Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1918-07-19

If that treasure had been above ground
her sharp lose would have Smelled II
out, and now Cueto has moved the very
earth"
Rosa sat back disappointed. $50
that's your theoryT"
ITS more than a theory" the boy
insisted. Look at this" From the
pocket Of his cotton trousers he pro-
duced an %odd,looking coin, which he
placed in Rosa's hand.
"why, it's gold! It's a Spanish
d%oubloon." she said. ITS the first n
| ever saw. Where did you find it?"
You'll think I'm crazy when l tell
you-sometimeS l think 40 myself. I
found 1t In lsabels hand when | took
her from the wellw
Rosa was stricken speeches..
"She clutched 1t tightly" Esteban
hurried on, but as l made the ROPE
last her hand relaxed and | saw 1t In
the lantern light. 1t was rs if-well,
as II she gave 1t to me. | was too
badly frightened to think much about
II, as you may imagine. 1t was a hor-
rlble place, all slime and foul water;
the rocks were slippery. But that coin
was in her fingers"
Rosa managed to say: Impossible!
Then she must have had it when she
fell"
mo, no! saw her hands up
stretched, her fingers open, In the
moonlight"
TITS %uncanny. Perhaps"
"Yes. Perhaps some unseen hand
led her to the place so that we should
at last come into our own. Who knows?
There'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; Isabel
must have CROPPED this piece from the
bottom. Some day l shall explore the
hole and-we shall see"
Rosa flung her arms r%apturously
about her brothers neck and kissed
him. "WOuldn't it be glorious?" she
cried. wouldn't it be wonderful, to
be rich, and to want for nothing; to
have fine clothes and good things to
eat once more? Good things to eat"
Her lip quivered. "Oh-Im so hun
gry."
Poor little girl"
wait till O'Reilly hears about this"
Rosa was all excitement once more.
Hell be glad he came and got me,
IL he does come"
Esteban caressed her. Hell come,
never fear. | know It. Every time
leave you my heart Is in my throat for
fear Of what may happen in my alb
yet l can't always be at
your side"
There! You acknowledge that |
handicap you. Except for me YOU would
be making a glorious name for your
self"
Nothing Of the sort. More probably
I'd be getting myself killed. No! It's
better this way. We must be brave
and patient and-think of what is wait
ing for us at the bottom of that we'll"
1t was indeed a great piece OF luck
which had enabled Esteban Varona to
buy a h%alf-dozen Mausers from n Span |
ish soldier. Through Asensl0's ac- |
he had profted by the dis |
honesty of an enemy, and, although 1t
had taken all his money to effect the
purchase, Estcban considered the sac
rldce well worth while. The fire OF
patriotism burned fiercely in him, as
lid his hatred of Pancho CuetO, and
The four trusty young negroes to whom |
had given rifles made, with Asenslo
md himself, an armed party large
TO be reckoned with. These
blacks were excitable fellows, and
Hretched m%arksmen, but, on the other
land, each and every one had been
'aised with a machete at his hip and
Knew how to use 1t. After a few pre-
iminary forays under Esteban's lead
arship they had absorbed n bit Of dis
and were beginning to feel a
military ardor.
In the Cuban field forces there were
many negroes, and few of their fell
ow patriots fought better, or endured
he h%ardShlpS of guerrilla warfare
more cheerfully than they. General
Antonio Maceo was of mixed blood,
md yet his leadership was character
zed not only by rare judgment and
but also by an exalted abandon
Il personal bravery. His several
rothers rendered Cuba services scarce
y less distinguished, and they were
ut Of a few Of many dark-skinncd he
oes. This struggle for independence
vas no particulars war; the best stock
f the island fought side by side with
Ield hands.
At dawn Of the morning following
Is talk with Rosa, when the members
t his command assembled, Esteban
Tas up and ready. He had made his
to destroy Pancho Cueto's
eds, and since the road oyer the hills
D La Joya was long he had summoned
hem early.
BE careful" Rosa implored him. ~
hall die nf rucpnuCnr