Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1918-06-27
CHAPTER Il-Continued.


Tying, cursed impatiently: "Caramba
Have l won the treasure of your whole
establishment he inquired. per
haps you value this wench at more
than a thousand pesos; if so, you Will
say that l cheated you"
mol She's only an ordinary girl.
Ny wife doesn't like her, and so | de-
termined to get rid of her She is
yours, fairly enough" Varona told him.
"Then send her to my house. I'll
breed her to Salvador, my cochero.
He's the strongest man have"
Sebastian uttered strangled cry
and rose to his feet. "Master You
must not"
"Sience," ordered Esteban. Go
about your business. What do you
mean by this, anyhow
But Sebastian, dazed of mind and
sick of soul, went on, unheeding. She
is my girl. You promised me her free
dom. warn you"
"Eh?" The planter swayed forward
and with blazing eyes surveyed his
slave You warn me2 OF whatF' he
growled.
At this moment neither master nor
man knew exactly what he said or did.
Sebastian raised his hand on high. In
reality the gesture was meant to call
heaven as a witness TO his years OF
faithful service but, misconstruing his
intent, Pablo Pea brought his riding
whip down across the old mans back,
crying:
"Ho! None of that"
A shudder ran through Sebastian's
frame. Whirling, he seized Don Pab-
los wrist and tore the whip from his
fingers. Although the Spaniard was
strong man, he uttered cry of pain.
At this indignity to guest Esteban
few into a fury. "Pancho!" he cried.
"Ho! Pancho!" When the manager
came running, Esteban explained:
''This fool is dangerous. He raised his
hand to me and to Don Pablo"
Sebastian's protests were drowned
by the angry voices of the others.
''Tie him to yonder grating" di-
rected Esteban, who was still in the
grip of senseless rage. "Flog him
well and make haste about it"
Sebastian, who had no time in which
TO recover himself. made but weak
resistance when Pancho Cueto locked
his wrists into pair of clumsy, old
fashioned manacles, first passing the
chain around one of the bars of the
iron window grating which Esteban
had indicated.
Cueto swung a heavy lash; the
sound of his blows echoed through the
qMnta, and they summoned among
others, Donna Isabel, who watched
the scene from behind her shutter with
mueh satisfaction. The guests looked
on approvingly.
Sebastian made no cutlery. The whip
bit deep; 1t dreY blood and raised
welts the thickness of ones thumb
nevertheless, for the first few moments
the victim suffered less in body than in
spirit His brain was so benumbed, sc
shocked with other exctations, that
he vas weil-nigh insensible to physical
pair. That Evangelina, flesh of his
flesh. had been sold, that his lifelong
faitAfulness had brought such reward
as t:lis, that Esteban, light of his soul
had turned against him-all this was
simlly astounding. Gradually he be
gan 20 resent the shrieking injustice OF
it Gil. and unsupported forces gathered
inside of him. They grew until his
frame was shaken by primitive savage
impulses.
After time Don Esteban cried
''That will do, Cueto Leave him now
for the flies to punish. They will re
mind him of his insolence."
Then the guests departed, and Este
ban staggered into the house and wen
to bed.
AL bat corning Sebastian stooC
with his hands chained high over hi!
head. The sun grew hotter and eve
hotter upon his Iacerated back; th'
blood dried and clothed there; clouC
of flies gathered, swarming over tn
raw gashes left by Cueto's whip.
Since Don Esteban's nerves, or per
haps it was his conscience, did no
permit him TO sleep, he arose abou
noontime and dressed himself He wa
still drunk, and the mad rage of tn
early morning still possessed him
therefore. when he mounted his hors
he pretended not to see the figur
chained to the window grating. Sebas
Sian's affection for his master was dog
like and he had taken his punishment
as a dog takes his. more in surpris
$han in anger, but at this proof of ca
9ous Indifference L fire kindled In tn
old fellows breast, hotter by far tina
ga fever froEA his iy-blown sores Ii