U I EVENING IiEDGERPHILADELlHIA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1917 vn HC fc L Lr K Rfij: ". Copyrltlit. 10U. llnrptr & Pros. CHAPTER I The Valley of Delight "Tit ALL probability your first view of the valley of tlio Yumurl will be from the Hermitage of Montserrate, for It Is there that the cocheros drive you. Up the winding road they take you, with the bay t your back and the gorge at your right, to the crest of a narrow ridge where the chapel stands. Onco there, you overlook the fairest sight in nil Christendom "the loveliest valley In the world," ng Humboldt called It for the Yumurl nestles right at your feet, a vale of pure delight, a glimpse of Paradise that bewilders the eye and Alls the soul with ecstasy. It Is larger than It seems at first sight; through It meanders the river, colling and uncoiling, hidden here and there by jungle growths, and seeking final outlet through a cleft In the wall not unlike a crack In the side of a painted bowl. Tlio place seems to have been fashioned as a dwelling for dryads and hamadryads, for nixies and pixies and all the fabled spirits of forest and stream. Fairy hands tinted Ha steep slopes and carpeted its level floor with the richest of green lirocades. Nowhere Is there a clash of color; no where does a naked hillside or monstrous Jut of rock obtrude to mar Its placid beauty; nowhere can you see a crude, dis figuring mark of man's handiwork thero are, only fields and bowers, with an occa sional thatched roof faded gray by the nun. Royal palms, most perfect of trees, are scattered everywhere. They stand alone or In stately groves, their lush fronds drooping like gigantic ostrich plumes, their slim trunks as smooth and regular and white as If turned In a giant lathe and then rubbed with pipe-clay. In all Cuba, Island of bewitching vistas, there Js no other Yumurl, and In all the wide world, perhaps, there Is no valley of Bloods and aspects so varying. You should see It at evening, all warm and slum berous, all gold and green and purple; or at early dawn, when the mlats are fading like pale memories of dreams and the tints are delicate; or, again, during a tempest, when It Is a caldron of whirling vapors and when the palm trees bend like coryphees, tossing their arms to tho gal loping hurricane. But whatever the time of day or the season of the year nt which you visit it, the Yumurl will render you wordless with delight, and you will vow that It Is the happiest valley men's eyes have ever looked upon. The Quinta of Esteban Varona Standing there besido the shrine of Our Lady of Montserrate, you will see beyond the cleft through which the river emerges another hill, La Cumbre, from which the view Is almost as wonderful, and your driver may tell you about the splendid homes that used to grace Its slopes In the golden days when Cuba had nn aristoc racy. They were classic Roman villas, such as once lined the Via Appla little palaces, with mosaics and marbles and precious woods Imported from Europe, and furnished with the rarest treasures for In those days the Cuban planters were rich and spent their money lav ishly. Melancholy reminders of this splen dor exist even now In the shape of a crumbled ruin here and there, a Hchened pillar, an occasional porcelain urn In its place atop a vine-grown bit of wall. Your cochero may point out a certain grove of orange trees, now little more than a rank tangle, and tell you about the quinta of Don Esteban Varona and Its hidden treasure; about little Esteban and Rosa, the twins, and about Sebastian, the giant slave, who died In fury, takincr with lilm the secret of the well. The Spanish Main Is rich In tales of treasure trove, for when tho Antilles 'were most affluent they were least secure, and men were put to strange shifts to protect their fortunes. Certain hoards, like Jewels of tragic history, in time as sumed a sort of evil personality, not In frequently exercising a dire influence over the lives of those who chanced to fall under their spells. It was as If the money were accursed, for certainly the seekers often came to evil. Of such a Character was the Varona treasure. Don Esteban himself was neither better nor worse than other men of his time, and although part of the money he hid was wrung from the toll of slaves and the traffic In their bodies, much of it was clean enough and In time the earth puri fied It all. Since his acts made so deep an Impress and since the treasure he left played so big a part In the destinies