Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-07-15
quite prize, truly. Now, them"
His thick lips spread; he spoke to

Cueto said I would find him here.
Ha! Still frightened, see. Well, I
have a way with women; dare say
you'll be glad to tell me everything
by and BY" Then, seeing that his
men risked scorching in their
search of the hut and were already
quarreling over the scanty plumber
which it afforded, he turned from
Rosa to call them away.
Profiting by his inattention, Rosa
wriggled out Of his grasp and ran to
Evangelina, who lay face down in
the dirt, her limbs sprawled loosely.
She flung herself upon the PROSTATE
body and cried the black woman's
name, but she could awaken no re-
Spouse.
The first pink of dawn was now
deepening in the east, and as soon as
it had grown light enough to see to
travel Colonel Cobo prepared to re-
turn TO his horses. The roof and
walls of the bohio had fallen away
to ashes, its skeleton Of poles and its
few pieces Of crude furniture alone
WERE srnoiddsrHs when he called his
men together and gave the word
to 60.
"Come, my sweetheart" Cobo ad-
dressed himself to the girl. Leave
that carrion for the buzzards."
Rosa looked up to find him leering
at her. She brushed the tears from
hor eves crvjn0.
go awayl In Gods name haven't
you done harm enoughY'
"Oh, but you're going with me-"
The girl rose; her face was color
less; she was aquiver with indigna-
ton. Leave mel" she stormed.
;"What have I done to you? Don't"
"Caramba A temper. And you
have strength, too, as discovered.
Must I bind those pretty hands Or"
Colonel Cobo reached forth, laugh:
ing, and encircled her In his power
full. arms. Rosa fought him as she
had fought at the drst moment Of des-
peration, but he lifted her easily and
went striding across the field behind
his men.
Esteban's party made good time
over the hills and into the San Juan,
for Asensio knew the country well.
Mld-afternoon found them In sight of
La Joya. Cueto's cane was thick and
high; it was ready for the knife or
for the torch. The incendiaries dis
mounted In the shelter Of wood and
removed the bags which they had
carried on their saddles. Inside these
bags were several snakes, the largest
perhaps eight feet in length. To the
tail Of each the negroes fastened a
leather thong, and then to each thong
a length Of telegraph wire, the end
Of which had been bent into loop
to hold a bundle Of oil-soaked waste.
These preliminaries Accomplished
they bore the reptiles Into the cane
fields at widely separated places and
lighted the waste.
Soon tongues Of flame appeared
and the green tops Of the cane began
to shr1vel and to wave as the steady
east wind took effect. Smoke bill
lowed upward and was hurried west
ward before the breeze; in a dozen
places the fields burst into flame.
From somewhere came a faint shout
ing, then q shot or two, and finally
the ringing Of bell.
Esteban waited only until he saw
that his work of devastation was well
under way, then he led his followers
back toward the hills.
In the shelter Of ravine the party
took time to eat supper, their first
meal since leaving home, and it was
after dark when they finished. The
negroes, who were thoroughly tired,
were for spending the night here, but
Esteban, more cautious than they,
would not have 1t SO. Accordingly,
the men remounted their weary
horses, though not without some
grumbllng, and set out. At length
they crossed the summit and worked
down toward the Yumuri, but 1t
seemed as If daylight would never
come.
y Esteban suddenly refined in his
horse. 'Look!" said he. "Yonder is
a light"
"What is Evangelina thinking
about" Asensio muttered.
"But see! II grows brighter"
There followed a moment or two dur
ing which there was no sound except
the breathing Of the horses and the
creak Of saddle feathers as the riders
craned their necks to see over the low
tree tops before them. Then Esteban
cried:
Come! Tm-afraid it's our
house." Fear gnpped him, but he
managed to say, calmly, Perhaps
there has been an-accldent."
Asensio, muttering excitedly, was
trying to crowd past him; for few
yards the two horses brushed along
side by side. The distant point of
light had become glare now;;} it
winked. balefully through the open
ings as the party hurried toward 1t.
But 1t was still long way off, and
the eastern sky had grown rosy be-
fore the dense woods OF the hillside
gave way to the aparser growth Of
the low ground. 81
Esteban turns1 ! Eel. white 1aeea
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