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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 28, 1918)
THE SEMI. WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NQEXH PLAHE kEHRASKA. jflii '77?PQr 772AJL " TfffPorLE&s " nfA?rormsmsr"m coPVTtroirr; by hakpf.p. ESTEBAN'S CONNECTION WITH THE INSURRECTOS BRINGS DISASTER UPON HIMSELF AND ROSA. Synopsis. Don Esteban Ynrona, n Cuban planter, hides tits wealth money, Jewels and title deeds In a well on his estate. The hiding place Is known only to Sebastian, n slave. Don ISstebnn's wife dies at the birth of twins, Estebnn and Hosu. Don Estebnn marries the avaricious Donna Isabel, who tries unsuccessfully to wring the secret of Jio hidden treasure from SebnMlun. Angered at his refusal, she urgte Don Kstcbnn to sell Evnngollnn, Sobnstlnn'n dnughtcr. Don Estcbnn refuses, hut In the course of a gambling orglc, he risks Evangellnn at cards and loses. Crazed by tho loss of hts daughter, Sebastian kills Don Esteban and Is himself killed. Many years puss and Donna Isabel Is unable to llnd the hidden treasure. Don Mario, rich sugar merchant, seeks to marry Itosa, who has returned from school In tho United States. Johnnie O'ltellly, an American, who loves Kosa, wins her promise to wait for him until ho can return from New York. CHAPTER IV Continued. Seating himself on one of the old tonc benches, tho young man lit a ifcnrctto and composed himself to wnlt. Ho sat there for a long time, grumbling inwardly, for the night was lmp nnd he wns sleepy; but at last a flguro etolo out of tho gloom nnd Joined him. Tho newcomer wns n rug jred negro, dressed in the fashion of the poorer country people. "Well, Ascnslo, I thought you'd never come. I'll get a fever from this I" Esteban snld irritably. "It is n long way, Don Esteban, and Evangellnn made me wait until dark. I tell you wo havo to bo careful these duys." "Whnt Is tho news? What did you hear?" Ascnslo sighed gratefully ns ho Rent ed himself. "Ono hears a great deal, but ono never knows what to believe. There is fighting In Santn Clara, and Alaceo sweeps westward." Taking tho unnddrcsscd letter from tils pocket, Esteban said, "I have an ther mcssngo for Colonel Lopez." "Thnt Lopez I no's hero todny and there tomorrow; ono can never llnd Him." "Well, you must find him, and Im mediately, Ascnslo. This letter con tains important news so important, In fact" Esteban laughed lightly "that If you find yourself in danger from tho Honnlurds I'd advise you to chew It up nad swallow It ns quickly as you can,' "I'll remember that," said the negro, "for there's danger enough. Still, I tfcnr these Spaniards less than the guerrilleros: they nro everywhere, trhoy call themselves patriots, but they fero nothing more than robbers. They" Ascnslo paused abruptly. Ho seized mlii companion by tho arm and, loan- What's That?" Clasped tho Neoro. RWK forward, stared across tho level mrdeu Into the shadows opposite Something was moving there, under ike trees: the men could sco that It ss white and formless, and that It pursued an erratic course. "What's that?" gasped tho negro. Ho began to tremblo violently and his rentn neenmo aumoio. usieunu was Ifteinpcllcd to hold him down by mutn perce, "It's old Don Esteban, your fa (Iter, They say ho walks nt midnight, Hurrying hts head In his two hands." Xoung Vnroua managed to whisper, with somo show of courage: "Hush! H'lt I I don't believe it) ghosts." Nov rthelCBs. ho was on tho point of set ting Ascnslo un exumpl of undignified flight wj"n the nvsioliiiiM object emerged f in . ii.iii' - Into (in and BROTiinaa. open moonlight; then -he sighed with relief: "Al'i-h! Now I seot It is my stepmother. She Is nsleep." For a moment or two they watched the progress of the white-robed llgure; than Estobnn stirred nnd rose from his scat. "She's too close to thnt woll. There Is " Ho started forward n pneo or two, "They say peoplo who walk at night go mnd if they're uwnk ened too suddenly, nnd yet " When tho somnambulist's deliberate progress toward tho