of those who came after him. It is well that tome account of these matters Bhould bo given. The 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 certain tropical extravagance should attach to It; there lore you should mako allowance for - aoma exaggeration, some accretions duo to the lapse of time. In the main, how ever. It Is well authenticated and runs parallel to fact Don Varona'a Family non Rosa Varona lived barely Ions enough to learn that she had given birth j twins. Don Esteban, whom people ew as a grim man. took the blow of his " ,udden bereavement as became one of his - rnir nher. Leaving the Driest upon his Atneea and the doctor busied with the ,ables, ho strode through the housa and ut Into the sunset, followed by the -walls rf tho slave women. From the negro quarters came tho pound of other and even louder lamentations, for Dona Rosa kA been well loved and tho news of her jeaaelns away had spread quickly. Don Esteban was at heart a selfish man, ami now, therefore, he felt a sullen, fierce Wmtment mingled with his grief. What tales: waa this! he asked himself. "What bad, he done to merit euch misfortune? UA tut not made rich Rifts to tho church? JOte1 be ijf getv on foot to tho shrine of fiMtjr et Moateerraie wim a spieuaia tmir C eardrop, a necklaco and a crucifix, nil of diamonds that quivered In the sunlight liko drops of purest water? Had ho not knelt and prayed for his wife's safo delivery and then hung his gifts upon the sacred Image, ns Loyola had hung up his weap ons beforo that other counterpart of Our Lndy? Don Esteban scowled nt tho mem ory, for thoso gems were of the finest, and certainly of a valuo sufficient to recompense tho Virgin for nnv ordinary miracle. They wero worth 5000 pesos at least,1 ho told himself; they represented the price of five Blavcs five of his finest girls, schooled In housekeeping and of an ngo sultablo for breeding. An pxtrava ganco, truly I Don Esteban knew the vnluo of money ns well ns anybody, ana ho swore now that he would glvo no more to the Church. The Faithful Scbastinn He looked up from his unhappy musings to find a gigantic barefooted ne gro standing beforo him. The slave was mlddle-ngcd; his kinky hair was growing gray, but lie was of super proportions and the muscles which showed through the rents In his cotton garments were ns smooth and supple us those of a stripling. His black face was puckered with grief, as. ho began:' "Master, is It truo that Dona Rosa " The fellow choked. "Yes," Esteban nodded, wearily, "she Is dead, Sebastian." Tears came to Sebastian's eyes and overflowed his cheeks; ho stood motion less, striving to voice his sympathy. At length he said: "She was too good for this world. God was Jealous and took her to paradise." The widowed man cried out, angrily: "Paradise! What Is this but paradise?" He stared with resentful eyes at tho beauty round nbout him. "See! Tho Yumurl!" Don Esteban flung a long arm outward. "Do you think there Is a sight like that In heaven? And yonder " He turned to the harbor far below, with Its fleet of sailing ships resting like a Hock of gulls upon a sea of quicksilver. Be yond the bay, twenty miles distant, a range of hazy mountains hid the horizon. Facing to tho south, Esteban looked up the full length of tho valley of tho San Juan, clear to the majestic Pan de Matan zas, a wonderful sight indeed; then his eyes returned, as they always did, to the Yumurl, Valley of Delight. "Paradise In deed!" he muttered. "I gavo her every thing. She gained nothing by dying." "With a grave thoughtfulness which proved him .superior to tho ordinary slave, Sebastian replied: "True! She had all that any woman's heart could dcslte, but In return for your goodness she gave you children You have lost her, but you have gained an heir and a beautiful girl baby who will grow to be another Dona Rosa. I grieved as you grieve, once upon a time, for my woman died in childbirth, too. You remember? But my daughter lives, and she has brought sunshine into my old . age. That Is the purpose of children " Ho paused and shifted his weight uncer tainly, digging his stiff black toes Into tho dli t. After a time he said, slowly: "Excellency! Now. nbout the well ?" "Yes. What about It?" Esteban lifted his smoldering eyes. "Did the Dona Rosa confide her share of the secret to any one? Those priests and those doctors, you know ?" "She died without speaking." "Then it rests between you and me?" "It does, unless you have babbled." "Master!" Sebastian