1 THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA. RAINBOW'S END Svvvvvvvvyvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvfrvvvvvvvivvvvvvv FOREWORD The Cuba of the days of Weyler and Gomez and the ragged, half-starved bands of "insurrectos" furnishes an admirable background for this delightful story, in which love, war and the search for a buried treasure are the principal strands that are interwoven to make a plot that is worthy of the mind of Rex Beach. The author of "The Spoilers," "The Barrier," and other stirring tales, has produced his most thrillinq story in "Rainbow's End." CHAPTER I. The Valley of Delight. In nil probability your first view of the'volley of tho Yumurl will bo from the Her-nltngo of Montscrrute, for It Ib there that tho cochoros drive you. There yon overlook tho fairest sight In nil Christendom "tho loveliest valley 'In tho world," ns Humboldt called It for the Yumurl nestles right nt your feet, n vale of pure delight, a gllmpso of Paradise that bowlldcrs the eyq and fills the foul with ecstasy Standing beside tho shrine of Our Lady of Montscrrntc, you will sou be yond th't cleft through which tho river emerges nnother hill, Ln Cumbre, from which tho view Is wonderful, and your driver may tell you about tho splendid homes that used to grace Us slopes itn the golden days when Cuba had an aristocracy. Your cochero may point lout a ccrtnln grove of orango trees, now little more than a rank tangle, 'and tell you about tho qulntn .of Don Esteban Varonn, and lta hidden treas ure: about llttlo Esteban nnd Itosa, tho twins; and about Sebastian, tho giant slave, who died ln fury, taking with him tho secret of tho well. The Spanish Main is rich ln talcs of treasure-trove, for when tho Antilles were most affluent they were least so' euro, and men wero put to strange shifts to protect their fortunes. Cer tain hoards, like jewels of tragic JiIb tory, In time assumed a sort of evil personality, not Infrequently exercising a dire lnfluenco over tho lives of thtiso who chanced to fnll under their spells. It was as If tho money wero accursed, for certainly tho seekers often came to evil. Of such a character was tho Varona treasure Don Estebnn himself was neither better nor worso than other men of hts time, and although part of the money he hid was wrung from the toll of slaves and tho trafllc In their bodies, much of It was clean enough, nnd In tlmo tho earth purified It all. Since his acts tnndo so deep an Impress, and since the trcasuro ho left played so big n part In the destinies of those who camo after him, It Is well that somo accpunt of theso matters should be given. i She story, please remember, Is an old one; It has been often told, and In the telling and retelling It Is but natural that a certain glamour, a ccrtnln tropical cxtravngance, should attach to It, therefore you should make allow ance for some exaggeration, somo ac cretions duo to the lapse of time. In the main, however, It is well authenti cated and runs parallel to fact. Dounn Itosa Varonn lived barely long enough to learn thnt she had given birth to twins. Don Estebnn, whom people knew ns u grim man, took tho blow of his sudden berenvemont as bo came ono of his strong liber. Leaving the priest upon his knees nnd tho doc tor busied with the bnblcs, ho strode through the house and out Into tho sunset, followed by tho walls of tho sla.ve women, ' Don Esteban was at heart a solflsh man, nnd now, therefore, ho felt a sul len, fierce resentment mingled with kls grltf. What trick was this? ho asked himself. Whnt hnd ho done to Hcrit such misfortune? Hnd he not Made rich gifts to tho church? Had ho not knelt and prayed for his wife's safe delivery and then hung his gifts upon the sacred Image, ns Loyola hud hung, up his weapons before thnt other counterpart o'f Our Lady? Don Este ban scowled at the memory, for those items wero of the finest. He- looked up from his unhappy musings to find n gigantic bare footed negro standing before him. The slave was middle-aged; his kinky hair was growing gray ; "but ho was of superb proportions, and tho muscles which showed through the rents In his cotton garments were as smooth nnd