Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1918-08-23

If that treasure had been above ground
her sharp nose would have smeiled it
out, and now Cueto has moved the very
EARTH"
Rosa sat back disappointed. $50
that's your theoryT
It's more than a theory" the boy
insisted. look at this !" From the
pocket of his cotton trousers he pro-
duced an odd-leoking coin. which he
placed In Rosa's hand.
"Why, it's goldl It's a Spanish
doubloon," she said. "Its the first one
| ever saw. Where did you find it?"
You'll think I'm crazy when l tell
you-sometimes think SO myself.
found It in Isabers hand when took
her from the well I"
Rosa was stricken speeches..
"She clutched 1t tightly" Esteban
hurried on, "but as / made the rope
fast her hand relaxed and saw 1t in
the lantern light. 1t was as if--well,
as If she gave 1t to me. 1 was too
badly frightened to think much about
1t, as you may imagine. 1t was hor-
rible place, all slime and foul water !;
the rocks were slippery. But that coin
was in her fingersl"
Rosa managed to say: Impossible I
Then she must have had it when she
fell"
mo, mol I saw her hands up
stretched, her fingers open, in the
moonlight"
tits uncanny. Perhaps"
Eyes. Perhaps some unseen hand
led her to the place so that we should
at last come into our own. Who knows7
The e's no doubt that father hid his
money. He turned his slaves into gold,
he bought jewels, precious metal, any
thing he could hide. Well, perhaps
there were old coins In the lot. The
water in the well is shallow: Label
must have CROPPED this piece from the
bottom. Some day shall explore the
hole and-we shall see."
Rosa flung her arms rapturously
about her brothers neck and kissed
him. Wouldn't 1t be glorious7" she
cried. Wouldn't IL be wonderful, to
be rich, and to want for nothing; to
have fine clothes and good things to
eat once more7 Good things to eat r.
her lip quivered. "Oh-pm so hun
cry"
"Poor little girlF
"Wait till O'ReIlly hears about this
Rosa was all excitement once more.
He'll be glad he came and got me
IF he does come"
Esteban caressed her. "He1l come
never fear. Iknow 1t. Every time
leave you my heart is in my throat for
fear of what may happen in my abb
sence-and yet can't always be at
your side"
'ThereI You acknowledge that !
handicap you. Except for me you would
De making a glorious name for your
self"
Nothing of the sort. More probably
I'd be getting myself killed. MOI It's
better this way. We must be brave
and patient and-thlnk Of what is wait
ing for us at the bottom of that well. !"
1t was indeed a great piece OF luck
which had enabled Esteban Varona to
buy a half-dozen Mausers from a Span
ish soldier. Through Asenslo's ac-
quaintance he had profited by the dis
honesty of an enemy, and, although 1t
had taken all his money to effect the
purchase, Esteban considered the sac
rifice well worth while. The fire Of
patriotism burned fiercely in him, as
did his hatred Of Pancho Cueto, and
the four trusty young negroes to whom
he had given rifles made, with Asensio
and himself, an armed party large
enough to be reckoned with. These
blacks were excitable fellows, and
wretched marksmen, but, on the other
hand, each and every one had been
raised with a machete at his hip and
knew how to use 1t. After few pre-
liminary forays under Esteban's lead
ership they had absorbed bit of dis
cipline and were beginning to feel q
military ardor.
In the Cuban field forces there were
many negroes, and few Of their fell
low patriots fought better or endured
the bardShips o. guerrilla warfare
more Cheerfdi!y than they. General
Antonio Maceo was of mixed blood,
and yet mis- leadership was character
lied not only by rare judgment and
ability, but also by an exalted abandon
of personal bravery. His several
brothers rendered Cuba services scarce
ly less distinguished, and they were
but of few Of many dark-skinned he
roes. This struggle for independence,
was no particulars war; the best stock
of the island fought side by side with
field hands.
At dawn of the morning following
his talk with Rosa, when the members
Of his command assembled, Esteban
was up and ready. He had made his
preparations to destroy PanchO Cueto's
fields, and since the road over the hills
to La Joya was long he had summoned
them early.