Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1919-10-15
CHAPTER VIII.
The snanish nouhIoon.

| On the whole, Pancho Cueto's plans
had worked smoothly. After denounc-
ing the Varona twins as traitors he had
managed to have himself appointed
trustee for the crown, for all their
properties, consummation for-which he
had worked from the moment he read
that letter Of Esteban's on the morn
ing after Donna Isabers death. That
there was a treasure Cueto had never
doubted, and, once the place was his
TO do with as he chose, he began his
search.
! Commencing at the lower edge of the
grounds, he ripped them up with Sc
ries of deep trenches and cross-cuts.
1t was task that required the labor
of many men for several weeks, and
when it was finished there was scarce
" growing thing left upon the place.
Only a few of the larger trees re-
mained Cueto was disappointed at
finding nothing, but he was not dis
cOurage1. Next he tore down the old
slave barracoons and the outbuildings,
after which he completely wrecked the
residence itself. He pulled it apart bit
by bit, brick by brick. He even dug up
| It's foundations, but without the reward
of SC much as n single peseta. FL
nally, when the villa was but heap
of rubbish and the grounds a scar
upon the slope of La Cumbre, he de-
sisted, bafIled, incredulous, while all
! Matanzas laughed at him. Having sac
rificed his choicest residence, he re-
tired in chagrin to the plantation OF
| La Joya.
! But Cueto was now man with
/ grievance. He burned with rage, and
his contempt for the boy and girl he
/ had wronged soured into hatred. In
time he began TO realize also that SO
/ long rs they lived they would jeop
! ardize his tenure of their property.
Public feeling, at present, was high;
there was intense bitterness against all
rebels; but the war would end some,
| day. What then? Cueto asked him
! self sympathy was ever on the side
| of the weak and oppressed. There
! would come day of reckoning.
AS If to swell his discontinue and
1
/ at the head of the Yumuri issued ru.
mors of little band of guerrilleros,
| under the leadership of a beardiess
! boy-a band of blacks who were max
| ing the upper valley unsafe for Span
iSh scouting parties.
Cursing the name Of Varona, Pancho
! Cueto armed himself He did not ven
ture far alone. and, like Donna Isabel
/ before him, he began to have bad
dreams at night.
| One day, field of Cueto'S cane was
burned, and his laborers reported see
| ing Esteban and. some negroes riding
! into the wood. The eyerSeer took
horse within the hour and rode pell-
| nell to Matanzas. In the city at this
| time was q certain Colonel Cobo, in
command of Spanish volunteers, these
execrable convict troops FROM the Isle
| of Pines whose atrocities had already
! marked them rs wolves rather than
men. and to him PancEo vert With
/ his story.
"Ah. yes, That varona boy. I've
heard of him." Cobo remarked, when
! his caller had finished his account. lie
has reason to hate you, / dare say, fo.
you robbed him." The colonel smiled
disagreeably:
Caetn rlurmured something TO the
1 effect that the law had placed him in
his position as trustee for the crown.
and shoulc therefore protect idIn; but
! Colonel coDos reS.seet for TIE. Iaw- y