mouth of the well continued ho called her name softly. "Donna Isabel!" Then ho repeated It louder. "Donna Isabel 1 Wako up." Tho woman seemed to hear nnd yet not to hear. Sho turned her head to listen,' but continued to walk. "Dont be ulnrmed," ho snld, rens- suriugly. "It is only Esteban Donnn Isabel I Stop!" Esteban sprang for wurd, shouting nt the top of his voice, for nt the sound of her namo Isabel had abruptly swerved to hor right, n movement which brought, her danger ously closo to tho Hp of tho well. "Stop I Go back 1" screnmed ; tho young man. Abovo his warning there came a shriek, shrill nnd agonized n wnll of such nbysmnl terror ns'to shock tho night birds and the insects into still ness. Donnn Isabel slipped, or stum bled, to her knees, sho balnnccd briefly, clutching nt random while tho enrtli and crumbling cement gnvo way be neath her; then she slid forward and disappeared, almost out from between Estcbun'a hands. Thcro was a noisy rattle of rock und pebble and n great splash far below; a chuckle of little Stones striking tho water, then n faint bubbling. Nothing more. Tho stepson stood In his tracks, sick, blind with horror ; ho wns swaying over the open Ing when Ascnslo dragged him back. Pnnclio Cucto, being a heavy sleeper, was tho lost to il ouscd by Esteban's outcries. When tie had hurriedly slipped Into his clothes in response to tho pounding on his door, tho few serv ants that tho establishment supported had been thoroughly awakened. Cueto thought thoy must bo out of their minds until he learned whnt had be fallen tho mistress of tho house. Then, being n man of action, ho too issued swift orders, with tho result thnt by tho time ho and Estcbnn had run to tho well n rope nnd lantern were ready for their use.- Bcforo Esteban could form and fit n loop for his shoulders there was Bufllclcnt help on hnnd to lower him Into tho treacherous abyss, That was a gruesome task which fell to Esteban, for tho well hnd been long unused, its sides wero oozing slime, Its waters wero stalo and blnck. He wns on the point of fainting when ho Anally climbed out, lenvlng tho negroes to hoist the dripping, Inert weight which ho had found nt the bottom. uiu oennsiinn's curso nau como truo; Donnn Isabel hnd met tho futo ho had called down upon her that day when ho hung exhausted In his chains nnd when tho illos tormented him Tho treasure for which tho woman hnd Intrigued so tirelessly had been her death. Furthermore, as If In grim mest Irony, sho had been permitted nt tho very last to llnd It. Living, sho had searched to no purpose whatso over; dying, sho hnd almost grasped it in her arms. Onco tho first excitement had nbntcd nnd a messenger had been sent to town, Cueto drow Esteban aside and questioned him. a snocKing trngcuy ami most pe culiar," said tho overseer. "Nothing could amaze me more. Tell mo, how did you como to bo there at such un hour, oh?" Esteban saw tho malevolent curlrs Wy in Cuoto's face nnd started. "I That Is my nfTnlr. Surely you don't think" . vomo, como i xou can trust me, The overseer winked and smlc "I had business that took mo there," sumy ucciared tho younger mau. "iwnetiyi And n profitable busi ness It proved!" Cueto laughed openly now. "Well. I don't mind tolllnu you Dumin Isabel's deuth Is no dlsuppolnt- nipnt to anyone, anybody coutd sec" "Stop I" Esteban was turning alter nately reil nnd white. "You seem to Imply something outrageous." Now let us be sensible. I under stand you perfectly, my boy. Hut nn ofllcer of tho Ouardla Civil may arrive at nny moment, nnd ho will want to know how you enmo to bo with yoir stepmother when she plunged into that trap. So propnre yourself." Young Vnrona wns watching his In quisitor now with n faintly speculative frown. When Cucto had finished, Es teban snld : "You would like me to confess to some black iniquity that would mnke us better friends, eh? Woll, It so hap pens that I wns not alone tonight, but that another person saw tho poor worn nn's death nnd can bear mo out In ev erything I say. No, Panrho, you