Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-05-02

"What is it like? How much is there7
Good Sebastian, I'll give you water;
I'll have you set free If you tell me"
"How much? 1 don't know. But
there is much-pieces Of Spanish gold,
silver coins in casks and in little boxes
the boxes are bound with iron and
have hasps and staples; bars Of
precious metal and little paper pack
ages of gems, all tied up and hidden in
leather bags"
eyes! Go on"
"There are ornaments, too. God
knows they must have come from
heaven, they are SO beautiful and
pearls from the Caribbean as large as
plums."
"Are you speaking the truth?"
did l not make the hiding-place all
alone? Sonora, everything is there just
as I tell you-and more. The grants Of
title from the crown for this quinta
and the sugar plantations, they are
there, too. Don Esteban used to fear
the government officials, so he hid his
papers securely. Without them the
lands belong to no one. You under
stand?"
"Of course! Yes, yes! But the jew
els Where are they hidden"
"You would never guess!" Sebas-
tian's voice gathered strength. "Ten
thousand men in ten thousand years
would e find the place, and nobody
knows the secret but Don Esteban and
me-"
II believe you. I knew all the
line it was here. Well? Where is itT"
Sebastian hesitated and said, pite-
ously, ~ am dying"
Isabel could scarcely contain herself.
"Tll give you water, but first tell me
where-where! God in heaven! Can't
you see that I, too, am ~perishing"
II must have a 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 if stung. She
! stared at the slaves face in amazement
and then in fury. She stammered, in
coherently, "You-you have been
lying!"
ooh no! The treasure is there, the
shall never know where it is. I'll see
to that. 1t was you who sold my girl !;
1t was you who brought me to this; 1t
was your hand that whipped me. Well,
I'll tell Don Esteban how you tried to
bride his secret from me! What do
you think he'll do then? Eth? You'll
feel the lash on your white back"
"You fool!" Donna Isabel looked
murder. 'In punish you for this; I'll
make you speak if I have to rub your
wounds with salt"
But Sebastian closed his eyes
YEARLY. "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 tc
ugliness such that men will spit al
you; may you never know peace agair
until you die in poverty and want"
But Donna Isabel, being superstf
tous, fled with her fingers in her ears
nor did she undertake to make goot
her barbarous threat, realizing oppor
timely that it would only serve to be
tray her desperate intentions and pu'
aer husband further on his guard.
Ac tho rs x-oc cjr1-inr hnunr1 thu
farther rim Of the Yumuri and the val
ley was beginning to fill with shadow:
Esteban Varona rode up the hill. Hi:
temper was more evil than ever, if tina
we're possible, for he had drunk agai1
in an effort to drown the memory of hi
earlier actions. With him were Pablo
Pea, and Mario de Castano, Col. Men
loza y Linares, old Pedro Miron, tn
advocate, and others Of less conse
!, luence, whom Esteban had gathered
+ from the Spanish club. The host dis
mounted and lurched across the court
, yard to Sebastian.
4. 80, my fine fellow" he began
Have you had enough of rebellion b,
this time?" )!
Sebastian's face was working as h
turned upon his master to say: "
would be lying if I told YOU that I an
sorry for what I did. 1t is you who hav'
done wrong. Your soul is black witt
this crime. Where is my girlT'
"Th%evil! To hear you talk on,
would think you were a free man." TIL
planters eyes were bleared and b.
brandished his riding-whip threaten
!ng1y: y do as l please with nay slaves
tolerate 10 insofence. Your girl
Well, she's in the house Of Salvador
Don Pabfo's cochero, where she be
longs" ""sga&&fF
Sebastian had hung sick and linn
against the grating, But at these word
he suddenly reused. He strained a
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 tn