patriots fought better, or endured
the hardships of guerrilla warfare
more cheerfully than they. General
Antonio Maeeo was of mixed blood,
and yet his leadership was character,
lied not only by rare judgment and
ability, but also by an exalted abandon
of personal bravery. His several
brothers rendered Cuba services scarce
ly less distinguished and they We're
but Of few of many dark-skinned he
roes This struggle for independence
was no particulars war: the best stock
of the island fought side by side with
field hands.
AT dawn of the morning following
his talk with Rosa, when the members
of his command assembled, Esteban
was up and ready. He had made his
preparations to destroy Pancho Cueto's
fields, and since the road over the hills
TO La Joya was long he had summoned
them early.
BE careful :" Rosa implored him. 81
shall die of suspense"
1T is for you to be careful" he
laughed Keep good watch, and
conceal yourself at the first alarm
However think we have taught these
bandits lesson. As for Cueto, he
would run to the jungle if he saw us
He has the heart of a mouse" He
kissed his sister affectionately and
then rode off at the head of his tat
tered band.
Rosa waved him n last farewell as
he disappeared into the woods. then. to
occupy herself, she helped Evangelina
with what little homework there was
to do, later going with her to the gar
den patch where the viandas grew.
Eyangelina's early devotion to her
mistress had not diminished with time;
if anything, it had deepened. When
emancipation came she would have re-
turned to the service of her beloved
twins had 1t not been for Donna lisa
bel's refusal to accept her AS 1t was,
she and AsenSio had married. and by
means of Rosa's surreptitious help
they had managed to buy this little
piece of land. Rosa had practiced self
denial to make the purchase possible,
and her self-sacrifice had borne fruit
that act of childish benefcence had
created a refuge for Esteban and her
self and had ripened the negro wom-
ans affection into idolatry.
Evangelina's JOY at having the girl
to herself. where she could daily see
her, touch her. serve her, was tenn
pered only by the knowledge of Rosa's
unhappiness. She scolded and tyran-
nized. she mothered and adored the
girl to her hearts content; she
watched over her like a hawk she
deemed no labor in her service too ex-
acting. 1t would have gone i'll with
anyone who offered harm to Rosa for
Evangelna was strong and capable
she had the arms and the hands of
man. and she possessed the Smolder-
ing black temper of Sebastian. her
father.
Even in peaceful times few people
came to this clearing In the woods.
far of freH the main-traveled roads
of the Yumuri. and the day. rs usual.
passed uneventfully. EVangelina
worked. with one eye upon her Rosa.
the other watchfully alert for dam
ger. When evening came she pre-
pared their scanty meal, upbraiding
Rosa. meanwhile for her attempts
to assist her. Then they sat for an
hour or two on the bench outside the
door. talking about Juan O'Rail-ye
and the probable hour of his coming
When Rosa fretted about her broth
or, the negress treasured her. Don't
be frightened, little dove he has the
markings of great soldier Now.