over reach yourself. Now, then" Esteban wns quick-tempered, nnd for years he had struggled against an ' Instinctive distrust nnd dislike of the plantation manager "remember that I hnve be come the head of this house, nnd your employer. You will do better to think "Your Accuser Is None Other Than Pancho Cueto." of your own affairs than of mine. I Intend to have n enrcful reckoning with you. I think you know I have n good hend for figures." Turning his back upon the elder man, ho walked nway. Now it did not occur to Cueto really to doubt the boy's Innocence, though tho circumstances of Donnn Isabel's death wero suspicious enough to raise a question in nny mind; but in view of Esteban's threat he thought It wise to protect himself by setting n back Arc. As he sat on nn old stono bench, moodily replcturlng tho catastrophe as Esteban had described It, his attention fell upon an envelope nt Ids' feet. It was scaled ; It was unnddrcsscd. Cue to" idly broke it open nnd began to read. Before ho had gone fnr he start cd; then ho cast n furtlvo glance nbout. But tho plnco was secluded ; he was unobserved. When ho finished rending ho rose, smiling. He no longer fenred Esteban. On tho contrary, ho rather pitted tho young fool; for here between his fingers wns that which not only promised to remove tho boy from his pnth forever, but to place In his hands the entire Vnronn estates One nftcnioon, perhaps n week later, Don Mario do Castano enmo puffing nnd blowing up to tho qulntn, demand ing to see Rosa without a moment's delay. With a directness unusual even in him, Don Mario began : "Rosa, my denr, you nnd Estebnn have liccn discovered ! I was nt lunch with tho conmnndnnte when I learned tho truth. Through friendship I pre vailed upon hltn to give you an hour's grace." "What do you mean, Don Mario?' Inquired tho girl. "Come, como I" tho plnnter cried, 1m patiently. "Don't you sco you can trust mo? Ilenveni The recklessness, tho folly of young people I Could you not lenvo this Insurrection to your elders? Or perhaps you thought it matter of no great importance, nn mousing thing " "Don Mario 1" Rose interrupted. "I don't know what you nro talking nbout." "You don't, eh?" Tho caller's wot cheeks grow redder; ho blew like porpoise. "Then cnll Estebnn quickly 1 i Hero is not n moment to lose." wnen the brother appeared Do Castnno blurted out nt hltn nccuslngly: "Well sir I A fine fir you've put yourself In Perhaps you will be Interested to lenrn thnt Colonel Fcrnnndoz 1ms Issued or ders to arrest you and your sister as agents of tho Insurrectos." "Whnt?" Esteban drow back. Rosn turned white ob a lily and laid n flut coring hnnd upon her throat. "You two will sleep tonight In San $ovcrluo," grimly nnnounced tho ro tund visitor. "You know what that means." Rosa uttered n smothered cry. "Colonel Fernandez," Don Mario proceeded, impressively, "did mo tills favor, knowing me to bo n suitor for Rosa's hnnd. In splto of his duty und the ovldenco he " "Evidence? Whnt ovldenco?" Este ban asked sharply. "Fnr ono thing, your own letter to Loptw, tho rebel, warning him to be wnro of tho trap prepared for hljn In Santa Clnru, nnd advising him of tho gevrornmont force nt Salmullln. Oh. tWt try to deny it I I rend it with ciy own eyes, uud it menus denth." Rosa pnld faintly: "Estebaul I wurned you." FM' 'ban was taken aback, but It wns J tin t II iiiiti nu who inn in me iuiisi frightened. "They haven't cnught mo yet," h" laughed. 'Yiu any they Intend to nrrest me ulso?" Rosn eyed tho culler anxiously. "Exactly I" "Who accuses hor, nnd of whnt?" Esteban domnnded. 