The Raymer enterprise., 1919-02-06
'cspyrieht. ~ ianpsr and Drsthers,


she grows up she will be worth more
than you. her father. Don't forget that
Don Esteban Ii before all else a bust
ness man. Be careful that some one
doesn't make him 20 good an offer for
your girl that he will forget his prom
ise and-sell her"
Sebastian uttered 4 hoarse. animal
CRY and the whites Of bis eyes showed
through the gloom. HE would never
sell Evangellna
Cueto laughed aloud once more. ''Of
course! He would not dare, ehf am
only teasing you. But seei You have
given yourself away. Everything you
tell me proves that you know oil about
that treasure"
Il know but one thing" the slave
declared. stiffening himself slowly.
and that Ii to be faithful to Don Es-
teban." He turned and departed. ieav-
Ing Pancho Cueto staring after him
med!tatively.
In the days following the birth Of
his children and the death Of his wife,
Don Esteban varona, a. had been his
custom. steered q middle course In
politics. in that way managing to avoid
q clash with the Spanish ofiicials who
ruled the island. or an open break with
bis Cuban neighbors. who rebelled b.
neath their wrongs. Esteban dealt
diplomatcally with both factions and
went on raising slaves and sugar to bis
own great profit
The twins. Estsban and Rosa, devel-
oped into healthy children and became
the pride Of Sebastian and his daugh-
ter. into whose care they had been
given. ~ for Evangelina, the young
negress. she grew tall and strong and
handsome. until she was the finest
slave girl In the neighborhood.
Then. one day. Don Esteban varona
remarked. and the Donna Isabel. who
had been q famous Habana beauty.
came to live at the quinta. The daugh-
ter Of impoverished parents. she had
heard and thought much about the
mysterious treasure of La Cumbre.
Before the first fervor Of his honey
moon cooled the groom began to fear
that he had made serious mistake.
Donna Isabel. he discovered, was both
vain and selfish. Not only did she
crave luxury and display, but with sin.
gular persistence she demanded to
know all about her husbands financial
Affairs.
Now Don Esteban was no longer
young; age had soured him with sus.
plcion. and when once be saw himself
as the victim of q mercenary marriage
he turned bitterly against his wife,
H9 curiosity he sullenly resented. and
hs unblushingly denied his possession
Of any considerable wealth. In fact
he tried with malicious ingenuity "a
make her believe him q poor man. But
Isabel was not Of the sort to be readily
deceived. Finding her arts and co.
Quetries of no avail, she new into q
rage. and 4 furious quarrel ensued-
the frst Of many. For the lady could
not rest without knowing all there wai
to know about the treasure.
She searched the quinta, OF course
whenever she had q chance. but she
discovered nothing-with the result
that the mystery began to engross her
whole thought. She pried into the oh.
scurest corners. she questioned the
slaves. she lay awake At night listenins
TO Esteban's breathing. In the hope Of
surprising his secret from his dreams
At length time came when they lived
In frank enmity; when Isabel never
spoke to Esteban except In reproach OF
anger. and when Esteban unlocked hia
lips only to taunt bis wife with the
fact that she had been thwarted de.
spite her cunning.
II was only natural under such con
diuons that Donna Isabel should learn
to dislike her stepchildren-Estsban
had told her frankly that they would
inherit whatever fortune he possessed.
As may be imagined. she found ways
to vent her spite upon the twins. She
widened her hatred 20 a. to include old
Sebastian and his daughter. and even
went 70 far ~ to persecute Evange-
linaS sweetheart, q slave named Asen.
do.
II had not taken Donna Isabel long
to guess the reason for Sebasuan'a
many privileges, and one Of her nrst
efforts had been to win the old mans
confidence. II was In vain, however,
that she nattered and cajoled. OF
stormed and threatened: Sebastian
withstood her a. 4 towering ceiba with.
stands the summer heat and the win.
ter hurricane.
His nrmness made her vindictive,
and so In time she laid 4 scheme to
estrange him from his master.
Donna Isabel was crafty. She began
to complain about Evangelina, but II
was only after many months that she
ventured to suggest to her husband
that he sell the girl. Esteban, Of
course. refused point-blank he was toe
fond of Sebastian's daughter. he d.
clared. to think Of such thing.
$50, that Is It." sneered Donna lisa.
bel. swell. she 10 young and shapely
and handsome, as wenches 20. rather
suspected you were fond Of her"
With difficulty Esteban restrained an
oath, "You mistake my meaning" h