The Monticellonian., 1918-09-06

uHScISi uiSpldS iuS d IllSCelldueuuS dS- sortment of unset gems-some of them at first sight looked like drops of blood, others like drops of purest water. They were the rubies and the diamonds which had brought Isabel to her death.
 O'Reilly waited to see no more. Candle in hand, he crcpt out into the well to apprise Rosa of the truth.
 We've got it There's gold by the barrel and the deeds to your land. Yes, and the jewels, too-a quart of them, l guess. I-I can't believe my eyes" He showed her handful of coins. Look at that Doubloons, eagles There ap- pear to be thousands of them. Why, you're the richest girl in Cuba. Rubies, diamonds-yes. and pearls, too l dare say" He ehoked and began to laugh weakly, hysterically.
 i've heard about those pearls" Rosa cried, shrilly. Pearls from the Carib- bean, as large as plums. Isabel used to babble about them in her sleep"
 "I found those deeds the first thing The plantations are yours now, beyond any question"
 Rosa drew back from her precarious position, for she had grown limp from weakness and her head was whirling As she rose to her feet she brushed something. somebody, some fiesh-and- blood form which was standing almost over her. Involuntarily she recoiled toppllng upon the very brink of the pit whereupon a heavy hand reached forth and seized her. She found herself staring upward into q face she had grown to know in her nightmares, a face the mere memory of which was enough to freeze her blood. It was a hdeous visage. thick-lipped, flat-fea- tured, black: it was disfgured by q scar from lip to temple and out of it gleamed pair of eyes distended and ringed with white, like the eyes of a man insane.
 For an instant Rosa made no sound and no effort to escape. The appari- tion robbed her of breath, it paralyzed her in both mind and body. Her first thought was that she had gone stark mad, but she had felt Cobo's hands upon her once before and after her first frozen moment of amazement she realized that she was in her fullest senses. A shriek sprang to her lips, she tried to fight the man off, but her weak struggle was like the futtering of bird. Cobo crushed her down, strangling the half-uttered cry.
 Terror may be so intense so appal- ling as to be uncomfortable. In Rosa's case q merciful oblivion overlook her. She felt the world grow black, fall away; felt herself swing dizzily through space.
 O'Reilly looked upward, lnquiring, sharply, What's the matter?" He heard a scuffling of feet above him, but received no answer. Rosa What frightened you? Rosa!" There was a moment of sickening suspense, then he put his shoulder to the timbers he had displaced and, with a violent shove, succeeded in swinging them back into place. Laying hold of the rope, he be- gan to hoist himself upward. He had gone but a little way, however when, without warning, his support gave way and he fell backward; the rope came pouring down upon him. Rosa !" he called again in voice thick from fright. Followed an instant of silence {; then he flattened himself against the side of the well and the breath stuck In his throat
 Into the dim circle of radiance above head was thrust-a head, pair Of wide shoulders, and then two arms. The figure bent closer, and OReilly recognized the swarthy features of that man he had seen at the Matanzas rail road station. There could be no doubt of it--it was Cobo.
 The men stared at each other silent ly, and of the two Cobo appeared to be the more intensely agitated. After q moment his gaze fixed itself upon the opening into the treasure chamber and remained there. AS If to make entirely sure of what he had overheard, he stretched his body farther, supporting 1t by his outfung arms, then moved his head from side to side for bet ter view. He seemed to rock over the mouth of the well like a huge, fat, black spider He was the first to speak.
 Am I dreaming? Or-have you really discovered that treasurer? he queried.
 OReilly's upturned face was ghast- ly. He wet his lips. He managed to whisper Rosa's name.
 "The riches of the VaronaS What a find!" Cobo's teeth shone white in the grin of avarice. "Yes. 1 see now-a cavern in the rock. Well, well! And you are the spirit of Sebastian. chained in the bowels of La Cumbre. Ha These are the ghosts" He began to chuckie. but the sound of his malevo- lent merriment was like the hiccough- ing of drunken man.
 Rosa What have you done
 Cobo ran on unheeding: Tt must be a great treasure, indeed from all ac- counts-the ransom of q dozen kings. That's what Cueto said, The ransom Of q dozen kings' Those were his very words"
 The fellow continued to sway him. self back and forth. peering as 1T his eyes were about to leave his head. For ia long moment or two he utterly disre- garded O'Reilly. but finally as ne gained more self-control his gaze shl1t- ed and his expression altered. lie changed his weight to his left arm and with his right hand he drew his re- voiver.
 .x.-. o,, doy1g2o O'Rpilly