'Thnt nlso I hnvo discovered through the courtesy of Colonel Fernandez. Your necuFor is none other than Pnn clio Cueto." "Cueto l" "Yes; ho has denounced both of you ns rebels nnd tho letter Is only part of his proof, I believe. Now, then, you can guess why I nm here. Inm not without influence; I can save Rosa, but for you, Esteban, I fear I can do noth ing. You must look out for yourself. Well? What do you sny?" When Estebnn saw how pale his sis ter had grown, lie took her In his nrms, saying gently : "I'm sorry, dear. It's nil my fault." Then to tho merchant: It's very good of you to wnrn us." "Iln!" Don Mario fanned himself. I'm glad yoii'iipprcclnte my efforts. It's a good thing to Unvc the right kind of n friend. I'll marry Rosa within nn hour, and I fancy my nnmo will be n sulllclent shield" Rosn turned to her elderly suitor nnd nindo n deep courtesy.- "I am un worthy of the honor," said she. "You see, I I do not love you. Don Mnrio." "Love!" exploded tho visitor. "God bless you! What has love to do with tlu matter? Esteban will hnve to rldo for his life In ten minutes nnd your property will bo seized. So you had better make yourself ready to go with me." Hut Rosn shook her head. "Eh? What alls you? What do you expect to do?" "I shall go with Estcbnn," snld the This calm announcement seemed to stupefy Do Castano. He snt down heavily In tho nearest chair, and witji his wet handkerchief poised in one pudgy hnnd he stared fixedly at the speaker. His eyes were round nnd bulging, the swent strenmed unheeded from his temples, no resembled somo queer blontcd marine monster Just emerged from tho sen und momentarily dazzled by the light. "You You're mad," ho flnnlly gasped. "Esteban, tell her whnt It means." But this Estebnn could not do, for ho himself hnd not the fnlntest no tion of what was In store for him. Wnr seemed to hltn a glorious thing; he had been told thnt the hills wero peopled with patriots. He was very young, his heart wns ablaze with hatred for the Spaninrds nnd for Pancho Cueto. Ho longed to risk his life for a freo Cubn, Therefore he said: "Rosa shall do as she pleases. If wo must be exiles wo shall share each other's hardships. It will not be for long." "Idiot!" stormed tho fat man. "Bet ter thnt you gave her to the shnrks below Snn'Soverlno. There Is no law, no safety for women outside of the cities. The Island is In nnnrcliy. Theso patriots you talk about aro tho blacks, tho mulattoes, the lowest, laziest sav ages In Cuba." "Please 1 Don Mnrio!" the girl pleaded. "I cannot marry you, for I lovo another." "Eh?" "I love nnothcr. I'm betrothed to O'Reilly, tho American and he's com ing back to marry me." De Castano twisted himself lnborl ously out of his chair and wnddled townrd tho door, no wns purple with rage and mortification. On the thresh old he puused to wheeze: "Very well, then. Go ! I'm done with both of you. I would hnve lent you n hand with this rascal Cueto, but now he will fall heir to your entire property. Well, It Is a time for bandits ! I I " Unable to think of n parting speech sufficiently bitter to match his disappointment, Don Mario plunged out Into tho sun light, muttering and stammering to Iitinsclf. Within nn hour tno twins were on their wny up tho Yumurl, townrd the homo of Ascnslo nnd Evnngclina; for It was thither that they naturally turned. It wns well that thoy had mndc haste, for ns thoy rodo down into tho valley, up the other side of tho hill from Mntnnzns camo n squad of the Guurdla Civil, nnd nt Its head rodo Pnncho Cueto. CHAPTER V. A Cry From the Wilderness. New York seemed almost like a for clgn city to Johnnie O'Reilly when lie stepped out Into it on the morning nfter hts nrrlvnl. For one thing It was bleak and cold: tho north wind, hall Ing direct from Baffin's liny, had teeth and it bit so cruelly that he was glad when he found shelter In tho building which housed tho offices of tho Chrter Importing company. Tho truth O'Reilly wns not only cold but fright ened. It wns not 'tho effect of his report concorntng tho firm's unprofitable Cu ban connections which ho fenred Samuel Carter could tako calmly tho most disturbing financial reverse It was tho blow to his prldo nt learning that unybody could prefer nnother girl to his daughter. Johnnie shook his shoulders nnd stamped his feet, but the chill In his hones refused to go Ho went to meet his employer ns man marches to execution. His henrt sank further nt tho wol como ho received, for