Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1918-07-19
vii.
The Spanish poubjoon.

On the whole, Pancho Cueto's plans
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, consummation for which he
had worked from the moment he read
that letter Of Esteban's on the morn
ing after Donna Isabels death. That
there was a treasure Cueto had never
doubted, and, once the place was his
to do with as he chose, he began his
search.
Commencing at the lower edge Of the
grounds, he ripped them up with a Sc
ries Of deep trenches and cross-cuts.
1t was a task that required the labor
of many men for several weeks, and
when 1t was finished there was scarce
ly a growing thing left upon the place.
Only a few Of the larger trees re-
manned. Cueto was disappointed ut
finding nothing, but he was not dis
couraged. Next he tore down the old
slave %barracoons 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, but without the reward
OF so much as a single peseta. FL
nally, when the villa was but q heap
Of rubbish and the grounds q scar
upon the slope of La Cumbre, he de-
sisted, bafled, incredulous, while all
Matanzas laughed at him. Having sac
riiced 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 80
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; bat the var would end some
day. What then? Cueto asked him
self. Sympathy was ever on the side
of the weak and oppressed. There
would come a 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 a little band Of guerrillerOs,
under the leadership Of a beardless
boy-a band Of blacks who were max
ing the upper valley unsafe for Span
ish scouting parties.
Cursing the name of Varona, Pancho
Cueto armed himself. He did not ven
ture far alone, and, like 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 oyerSeer took
horse within the hour and rode pell-
nell to Matanzes. In the city at this
time was a certain Colonel Cobo, In
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, I dare say, for
you robbed him." The colonel smiled
disagreeably.
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 but one law In the land, the law
Of force.
"Why do you come to me-" he asked.
"That fellow Is a desperado," Pan
rho declared. HE should be de-
stroyed."
bah! The country Is overrun with
1esperadoes 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 20 do"