Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1918-07-05

relief: "Ah-h! Now l see! 1t is my
stepmother. She Is asleep"
For a moment or two they watched
the progress of the white-robed figure !;
then Esteban stirred and rose from his
seat. "She's too close to that we'll.
There is" He started forward a
pace OF two. "They say people who
walk at night go mad If they're awak-
ened too suddenly, and yet
When the somnambulist's deliberate
progress toward the mouth of the well
continued he called her name softly.
Donna Isabel" Then he repeated 1t
louder. Donna Isabel! Wake up"
The woman seemed to hear and yet
not to hear. She turned her head to
listen, but continued to walk.
"Dont be alarmed" he said, reas-
suringly. 1T is only Esteban-Donna
Isabel! StOp!" Esteban sprang for
ward, shouting at the top Of his voice,
for ut the sound Of her name Isabel
had abruptly swerved to her right, a
movement which brought her danger
ously close to the lip Of the we'll.
"Stop! Go backw screamed the
young mar.
Above his warning there came a
shrek, shrill and agonized-a wall of
such abysmal 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,
clutching at random while the earth
and crumbling cement gave way be-
meath her; then she slid forward and
disappeared, almost out from between
Esteban's hands. There was a noisy
rattle Of rock and pebble and a great
splash far below; a .chuckle Of little
stones striking the water, then a faint
bubbling. Nothing more. The stepson
stood in his tracks, sick, blind with
horror; he was swaying over the open
ing when Asensio dragged him back.
Pancho Cueto, being a heavy sleeper,
was the last to be reused by Esteban'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 a nan of action, he too issued
swift orders, with the result that by
the time he and Esteban had run to
the well a rope and lantern were ready
for their use. Before Esteban could
form and fit q loop for his shoulders
there was sufficient help on hand to
lower him into the ~treacherous abyss.
That was q gruesome task which fell
to Esteban, for the we'll 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 Sebastian's 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 t~irelessly had been her
death. Furthermore, as II In grim.
NEST irony, she had been permitted at
the very last to find IL. Living. she
had searched to no purpose whatso-
ever; dying. she had almost grasped
1t In her arms.
Once the first excitement had abated
and a messenger had been sent to
town, Cueto drew Esteban aside and
questioned him.
"A shocking tragedy and most pc.
culiar," said the overseer. Nothing
could amaze ME more. Tell me, how
| did you come to be there at such an
hour. ehT
Esteban saw the m~alevolent curlos.
! ity in Cueto's face and started. 81
That is my affair. Surely you don't
| think"
"Come, come! You can trust me-
The overseer winked and smiled.
II had business that took me there
stiffly- declared the younger man.
Exactly! And a profitable bust.
ness it provedw Cueto laughed openly
now. well, I don't mind telling you
! Donna labels deaA l. 40 Gisappoint-