The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-06-27

open moonlight: then he sighed with
relief: "Ah-h Now / seel 1t Is my
stepmother. She Is asleep"
For moment or two they wntched
the progress of the whlte-robed figure;
then Esteban stirred and rose from his
seat. "She's too close to that well.
There is" He started forward
pace or two. "They say people. who
walk nt night go mad If they're awak-
ened too suddenly, and yet"
When the somnambuiist's deliberate
continued he called her name softly
Donna Isabel" Then he repeated 1t
louder. 'Donna Isabell Wake up"
The woman seemed to hear and yet
not to hear. She turned her head TO
listen, but continued to walk.
Don't be alarmed" he said, reas-
suringly. ut is only Esteban-Donna
Isabel! Stopp' Esteban sprang for
ward, shouting Mt the top of his voice,
for at the sound of her name Isabel
had abruptly swerved to her right,
movement which brought her danger
ously close to the lip of the well.
"Stop! Go backI" screamed the
young man. Hs
Above his warning there came
shrek, shrill and agonized-a wall of
such abysma! terror as to shock the
night birds and the Insects into still
ness. Donna Isabel slipped. or stun
bled. to. her knees she balanced briefly.
| elptahtner NJ ,.,htI a,
and crumbllng cement gave way be-
meath her: then shei slid forward and
disappeared. aImosf but from between
Esteban's bands. There was n noisy
rattle of rock and pebble and n great
splash far below; u chuckle of little
stones striking the water, then faint
bubbling. Nothing more. The stepson
stood In his tracks, sick. blind with
horror; he was swaying over the open.
Ing when Asenslo dragged him back.
Pancho Cueto, being heavy sleeper,
was the last to be reused by Estcban's
outcries. When he had hurriedly
slipped into his clothes In response to
the pounding on his door, the few serv-
ants that the establishment supported
had been thoroughly awakened. Cueto
thought they must be out OF their
minds until he learned what had be-
fallen the mistress Of the house. Then,
being n man of action, he too issued
swift orders, with the result that by
the time he and Esteban had run to
the well rope and lantern were ready
for their use. Before Esteban could
| form, onI oh :.
there was sufficient help on hand to
lower him into the treacherous abyss.
That was n gruesome task which fell
to Esteban, for the well had been long
unused, Its sides were oozing slime, its
waters were stale and black. He was
on the point Of fainting when he finally
climbed out, leaving the negroes to
hoist the dripping. inert weight which
he had found at the bottom.
Old Sebastians curse had come
true; Donna Isabel had met the fate
he had called down upon her that day
when he hung exhausted In his chains
and when the flies tormented him.
The treasure for which the woman had
intrigued so tirelessly had been her
death. Furthermore. as II In grim.
NEST irony. she hDd been permitted at
the very last TO find II. Living, she
had searched to no purpose whatso-
ever; dying, she had almost grasped
II In her arms.
Once the first excitement had abated
and n messenger had been sent TO
town, Cueto drew Esteban aside and
questioned him.
"A shocking tragedy and most Pc
culiar," said the overseer. "Nothlng
could amaze me more. Tell me, how
did you come to be there at such an
hour. eh?"
Esteban saw the malevolent curios-
ity In Cueto's face and started. e
That Is my affair. Surely you don't
think"
"Come, comet You can trust me-"
The overseer winked and smiled.
81 had business that took me there"
stiifiy declared the younger man.
Exactly And profitable bust,
ness 1t provedw Cueto laughed openly
now. "Well. / don't mind telling you
Donna Isabel's death Ia no disapnoint-