supple as those of a stripling, Ills black fuco was puckered with grief, as he began: "Master, is It true that Donnn Rosa " Tho fellow choked. "Yes," Esteban nodded, wearily, "she Is dead, Selmstlnn.'l Tears came to Sebastian's eyes aud overflowed his checks; ho stood mo tionless, striving to volco Ids sympathy, At length ho said: uHlw wns too good for this world. By REX BEACH God was jealous and took here to Para dise." Tho widowed man cried out angrily: "Pnrndlsol What Is this but Para dise?" He stared with resentful eyes nt tho benuty round nbout him. "See I Tho Yumurl I" Don Estebnn Hung a long arm outward. "Do you think there is u sight like thnt ln heaven? Pnrn dlso Indeed I I gave her everything. She gained nothing by dying." With n grnvo thoughtfulnoss which proved him. superior to tho ordlnnry slnvc, Sebastian replied: "Truol She had nil that nny wom an's heart could desire, but in return for your goodness she gnvo you chil dren. You have lost her, but you have gained an heir, and a beautiful girl baby who will grow to bo nnother Donnn Rosa. I grieved ns you grieve, once upon a time, for my woman died In childbirth, too. You remember? But my daughter lives, nnd she has Drought sunshine Into my old age. Thnt is the purpose of children." Ho pnused and shifted his weight uncertainly, digging his stiff bluck toes Into the dirt. After a time he said, slowly: "Excellency! Now, nbout tho well i" "Yes. Whnt nbout It?" "Did the Donnn Itosa confide her sharo of tho secret to anyone? Thoso priests nnd those doctors, you know " "She died without speaking." "Then It rests between you nnd me?" "It docs, unless you have babbled." "Master I" Sebnstinn drew himself up and there wns rent dignity ln his blnck fnco. "Understand, my whole fortune Is thorc everything, even to tho deeds of patent for tho plantations. If I thought there wns danger o you bctruylng mo I would have your tongue pulled out and your eyes torn from their sockets." Tho block mnn spoke with n sim plicity that carried conviction : "Times uro unsettled, Don Esteban, and death comes without warning, You are known to bo tho richest man In this province and these government officials nro robbers. ' Suppose I should he left alono? What then?" The planter considered for a mo ment "Well, when my children nro old enough to hold their tongues they will havo to bo told. If I'm gone, you shall be the ono to tell them. Now lcavo me ; this Is no time to speak of such things." Sebastian went as noiselessly ns ho had come. On his way back to his quar ters ho took tho path to tho well tho place where most of his tlmo was ordi narily spent. Sebastian hnd dug this well, nnd with his own hands he had beautified Its surroundings until they wero the loveliest on the Varonn grounds. It was Sebastian's task to keep this place green, and thither ho took his way, from force of habit. Through tho twilight camo Pancho Cueto, the manager, a youngish man, with a narrow face and bold, close-set eyes. Spying Sebastian, ho began i "So Don Esteban has , an heir at Inst?" The slave rubbed his eyes with tho heel of his huge yellow palm and an awercd, respectfully: "Yes, Don Pancba. Two Httlo angels. n boy and a gtrL" His gray brows drew together In a painful frown, "Donnn Itosa was a saint. No doubt thero la great rejoicing In heaven at her coming. Eh? What do you think?" "Ura-ml Possibly. Don Estebnn will miss her for a time nnd ttien, I dare say, ho will remarry." At tho negro's exclamation Cueto said: "Sol And why not? Everybody knows how rich ho Is. From Orlcnto to Plnnr del Rio tho women have heard about his treas ure." "Whnt trensuro?" asked Sebastian, ufter un Instant's pnusc. Cueto's dnrk eyes gleamed resent fully nt this show of Ignorance, but ho laughed. "Ho I There's n careful fellow for you I No wondor ho trusts you. But do you think I havo neither eyes nor ears? My good Sebastian, you know nil nbout thnt treasure; ln fact, you know far mora nbout many tilings than Don Estebnn would caro to lmve you tell. Como now, don't you?" Sebastian's face wns like n mask carved from ebony. "Of what does this treasure consist?" ho Inquired. "I havo never heard nbout It." "Of gold, of