The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-06-13
CHAPTER II-continued.

-
Don Pablo, in whom the liquor was
dying, cursed impatiently: "Caramba
Have 1 won the treasure of your whole
establishment" he inquired. 'Per-
haps you value this wench at more
than thousand pesos; if so, you will
say that I cheated YOU
f'No! She's only an ordinary girl.
Ny wife doesn't like her, and so 1 de-
termined to get rid of her. She is
yours, fairly enough" Varona told him.
''Then send her to my house. I'll
breed her to Salvador, my cochero
He's the strongest man l have"
Sebastian uttered a strangled cry
and rose to his feet. Master! You
must not"
"Silence!" ordered Esteban. Go
about your business. What do you
mean by this, anyhow
But Sebastian, dazed of mind and
sick of soul, went on, unheeding. "She
Is my girl. You promised me her free
dom. warn you
''Eh?' The planter swayed forward
and with blazing eyes surveyed his
slave. "You warn me? Of what?" he
growled.
at this moment neither master nor
man knew exactly what he said or did.
Sebastian raised his hand on high. In
reality the gesture was meant to call
heaven as a witness to his years OF
faithful service, but, miscOnstruing his
intent, Pablo Pea brought his riding
whip down across the old mans back,
crying:
GHoT Mona of that
shudder ran through Sebastian's
frame. Whirling, he seized Don Pab-
los wrist and tore the whip from his
fingers. Although the Spaniard was
strong man, he uttered cry of pain.
at this indignity to a guest Esteban
flew into a fury. ''PanchOi" he cried.
"Hoi Pancho!' When the manager
came running, Esteban explained:
~-This fool is dangerous. He raised his
hand to me and to Don Pablo"
Sebastian's protests were drowned
by the angry voices of the others.
-aT1e him to yonder grating" di-
rected Esteban, who was still in the
grip of a senseless rage. ''Flog him
we'll and make haste about it.
Sebastian, who had no time in which
to recover himself, made but a weak
resistance when Pancho Cueto locked
his wrists into pair of clumsy, old
fashioned manacles, first passing the
chain around one of the bars of the
iron window grating which Esteban
had indicated.
Cuet1 swung a heavy lash; the
sound Of his blows echoed through the
Quinta, and they summoned, among
others, Donna Isabel, who watched
the scene from behind her shutter with
much satisfaction. The guests looked
on apprOvingly.
Sebastian made no cutlery. The whip
bit deep; it drew blood and raised
wells the thickness of ones thumb ;
nevertheless, for the first few moments
the victim suffered less in body than in
spirit His brain was so benumbed, so
shocked with other eXcitatiOnS, that
he was well-nigh insenSible to physical
pain. That Evangelina, flesh of his
flesh, had been sold, that his lifelong
faithfulness had brought such reward
as this, that Esteban, light of his soul
had turned against him-all this was
simply astounding. Gradually he be
gan to resent the shrieking injustice OF
II I'LL, anu unsupported 1O1NCS G.
inside of him. They grew until his
frame was shaken by primitive savage
impulses.
After a time Don Esteban cried
'aThat will do, Cueto! Leave him nov
for the flies to punish. They will re
mind him of his insolenee."
Then the guests departed, and Este
ban staggered into the house and wen
to bed.
All that morning Sebastian stoot
with his hands chained high over hi
head. The sun grew hotter and eve
hotter upon his lacerated back; tn
blood dried and clotted there; a CLIQUE
OF flies gathered, swarming over tn
raw gashes left by Cueto's whip.
Since Don Esteban's nerves, or pei
haps it was his conscience, did no
permit him to sleep, he arose abOu
noontime and dressed himself. He wa
still drunk, and the mad rage OF tn
early morning still possessed him
therefore, when he mounted his hors
he pretended not to see the fgur
chained to the window grating. Sebas
fian's affection for his master was dos
Hike and he had taken his punishmen
than in anger, but at this proof of ca
ious indifference a fire kindled in th
old fellows breast, hotter by far tina
the fever from his fiy-blown sores. b
was thirsty, too, but that was the leas
of his sufferings.
Some time during the afternoon th
negro heard himself addressed throue
the window against the bars of whic
ne leaned. The speaker was Dom
Isabel.
''Do you suffer, Sebastian?" she b
gan in tone of gentleness and pity.
Eyes, Mistress The speaker
tongue was thick and swollen.
Can 1 help you2'
The negro raised his head; he shoe
his body to rid himself OF the insec
which were devouring him.