the Importer cave him n veritable embrace; he pat ted him on tho hack und Inquired three times -as to his health. O'Reilly was anything but cold now ; ho wns parsplr Ing profusely, and ho felt his collar growing limp. To shatter this old mun'i eager hopes would bo llko kicking child In tho face, carter had never been so enthusiastic, so dcnioustra tlve; there w- s something almost the atrical In his gre-Mng. "Well, my boy, you mndo a fizzle of It, didn't you?" The tono wns almost compllmentnrj. "Yes. sir. I'm n brlcht nnd shlninc failure." "Now, don't 'yes, sir' me. We're friends, nren't we7 Good! Under stand, I don't blnme you In the lenst it's that Idiotic revolution thnt spoiled our business. You did splendidly, un der the circumstances." "They hnvo reason enough to re volt oppression, tyranny, corruption." OReilly mumbled the familiar words in n numb pnrftlysls at Mr. Carter's Jo vial famllinrlty. "All Lntln countries nre corrupt," nnnounced the Importer "always havo been and always will be. They thrive under oppression. However, I dare say this uprising won't Inst long." Johnnie wondered why the old man didn't get down to cases. "It's moro than nn uprising, sir," ho snld. "Tho rebels have overrun the east ond of tho Islnnd, nnd when I left Muceo and Gomez were sweeping west." Bah 1 It takes money to run n wnr." 'They hnve money," desperately ar gued O'Reilly. "Mnrtl raised more thnn n million dollars, and every Cu ban cigar maker In tho United Stntcs gives n part of his wages every week to the cause. The best blood of Cuba Is in tho fight. Spain is nbout busted; sho can't stnnd the strain." "I predict they'll quit fighting ns soon us thoy get hungry. The govern ment Is stnrvlng them out. However, they've wound up our nffnlrs for the time being, nnd" Mr. Cnrter enre- fully shifted the position of nn Inkwell, n calendar nnd a pnper knife "that brings us to n consideration of your nnd my nffnlrs, doesn't It? Ahem I You remember our bargain? I wns to give you u chance and you wero to maue goou before you cr pinnued nny or mntrlmonlnl foolishness with my dnughter." . "Yes, sir." O'Reilly felt that tho moment hnd come for his carefully re hearsed speech, but, unhappily, he could not remember how tho swan song started. Mr. Carter, too, was un- nccountnbly silent. Another moment drugged pnst, then they chorused. "I hnve an unpleasnnt " Encli broke off nt the echo of his own words. 'What's that?" inquired tho Ira porter. "Ko-nothlng. You were saying " "I wns thinking how lucky .It is that you and Elsn wnitcd. Ilm-ral Very fortunate." Again Mr. Carter renr- ranged his desk fittings. "We some times differ, Elsu and I, but when she sets her henrt on n thing I see that sho gets it, even if I think she oughtn't to hnve It. What's the use of having children If you can't spoil 'em, eh?" He looked up with n sort of resentful chnllcnge, nnd when his listener np pcarcd to agreo with him lie sighed with sntlsfactlon. "Early marriages nro silly but she seems to think other wise. Maybe she's "right. Anyhow she's licked me. I'm done. She wants to bo married right uwoy, before we go west. That's why I waited to sea you nt once. You won't object, wlh you? Wo men have to take our mcdl cine." "It's quite out of tho question," stammered the unhappy O'Reilly. "Come, cornel It's tough on you, 1 know, but " Johnnie hnd n horrified vision of hlwsolf being dragged unwll llngly to tho altar. "Elsu Is going to hnve whnt sho wnnts, if I have to break something. If you'll bo sensible I'll stnnd behind you llko n father and tench you tho business. I'm getting old, nnd Ethclbert could never learn it. Otherwise " The old man's Jaw set; his eyes began to gleam angrily, "Who Is Ethclbert?" fnlntly in quired O'Reilly. "Why, dammit I He's the fellow I've been telling you about He's not so bad as he sounds; ho's really a nice boy "Elsa is in love with nnother man? Is that what you mean?" "Good Lord, yes! Don't you under stand English? I 'didn't think you'd take it so .hard I was going to make a