Jewels, of silver bars nnd precious ornaments." Cueto's hend wns thrust forward, his nostrils wero diluted, his teeth gleamed, "Oh, It Is somewhere nbout, ns you very well know I Unlit Don't deny It. I'm no fool. Whnt becomes of tho money from tho slave girls, eh? And tho sugar Crops, too? Does It go to buy arms nud ammunition for tho rebels? No. Don Estebnn hides It, and you help him. Come," ho cried, disregard Ing SebaBtlan's murmurs of protest "did you ever think how fabulous thnt fortune must bo by this time? Did you ever think thnt ono llttlo gem, ono bag of gold, would buy your freedom? "Don Hstebnn has promised to buy my freedom and tho freedom of my girl." "So?" Tho manager wns plainly surprised. "I didn't know thnt." After ti moment he begun to lntigh. "And yet you pretend to know nothing nbout thnt trcasuro? llnl You're a good boy, Sebastian, and bo I nm. I admire you. We ro both loynl to our mnster, eh? nut now ubout Evnngellna." Author of "The Iron Trail," "The Spoilers," "Heart of the Sunset," Etc; 'Copyrltfht, by Htrper and Brother) Cueto's fnco took on a craftier expres sion. "She Is n likely girl, nnd when sho grows up she will bo worth more than you, her fnthcr. Don't forget thnt Don Estebnn Is before nil clso n busi ness mnn. He careful that some ono doesn't mnko him so good nn offer for your girl thnt he will forget his prom ise nnd sell her." Sebnstinn uttered n hoarse, nnlmnl cry nnd the whites of his eyes showed through the gloom. "Ho would never sell Evangcllnnt" Cueto laughed nloud once more. "Of course I He would not dare, oh? I am' only tensing you. Hut sec I You have given yourself nwny. Everything you tell me proves that you know nil about thnt trensure." ' "I know but one thing," tho slnvc declnred, stiffening himself slowly, "nnd that Is to bo fnlthful to Don Es tebnn." He turned nnd departed, Ienv lng Pnncho Cueto storing after him medltntlvely. In the dnys following the birth of his children and the denth of his, wife, Don Esteban Varona, ns hnd been Ids custom, steered n middle course In politics, In that way mannglng to nvold n clnsh with the Spanish ofliclnls who ruled the island, or nn open break with his Cuban neighbors, who rebelled be- ncath their wrongs. Estebnn dcnlt diplomatically with both fnctlons nnd went on raising slaves and sugar to his own great profit. Tho twins. Estebnn and Itosn. devel oped Into healthy children and became tho pride of Sebastian and his daugh ter, Into whoso caro they had been given. . As for Evnngellna, the young ncgress, sho grew tall nnd strong nnd handsome, until she was tho finest slavo girl ln tho neighborhood. Then, one day, Don Estebnn Vnronu remarried, and tho Donnn Isabel, who had been a famous Hubann benuty, enmo to live at tho qulnta. Tho daugh ter of Impoverished parents, she had heard nnd thought much about tho mysterious trcasuro of La Cumbre., Before the first fervor of his honey- ntoon cooled the groom began to fear thnt ho hnd mado a serious mlstnke. Donnn Isnbcl, ho discovered, wns both vnln'and selfish. Not only did sho crnvo luxury and display, but with sin gular persistence she demanded to know all about her husband's financial nffnlrs. Now Don Estebnn wns no longer young; ngo hnd soured him with sus picion, nnd when onco he saw hlmgclf us the victim of a mercenary mnrrlngo he turned bitterly ngnlnst his wife. Her curiosity he sullenly resented, nnd he unblushlngly denied his possession Of any considerable wealth. In fnct, ho tried with malicious Ingenuity to ranko her bcllcvo him a poor man. But Isnbcl wns not of tho sort to be readily deceived. Finding her nrts nnd co quetries of no avail, she flew Into n rngc, nnd n furious qun'rrcl ensued the first of mnny. For tho lndy could not rest without knowing nil there wns to know nbout the trensure. Sho searched the qulntn, of course, whenever she had a, chance, but sho discovered nothing with tho result thnt tho mystery begjin to engross her whole (bought. She pried Into the ob scurest corners, sho questioned tho slaves, she lny awnko at night listening to Esteban s breathing, In the hope of surprising his secret from his dreams. At length a time camo when they lived ln