The Mena weekly star., 1918-10-31
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Continued from last week.)

me"
 CT believe you. I knew all the lime it was here. Well? Where is it7'
 Sebastian hesitated and said. pite- ously, q am dying"
 Isabel could scarcely contain herself. "rIl give you water, but first tell me where-wherel God in heaveni Can't you see thatI, too, am perishing7"
 q must have drink"
 "Tel me first"
 Sebastian lifted his head and, meet ing the speakers eyes, laughed hoarse- ly.
 At the sound of his unnatural merri- ment Isabel recoiled as if stung. She stared at the slaves face in amazement and then in fury. She stammered. in- coherently, "You-yOu have been lyingp
 "Oh moi The treasure is there. the greatest treasure in all Cuba, but you shall never know where 1t Is. I'll see to that. It was you who sold my girl; it was you who brought me to this; 1t was your hand that whipped me. Weli, I'll tell Don Esteban how you tried to bribe his secret from mel What do you think he'll do then? Ehf You'll feel the lash on your white back"
 "You fooll' Donna Isabel looked murder. 'Tll punish you for this: I'll make you speak if have to rub your wounds with salt"
 But Sebastian closed his eyes wearily. You can't make me suffer more than I have suffered" he said. And now-I curse you. May that treasure be the death of you. May you live in torture like mine the rest of your days may your beauty turn to ugliness such that men will spit at you; may you never know peace again until you die in poverty and want"
 But Donna Isabel, being supersti- tious, fed with her fingers in her ears; nor did she undertake to make good her barbarous threat, realizing oppor- tunely that 1t would only serve to be- tray her desperate intentions and put her husband further on his guard.
 As the sun was sinking beyond the AAA tutA Aiii Ol lilt ulluIl duU lilt Nul- ley was beginning to fill with shadows Esteban Varona rode up the hill His temper was more evil than ever, if that were possible. for he had drunk again in an effort to drown the memory of hls earlier actions. With him were Pablo Peza, and Mario de Castano, Col Men- doza Linares, old Pedro Miron, the advocate, and others of less oonse- quence, whom Esteban had gathered from the Spanish club. The host dis mounted and lurched across the court yard to Sebastian.
 "So, my fine fellow" he began. Have you had enough of rebellion by this timeT
 Sebastian's face was working as he turned upon his master to say: q would be lying if I told you that I am sorry for what did. It is you who have done wrong. Your soul is black with this crime. Where is my girl77
 "Ihe devil! To hear you talk one would think you were free man." The planters eyes were bleared and he orandished his riding-whip threaten lngly. T do as please with my slaves. tolerate no insolence. Your girlf well, she's in the house of Salvador, Don Pablo's eochero, where she be- longs."
 Sebastian had hung sick and limp against the grating, but at these words ne suddenly reused. He strained at ms manacles and the bars groaned un- ger his weight. His eyes began to roll, ms lips drew back over his blue gums. Noting his expression of ferocity, Este pan cut at his naked back with the rlding-whip, crying:
 "Ho Not subdued yet, eh? You need another fiogging."
 Curse you and all that Is yours" foared the maddened slave. May you know the misery you have put upon me. May you rot for a million years in nell. May your children's bodies grow ntny with disease; may they starve; may they"
 sebastian was yelling. though his soice was hoarse with pain. The lash urew blood with every blow. Mean "hiie he wrenched and tugged at his ponds with the fury of maniac.
 faDlol Your machete, quick I" panted the slaveowner. '1ll make an enu of this black fiend. once for all"
 HsteDan Varona's guests had looked oh at the scene with the same mild in- 'erest they would display at the whip plng or a balky horse; and, now that tue animal threatened to become dan serous, it was in their view quite the proper thing to put it out of the way. poh Pablo Peza stepped toward his mare to draw the machete from its scaDoard. But he did not hand it to ms Friend. He heard a shout and turned in time to see a wonderful and terrible thing.
 Sepastian had braced his naked feet against the wall; he had bowed his "ack and bent his massive shoulders - pack and a pair of shoulders that .yoAeu as bony and muscular as those - an ox-and he was heavlng with esery ounce of strength in his enor- nous body. As Pablo stared he saw .-e heavy grating come away from It's @Acnorage in the solid masonry. as q sru sr,run IS uprooted from soft ground. ne rods bent and twisted: there WAS 0ahA and rattle @aa clash of metal