The Ordway new era., 1918-09-06
CHAPTER /.
1he Valley Of peIiah,.
i

The Valley Of Delight.
In all probability your first view OF
the valley Of the Yumuri will be from
the Hermitage Of NOntserrate. for II Is
there that the cOcheros drive you.
There you overlook the falrest sight In
all ChrlstendorD-"the lOyeiiest valley
ia the world" as Humboldt called it.
for the Yumuri nestles right at your
feet. vale Of pure delight a glimpse
Of Paradise that bewllders the eye and
nlJs the soul with ecstnsy.
Standing beside the shrine Of our
Lady Of MOntserrate. you will see be-
you'd the cleft through which the river
emerges another hill. In Cumbre. from
which the view is wonderful. and your
driver may tell you about the splendid
homes that used 20 grace It's slopes
ia the golden days when Cuba had an
nristOcracy. Your cocherO may point
out n certain grove VI orange trees,
now little more than rank thngle.
and tell you about The qulntn Of Don
Esteban yarona. and it's hidden treaS-
ure; about little Egteban and Rosa, the
twins; and about Sebastian. the giant
slave. who died In fury. taking with
MIN the secret Oi the Wen.
The Spanish Main is rich In tales OF
treasure-troye, for when the Antilles
were most afiiuent they were least Sc
cure. and men were put to strange
shifts to protect their fortunes. Ger
tain boards. like Jewels OF tragic his
tory. In time assumed sort Of evil
personality, not infrequently exercising
n dire influence over the lives Of those
who chanced to fall under their spells.
II was as II the money were nccursed,
for certainly the seekers often came
to evil. OF such character WAS the
yarona treasure. Don Esteban himself
was neither better nor worse than
other men OF his time and although
part OF the money he hid was wrung
from the toll Of slaves and the traffic
In their bodies. much OF II was clean
enough, and In time the earth purified
II nil. Since his acts mude so deep an
Impress, and since the treasure he left
played so big part in the destinies of
those who came after him. II II well
that GONE account OF these matters
should be given.
The story, please remember. is nn
old one; 1t has been often told, and In
the telling and retelling 1t IL but natural
that II certain glamour certain
tropical extravaganza. should attach to
1t. therefore you should make allow
nnce for some exaggeration. some ac-
cretions due to the lapse OF time. In
the main, however, It is well authcnti-
Gated and runs parallel to fact.
Donna Rosa Vnrona lived barely long
enough to learn that she had given
birth TO twins. Don Esteban. whom
people knew as grim man, took the
blow OF his sudden bereavement ns be-
came one OF his strong fiber. Leaving
the priest upon his knees and the doc
tor busted with the babies he strobe
through the house and out into the
sunset, followed by the walls OF the
slave women.
Don Estebnn was ut heart selfish
man, and now. therefore, he felt sui
len, fierce resentment mingled with
his grief What trick was thisi he
asked himself. What had he done 10
merit such misfortune? Had he not
mnde rich gifts to the church; Had he
not knelt and prayed for his wife's
safe delivery and then hung his gifts
upon the sncred Image, ns Loyoln had
hung up his weabons before That other
counterpart OF Our Lndyf Don Este
ban scowled nj the memory, for those
gems were of the finest.
He. looked up from his unhappy
musings to lind n gigantic bare
footed negro standing before him.
The slave was middle-aged; his klnlly
hair was growing gray: but he was Of
superb proportions, and the muscles
which showed through the rents In his
cotton garments were as smooth and
supple ns those OF n STRIPPING. His
black face was puckered with grief,
as he began:
Master, is II true that Donnn Rosa
-" The fellow choked.
"Yes." Esteban nodded, wearily, 'she
Is dead, Sebastian"
Tears came to Sebasiian's eyes and
ovcrnowed his cheeks; he stood mo-
tionless, striving to voice his sympathy.
At length he said:
"She. was TOO good for this world.