frank enmity; when Isnbel never spoke to Estebnn except In reproach or auger, and when Esteban unlocked his Hps only to taunt his wlfo with the fnct thnt sho had been thwarted de spite her cunning. It wns only natural under such con ditions thnt Donnn Isnbel should lenrn to dlsllko her stepchildren Estebnn hnd told her frankly that they would Inherit whatever fortuno ho possessed. As may bo Imagined, sho found wnys to vent her spite upon the twins. Sho widened her hatred so ns to Include old Sebastian nnd his daughter, nnd even went so fnr ns to persecute Evnnge llna's sweetheart, n slave nnmed Asen slo. It had not taken Donna Isnbel long to guess the reason for Sebastian's many privileges, nnd ono of her first offorts hnd been to win the old man's confidence. It was ln vnln, however, that she llattcred nnd cajoled, or stormed and threatened; Sebastian withstood her us n towering celba with Btunds tho summer hent nnd the win ter hurricane. His firmness mado her vindictive, nnd so In tlmo sho laid a "scheme to estrange him from hts master. Dounn Isabel wns crafty. Sho began to complain about Evangollnn, but It wns only ufter mnny months thnt she ventured to suggest to her husband thnt ho sell tho girl. Estebnn, of course, refused point-blank ; he wns too fond of Sebastian's daughter, he de clnred, to think of such a thing. "So, Hint Is It," sneered Donna Isa bel. "Well, -Bho Is young nnd shnpely nnd hnndsome, us wenches go. I rather suspected you woro fond of her" With difficulty Estebnn restrained an oath. "You mlstnko my meaning," ho snld sillily. "Sebastian has served mo fnlthfully, and Evnngellna plays with my children. Sho Is good to them; sho Is more of u mother to them than you hnvo ever been." "Is that why you dress her llko n ludy? Baht A likely story 1" Isabel tossed her fine, dnrk hend. "I'm not blind ; I see whnt goes on about me. I won't hnve thnt wench ln my house." (loaded to fury by his wife's sense less nccusntion, Estebnn cried: "Your house? By whnt license do you cnll it yours?" "Am I not mnrrlcd to you?" "l'cs as n leech Is married to Its victim. You suck my blood." v 'Your blood 1" Tho womnn laughed shrilly. "You have no blood; your veins run vinegar. You ure n miser." "Miser I Miser I I grow sick of tho word. It Is all you find to taunt me with. Confess thnt you married me for my money," ho roared. "Of course I did I Do you think a womnn of my benuty would marry you for anything else? But a fine bargain I made I" "Vnmpirel" "Wife or vampire, I Intend to rule this house, nnd I refuse to be shamed by a thick-lipped African. Her nlrs tell her story. She Is insolent to me, but I shn'n't endure It. She lnughs nt me. Well, your friends shnll lnugh nt you." "Sliencol" commanded Estebnn. "Sell her, or" Without wnitlng to heur her thrent Estebnn tossed his nrras . above his head and fled from th room. Flinging himself Into the 6 ' le, ho spurred down the hill nnd through, the town to the Cnslno do Espnnol, where he spent the night nt enrds with the Spanish .of ficials. But he did not sell Evnngelinn. In tho dnys that followed mnny slml- lnr scenes occurred, nnd ns Estebnn's home life grew more unhnppy his dlssl pntlons lncrcnsed. He drank and gnm blcd heavily ; he brought his friends to the qulnta with him, and strove to fdr- get domestic unpleasantness In boister ous revelry. Ills wife, however, found opportuni ties enough to wenry nnd exasperate him with rcpronches regarding tho slave girl. CHAPTER 'II. Spanish Gold. The twins wero seven years old when Donna Isabel's schemes bore their first bitter fruit, and the occasion was n particularly uproarious night when Don Estebnn entertained a crowd of his Cnstlllan friends. Little Itosn wns nwnkened nt n late hour by the laugh ter nnd shouts of her father's guests. Sho wns nfrnld, for there Vas some thing strange about the voices, somo quality to them which wns foreign to tho child's experience. Creeping Into her brother's room, she nwoke him, nnd "Your Father Has Sold Me to Him!" together they listened. Itosa began to whimper, and when, Esteban tried to reassure her his own volco was thin and reedy from frjght. In the midst of their agitation they heard