Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1918-05-17

affairs.
Now Don Esteban was no longer
young; age had soured him with sus-
picion, and when once he saw himself
as the victim Of a mercenary marriage
he turned bitterly against his wife.
Her curiosity he sullenly resented, and
he unblushingly denied his possession
of any considerable wealth. In fact,
he tried with malicious ingenuity to
make her believe him poor man. But
Isabel was not of the sort to be readily
deceived. Finding her arts and CO.
quetries of no avail, she flew into a
rage, and a furious quarrel ensued-
the first of many. For the lady could
not rest without knowing all there was
to know about the treasure.
She searched the quinta, of course,
whenever she had a chance, but she
discovered nothing-with the result
that the mystery began to engross her
whole thought. She pried into the OBJ
scurest corners, she questioned the
slaves, she lay awake at night listening
to Esteban's breathing, in the hope OF
surprising his secret from his dreams.
At length time came when they lived
in frank enmity; when Isabel never
spoke to Esteban except in reproach or
anger, and when Esteban unlocked his
lips only to taunt his wife with the
fact that she had been thwarted de-
spite her cunning.
It was only natural under such con-
ditions that Donna Isabel should learn
to dislike her children-Esteban
had told her frankly that they would
inherit whatever fortune he possessed
AS may be imagined, she found ways
to vent her spite upon the twins. She
widened her hatred so as to include old
Sebastian and his daughter, and even
went so far as to prosecute Evange-
lina's sweetheart, a slave named Assem-
sio.
It had not taken Donna Isabel long
to guess the reason for Sebastian's
many privileges, and one of her first
efforts had been to win the old mans
confidence. 1t was in vain, however,
that she fiattered and cajoled, or
stM'med and threatened; Sebastian
withstood her as towering ceiba with
stands the summer heat and the win
ter hurricane.
His firmness made her vindictive,
and so in time she laid scheme to
estrange him from his master.
Donna Isabel was crafty. She began
to complain about Evangelina, but it
was only after many months that she
ventured to suggest to her husband
that he sell the girl. Esteban, of
course, refused point-blank he was too
fond of Sebastian's daughter, he de-
clared, to think of such thing.
$50, that is it," sneered Donna Isa-
bel. "Well, she is young and shapely
and handsome, as wenches go. rather
suspected you were fond of her.
With difficulty Esteban restrained an
oath. "You mistake my meaning" he
said stiff1y. Sebastian has served me
faithfully, and Eyangelina plays with
my children. She is good to them; she
is more of a mother to them than you
have ever been."
"Is that why you dress her like
lady? Bah! A likely story!" Isabel
tossed her fine, dark head. "I'm not
blind; see what goes on about me. /
won't have that wench in my house."
Goaded to fury by his wife's sense
less accusation, Esteban cried: ''Your
house? By what license do you call it
yours?"
"Am l not married to you?"
"Yes-as a leech is married to it's
victim. You suck my blood"
"Your blood!' The woman laughed
shrilly. you have no blood; your
veins run vinegar. You are miser."
"Miser Miser! grow sick of the
word. 1t is all you find to taunt me
with. Confess that you married me
for my money" he roared.
"Of course / did! Do you think a
woman of my beauty would marry you
for anything else? But a fine bargain
l made!"
"Vampire!"
"Wife or vampire, I intend to rule
this house, and / refuse to be shamed
by a thick-lipped African. Her airs
tell her story. She is insolent to me.
putt sha'n't endure it. She laughs
at me. Well, your friends shall laugh
at you.''
"Silence!'' commanded Esteban.
"Sell her, Or"
Without waiting to hear her threat
Esteban tossed his arms above his
head and fled from the room. Flinging
himself into the saddle, he spurred
down the hill and through the town to
the Casino de Espanol, where he spent
the night at cards with the Spanish Of
ficials. But he did not sell Evangelina.
In the days that followed many SINH
lar scenes occurred, and as Esteban's
home life grew more unhappy his dissi-
pations increased. He drank and gam
bled heavily; he brought his friends to
the quinta with him. and strove to for
get domestic unpleasantness in bolster
Gus revelry.
His wife, however, found opportunf-
ties enough to weary and exasperate
him with reproaches regarding the
slave. girl.