Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-10
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Johnnie had Wormed ms way INTO
the damp chamber and slim rectangle
of light was projected against the op-
posite side of the well. Rosa could
hear him talking and moving about
Don Esteban Narona's subterranean
hiding place was large enough to store
a treasure far greater than his: IL
was perhaps ten feet in length. with a
roof high enough TO accommodate a
tall man. At the farther end were
ranged several small wooden chests
bound with iron and fitted with hasps
and staples; along one side was row
OF diminutive casks, the sort used TO
contain choice wines or liquors; over
all was a thick covering or slime and
mold. The iron was deeply rusted and
the place itself smelled abominably
stale
o'Renly surveyed this Aladdin's cave
in a daze. He set his candle down. for
his fingers We're numb and unsteady.
Cautiously. as if fearful Of breaking
some spell. he stopped and tried TO
move one OF the casks. but found that
it resisted him as If cemented TO the
rock. He noted that its head was
bulged upward. as if by the dampness.
so he took his iron bar and aimed
sharp blow ar the chine hoop gave
way; another blow enabled him to pry
out the head of the cask. He stood
blinking at the sight exposed. for the
little barrel was full of coins-yellow
coins. large and small O'Reilly seized
a handful and held them close to the
candle fame; among the number he
noted Spanish doubloon, such as
young Esteban had found.
He tested the weight of the other
casks and found them equally heavy.
Knowing little about gold. he did not
attempt to estimate the value of their
contents. but he judged they must
represent a fortune. With throhbtng
nIlses he next lifted the lid of the
nearest chest. Within. he discovered
several compartments, each stored with
neatly wrapped and labeled packages
of varying shapes and sizes. The writ
ing upon the tags was almost illegible.
but the first article which O'Reilly I'M
wrapped proved to be a goblet OF most
beautiful workmanship. Time had long
since blackened il to the appearance
of pewter or some base metal. but he
saw that it was of solid silver. Evi-
IDENTIFY he had uncovered a store OF old
Spanish plate.
In one corner of the chest he saw
a metal box of the sort in which
valuable papers are kept ana atteI
some effort he managed TO break it
open. Turning back the lid, he FOUND
first a bundle of documents bearing
imposing scrolls and heavy seals, De
spite the dampness. they were IN larry
good condition. and there was enough
left of the writing to identity them
beyond all question as the MISSING
deeds of patent to the Naroha lairos-
those crown grants for Which iona
isabel had searched so fruitlessly- But
this was not all that the smaller box
contained. Beneath the papers there
were numerous leather bags 1hese
had rotted; they came apart
easily in O'ReflIy's fingers, displaying
a miscellaneous assortment of unset
eems-some of them at first sight look-
ed like drops Of blood. others IKE crops
of purest water. They were the rupiSs
and the diamonds which mad brought
lisa bel to her death.
O'Reilly waited to see no more. Can.
die in hand, he crept out into the well
to apprise Rosa of the truth;
We've got it, There's gold by ehe
barrel and the deeds to your land. YES
and the jewels, too-a quart OF mem:
/ guess II can't believe my eyes
He showed her a handful OF CONS
Look at that, Doubloons, eagles!
There appear to be thousands OF them
Why, you're the richest girl in CUBA
Rubies diamonds-yes. and pearls TOO.
I dare say He choked and began
to laugh weakly. hysterically-
I've heard about those pearls, hos2
cried. shrilly Pearls from the carib-
bean. as large as plums. Isabel used TO
babble about them in her sleep
81 found those deeds the first thing.
The plantations are yours now' De-
yond any question.
Rosa drew back from her precarious
position. for she had grown imp from
weakness and he- mead was whirlng:
AS she rose TO her feet she brushed
something. some body. some fiesh-and-
blood form which was standing almost
over her. Involuntarily she recoileo.
topping upon the very brink or the
pit whereupon a heavy hand reached
forth and seized her. She found her
self staring upward into face she had
grown to know in her nightmares,
face the mere memory OF which was
enough to freeze her blood. 1t was a
hideous visage thick-lipped, fiat-fea-
tured, black: il was dishgured by scar
from lip to temple and out OF II CLEANED
pair of eyes distended and ringed
- inc no
For an instant Rosa made no sound
and no effort to escape. The appar-
ton robbed her of breath. 1t paralyzed
her in both mind and body. Her hrse
thought was that she had gone stark
mad, but she had felt Cobo's hands upon
her once before and after her first
frozen moment of amazement she real
ICED that she was in her fullest senses.
to fight the man off, but her weak
struggle was like the fluttering of a
bird Cobo crushed her down, stran-
Cling the half-uttered cry.
Terror may be so intense. so appalling
as to be uncomfortable. In Rosa's case
a merciful oblivion overlook her She
felt the world grow black, fall away;
felt herself swing dizzily through
space.
o'ReiIly looked upward. inquiring.
sharply, what's the natter" He
heard scuff1ins of feet above him. but
received no answer. Rosa! What
a moment of sickening suspense. then
he put his shoulders to the timbers
he had displaced and, with violent
shove. succeeded in swinging them back
into place. Laying hold of the rope.
he began to hoist himself upward. He
had gone but little way. however.
when, without warning. his support
gave way and he fell backward; the
rope came pouring down upon him.
Rosa he called again in a voice thick
from fright. Followed an instant OF
silence: then he fiattened himself
against the side of the well and the
breath stuck in his throat.
Into the dim circle of radiance above
a head was thrust-a head. a pair OF
wide shoulders. and then two arms.
The figure bent closer. and O'Reilly
recognized the swarJhy features of that
man he had seen at the Natanzas rail-
road station There could be doubt
of tit was Cobo.
The men stared at each other silent
", and OF the two Coho appeared to be
the more intensely aEitated. After
moment his gaze fixed itself upon the
opening into the cham
her and remained there. AS IL
to make entirely sure Of what
he had overheard. he stretched
his body farther. supporting il by his
outfiung arms. then moved his head
from side TO side for better view. He
seemed TO rock over the mouth of the
well like huge, fat. black spider. He
was the first to speak.
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