sumu one weeping ; there camo u rush, of feet down tho hullwny, nnd tho next Instnnt Evnngelinn flung herself Into the room. She fell upon her knees before them "Little mnster I Llttlo mistress I" she sobbed. "You will save me, won't you? We lovo each other, eh? See then, what a crime this 1st Say that you will save mo!" Tho children were frightened, but they managed to quaver: "What bus happened? Who has harmed you?" "Don Pablo Peza," wept the negress "Your father has sold mo to him lost me nt enrds. Oh, I shall dlol Sebas tian won't believe It He Is praying. And Asenslo But whnt can they do to help me? You alono can save me, You won't let Don Pablo take me awny? It would kill mo." "Walt I" Estebnn scrambled out of bed nnd stood before his dusky nurse und playmate. "Don't cry any more. I'll tell papa thnt you don't like Dou Pnblo." Itosa followed. "Yes, como along, brother," she cried, shrilly. "We'll tell Don Pablo to go homo nnd lenvo our Evnngelinn." . "My blessed doves I- But will they listen to you?" moaned tho slnve. "Pnpu docs whatever we ask," they assured her, gravely, "If he should growl we'll como bach nnd hide you In tho big wnrdrobe whew nobody will ever find you." Then hand In hnnd, with their long nightgowns lifted to their knees, they pattered out Into the hnll and down townrd tho living room, whence enmu the shouting and the laughter. Don Mario do Cnstano, who wns fac ing tho door, stopped ln the midst of a ribald song to cry: "God be praised I What's this I see?" " Tho others looked and then burst Into merriment, fdr across the litter of cards and dice and empty glasses- they saw a dimpled girl and boy, na like aa two peas. They were Just out of bed ; they were peering through the smoke, nnd blinking llko two little owls. "Sol You uwnken the household with your songs," some ono chlded Don Mario. "Two cherubs from henven," nnother exclaimed. But the fnther lurched forwnrd, a frown upon his fuce. "Whnt Is this, my dears?" he Inquired, thickly. "Run back to your beds. This Is no place for you." "We love Evungcllnn," piped tho twins. "You, must not let Don Pnblo hnve her if you plense." "Evnngelinn?" They nodded. "We lovo her. . . , She plnys with us every dny. . . . We wnnt her to stny here. . . . Sho belongs to us." Accustomed ns they wero to prompt compliance with their demands, they spoke imperiously; but they had never seen n frown like this upon their fa ther's fnce. "Go to your rooms, my sweethearts," Don Esteban directed. "We want Evnngellna. Sho belongs to us," they chorused, stubbornly. Don "Pnblo shook with Inughter. "Sol She belongs to you, eh? And I'm to be robbed of my winnings. Very well, then, come nnd give me a kiss, both of you, nnd I'll see whnt enn be done." But the children snw thnt Don Pnb- lo's fnce whb strangely flushed, thnt his eyes' were wild nnd hts magnificent beard was wet with wine; therefore they hung back. "You won your bet fairly," Esteban growled nt him. "Pny no heed to these bnbles." "Evangellna Is ours,'' the little ones bravely repented. Then their fnther exploded: "The devil t Am I drenmlng? Where havo you learned to. oppose me? Back to your beds, both of'you." Seeing them hesitate, ho shouted for his wife. "Ho, there! Isabel, my love I Come put these Imps to rest. Or must I teach them manners with my palm? A fine thing, truly I Are they to be allowed to room tho house at will and get a fever?" Mere mention of their stepmother's name was enough for Rosn nnd Este bnn; they scuttled nwny us fnst ns they could go, and when Donna Isabel came to their rooms, a few moments Inter, she found them In their beds. with their eyes deceitfully squeezed shut. Evnngelinn was cowering in a corner. Isabel hnd overhenrd the wnger, nnd her soul wns evilly alight; she Jerked the slavo girl to her feet and with a blow of her palm sent her to her quarters. Then she turned her at tention to the twins. When sho left them they were weeping silently, both for themselves nnd for Evangellna, whom they dearly loved. Dny wns breaking when Estebnn Vnronn bnde his guests good-by at the door of his house. As he stood there Sebastian enme to 1dm out of the mists of the dawn. He was half