place for you hero In tho office, but of course If Say I What the deuce alls you?" Samuel Carter stared with amaze ment, for the Injured victim of his daughter's fickleness had leaped to his feet nnd wns slinking his hnnd vigor ously, mennwhlle uttering unlntelll glblo sounds thnt seemed to signify rollef, plensure, delight anything ex cept whnt tho old man expected. O'Reilly, In New York, learns of Rosa's plight. The next In stallment tells what happened then. (TO DE CONTINUED.) First American Multimillionaire. The first American multimillionaire, to nttnln International fume on ac count of his vast wealth was Stephen Glrurd. Of tho Quunclal dynasties of today only the Astors nnd Vnnderbtlts wero represented In Glrnrd's time, and the fortune of the distinguished Phlln dclphlnn exceeded that -of Commodore Cornelius Vnnderbllt or tho first John Jacob ARtor. Glrnrd was worth $9,000, 000 at tho time of his denth. Much of this money he left to tho city of Phlln dolphin for public purposes, ond $2,000,000 wero nppllcd to the building of a college for orphans. This Institu tion has supported und educated tens of thousands of orphans and fitted them for their battles with tho world G Irani was n freo thinker. In Now South Wnles there is mountain from whtch rock yielding 80 rier cent alum has been mined for more txau nun a century. WOMAN NERVES MADE STRONG By Lydia E. Pinkham' Vegetable Compound. WLiona. Minn. "I suffered for mora than a year from nervousness, and was bo oaa x couiu not rest at night would lio awake and get so nervous I would have to get up and walk around and in tho morning would bo all Urea out. I read about Lydia E. Pinkham'a Vegetable Com- rjund and thought would try it. My nervousness soon loft me, I sleep well and feel fine in the morning and able to do my work. I gladly recom mend Lydia E.- Pinkham'a Vcge,tab! Compound to mako weaic nerves strong." Mrs. Albert Sultze, 603 Olmatead St, Winona, Minn. now oltcn do wo hear the expression among women, "I am so nervous, I can not sleep," or "it seems as though If should fly. " Such women should profit by Mrs. Sultzo's experience and give this famous root and herb remedy, Lydia E. Pinkham'a Vegetable Com pound, a trial. l' or forty years it has been overcom ing such serious conditions as displace ments, inflammation, ulceration, irree- ularities, periodic paino, backache, diz ziness, " and nervous prostration of women, and is now considered tho stan dard remedy for such ailments. Si Insist on the name -with three m D'e and enjoy freedom from kidney ills. Jit all druggists. mi Clear Your Skin WhileYouSIeep withCuticura Soap 25c 0in!mtat25:&50c REALLY SEEMED ONLY WAY Smith's Idea Was Bright Enough If the Horse Would Only-Do His Part In the Game. John Smith bought n horse. Tho first Sunday after the purchase he und his bosom pnl harnessed the horse to trnp nnd went into the country on a fishing trip. At the shore of the lake they unharnessed the horse, and let ti loose while they llshed. Presently the sun began to go down, nnd Smith und pnl decided to get ready for the return journey. They caught the horse, and Smith began to harness it. But here they met a ' difficulty. The horse wouldn't open Its mouth for the bit. They tried every means they could think of, but still the stubborn nnlranl stood witli closed mouth, placidly watching them. At last Smith snt on the ground nnd began to tell jokes horrible, moth- eaten jokes, that Adam would hnve thought chestnuts. "What on earth are you doing?" asked Smith's pnl. "Trying to get the beast to yawn," said Smith.' Hard Times. Bird "You've n very small fnmlly, Mrs. Hen." Hen "Yes; nt the price of eggs I can't afford to rulse them." The longest periods In a small boy's life aro nre those between meals. ECONOMY talk: is all right ECONOMY PRACTICE is better. INSTANT POSTIM is an economy drink absolutely no waste. Besides it is convenient, saves fuel and suffer, and leaves nothind to be s5 '1 urn rril r mm iiliinn ,n, mm mllj- SI (desired in the 1 way of flavor . I