The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-05-30


thousand men In ten thousand years
would never find the place. and nobody
knows the secret but Don Esteban and
me-"
Il believe you knew all the
time II was here. weilf Where Is itf'
Sebastian hesitated and said. pie
ously. Il am dying
Isabel could scarcely contain herself
''I'li give you water. but FIRST tell me
where-where, God In heaveni Can't
you sec that I. too. am perishingf-
Il must have q drink"
Tell me first
Sebastian lifted his head and. meet
Ing the speakers eyes. laughed hoarse-
ly.
At the sound Of his unnatural merri-
ment Isabel recoiled as II stung. She
stared at the slaves face in amazement
and then In fury. She stammered. In
coherently, -You-you have been
iyingl"
"Oh mol The treasure Is there. the
greatest treasure In all Cuba, but you
shall never know where II Is. I'll see
| TO that II was you who sold my girl;
IL was you who brought me to this; II
was your hand that whipped me. Well.
| I'll tell Don Esteban how you tried TO
bribe his secret from me! What do
you think he'll do then7 Eh? You'll
feel the lash on your white back"
you foolr Donna Isabel looked
murder. I'll punish you for this; I'll
make you speak II ! have to rub your
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
ugllness such that men will spit at
youi may IoY never know peace again
until yod de 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 wns sinking beyond the
farther rim Of the Yumuri and the val
ley wns beginning to fill with shadows
Esteban varona rode up the hill. His
temper was more evil than ever, II 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 timer
Sebastian's face was working as he
turned upon his master to say: 81
would be lying II told you that am
sorry for what did. II Is you who have
done wrong. Your soul is black with
this crime. Where Is my girlf'
"The devil! To hear you talk one
would think you were free man." The
planters eyes were bieared and he
brandished his riding-whlp threaten
ingly. II do rs I 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 linn
against the grating. but at these words
he suddenly reused. He strained al
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 ths
riding-whip. crying:
"Hol Not subdued yet. ehf Yol
need another fiogging."
Course you and all that Is yours.
roared the maddened slave. May yor
|, know the misery you have put upor
me. May you rot for million years II
hell. May your children's bodies grow
, filthy with disease; may they starve
may they"
Sebastian was yelling. though hi,
voice was hoarse with pain. The lasl
! drew blood with every blow. Mean
while. he wrenched and tugged at hl'
bonds with the fury Of a maniac.
"Pablo! Your machete. quick 7
painted the slaveowner. "l'il make al
end Of this black fiend. once for ALL"
Esteban varona's guests had locke,
I on at the scene with the same mild In
terest they would display at the whip
ping Of q balky horse; and. now tina
the animal threatened to become dan
gcrous, II was In their view quite tn
! proper thing to put II out Of the way
Don Pablo Pexa stepped toward hi
! mare to draw the machete from II
J scabbard. But he did not hand It 4
his friend. He heard q shout. AM
turned In time to see wonderful AM
n terrible thing.
Il