crazed from npprehenslon, nnd now cast him self prone before his master, begging for Evnngelinn. The secret of the hldlno place of the burled treasure dies with the two men who pos sess it How this happened la told In the next Installment ae (TO BE CONTIIjUKD.) Pref-r (vjusical Education. Music, moro than tho other nrts, Is n thing apart, and the Instinctive knowledge of It, discovered sometimes in even" the youngest children where a rich musical experience Is offered, Is pnst nil computation by the educa tional mind. The Jealous tutorial mind which presumes to tench music to tho young without allowing nnd nsurlng uiem n ricn experience or music, nna to dclny by the penurious educational method, however well meaning, the child's or youth's contact with musical life, Is ns llttlo thrifty ns one who would dam up the springs of a river to construct a menger arain pipe. isx change. The Alert Auditor. "Anybody pay much attention to your speech?" "One person," replied Smator Sorghum. 'The stenographer wps obliged to get every word of It" HOW TO AVOID - BACKACHE AND NERVOUSNESS Told by Mrs. Lynch From Own Experience. Providence. It. I. "I waa all run down in health, was nervous, had head actios, my dbck nched all the time: I was tired and had no ambition for any thing . I bad takes a number of medi cines which did ma no good. One day I read about Lydia E. Pinkbam's Vege table Compound and what it bad dono for women, so I tried it My norvousnesa and backache and headaches disappeared. I gained is Weight and feel lino, so I can honestly Recommend Lydia E. Pinkham'a Vege table Compound to any woman who ia Buffering as I was. " Mrs. AbEUNB B. LYNCH, 100 Plain St, Providence, B.L -rit 1 uaci.acno ana nervousness are symp toms or nature's warnings, which in dicate a functional disturbance or as unhealthy condition which often devel ops into a more serious ailment Women in this condition Bhould sot continue to drag along without help, but profit Ly Mrs. Lynch s experience, and try this famocw root and herb remedy. L-ycua ti. v inicnam a vegotaoia (Jom- Eound and for special advice write to .ydiaE.Pinkham Med. Co., Lynn, Ma, What De Yoh Knew Atat CATTLE? De Yob Want to Kaow Ika CATTLE BUSINESS? Drop u a post card today an4 get FKHB lN-'OI-MATIOrt oboss tbe Now Book, "CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN about all breeds of cattle on carta. . DAVID ROBERTS' VETERINARY CO.. A 100. WUM.EWI, VM. W. N. U., OMAHA, NO. 17-1918. Reverse Result I IT- 1 -... .. .. - II . .TV. uuui iuuu lllUL luiui liiuuejf. ivujr not?" "Because you'll be borrowing trouble." Farmers I Write today to the SKIN NER PACKING COMPANY. Suite 012, First National Bank Building, Omaha, Nebraska, ln regard tb Omaha's Now Day Light Snow White Independent Packing Plant Adv. The wise man makes hay while tho sun shines, but the fool sows wild oata by electric light Marriage a la Mode. "Would you give up your happy homo for me?" "I might." ''Goqd I" , . "But remember, I- won't give up my matinee crowd or my dancing sot "or my bridge club." Loulsvillo Courier- Journal. It Didn't Pay. The poets nnd others, mnlnly other. hnve sung of the virtues' nnd blessings of sleep. No class of men guards sleep ns cnrefully ns the doctors. Some one, with nil the wise theories of ndvertlslng, decided to mnll his lit tle cnll for business to the medlcnl men of Indlnnnpolls. He spent a large sum getting up somo real snappy stuff. Ho figured out nil the psychology nnd personal appeal, with all of the big "I" stuff he could, and then some. He laid plans to renp n harvest He did not His good money went to the printer. More went to Uncle Sam for stamps. This wise ad writer put a special de livery stamp on each of his letters. Result : The doctors of Indianapolis were awakened nbout 1 a. m. to sign for a bunch of printed matter. Every doctor seen says he tore up the booklet nnd with curses deposited the unrend pieces ln the waste-paper bnsket or elsewhere. With gronns nnd hnrsh words the medlcnl men went back to bed. It was a great idea. Indianapolis News. A. Package Grape-Nuts teaches food conservation. Saves FUEL SUGAR TIME WHEAT AND WASTE SOLD . BY GROCERS. Si JS9 'Ml