drew himself up and there was real dignity In his black face. "Understand, my whole fortuno Is thero everything, even to tho deeds of patent for the plantations. If I thought thero was danger of your betraying me I would have your tonguo pulled but and your eyes torn from their sockets." The black man spoke with a simplicity that carried conviction. "You have seen me tested. You know I am faithful. But, master, this secret Is a great burden for my old shoulders, and I have been think ing Times are unsettled, Don Esteban, and death comes without warning. You are known to be the richest man In this province and these government officials aro robbers. Suppose I should be left alone? What then?" The planter considered for a moment. "They are my countrymen, but a curse on them," he said finally. "Well, when my children are old enough to hold their tongues they will have to be told. If I'm gone you shall bo the one to tell them. Now leave me; this is not time to speak of such things." Hidden Treasure Sebastian went as noiselessly as he had come. On his way back to his quar ters he took the path to the well tho place where most of his time was ordi narily spent. Sebastian had dug this well, and with his own hands ho had beautified Its surroundings until they wero the loveliest on the Varona grounds. Tho rock for tho building of the quinta had been quarried here, and In the center of tho resulting depression, grass-grown and flowering now, was tho well Itself. Its waters seeped from subterranean cav erns and filtered, pure and cool, through tho porous country rock. Plantain, palm, orange and tamarind trees bor dered the hollow; over tho rocky walls ran' a riot of vines and ferns and orna mental plants. It was Sebastian's task to keep this place green, and thither he took his way. from forco of habit. VrJiroush the twilight camo Pancho Cueto, the manager, a youngish man, with a narrow face and bold, close-set eyes. Spying Sebastian, he began: "So Don Esteban has an heir at lost?" The slave rubbed his eyes with tho heel of his huge yellow palm and an swered, respectfully: "yes, Don Pancho, Two little angels, a boy and a girl." His gray brows drew together In a painful frown, "Dona Rosa was a saint. No doubt thero Is great rejoicing at her coming. Eh? What do you 'think? 'Unvm! Possibly. Don Esteban will negroes, tho market steadily improved and miss her for a tlmo and then, I dnro say, Esteban reaped a handsome profit from ho will remarry." At tho negro's ex- thoso ho had on hand, especially when clamatlon Cueto cried. "So! And why his crop of young girls matured. His not? Everybody knows how rich ho Is. sugar plantations prospered, too, and From Orlentc to Plnar del Rio tho women Pancho Cueto, who managed them, con have heard about his treasure." tlnucd to wonder where tho money went. -What treasure?" asked Sebastian, Tho t.vlns. Eateban and Rosa. dovMnnort after an Instant's pause. Cueto's dark eyes gleamed resentfully nt this show of Ignorance, but ho laughedr "Ho! There's a careful fellow for you! No wonder ho trusts you. But do you think I have neither byes nor ears? My good Sebastian, you know nil about that treasure; In fact, you know far more about many things than Don Esteban would enro to have you tell. Como now, don't you?" Sebastian's face was like n mask carved from ebony. "Of what does this treasure consist?" ho Inquired. "I have never heard about It." "Of gold, of Jowcls, of silver bars and precious ornaments." Cueto's hend was thrust forward, his nostrils wero dilated, his teeth gleamed. "Oh, It Is somewhero about, as you very well know! Bah! Don't deny it. I'm no fool. What be- comes of tho money from tho slave girls, eh? And tho sugar crops, too? Docs It 'tZMMOK Sebastian turned go to buy arms and ammunition for tho rebels. No. Don Esteban hides It, and you help him. Come," he cried, disregard ing Sebabtlan's murmurs of protest, "did you ever think how fabulous tlvit fortune must bo by this time? Did you ever think that ono littlo gem, one bag of gold, would buy your freedom?" "Don Esteban has promised to buy my freedom and the freedom of my girl." "So?" The manager was plainly sur prised. "I didn't know that." After a moment bo began to laugh. "And yet you pietend to know nothing about the treasure? Ha! You're a good boy, Sebas tian, and so I am. I admire you. We're both loyal to our master, ch? But now nbout Evangellna." Cueto's faco took on a craftier expression. "She Is a likely girl, and when sho grows up sho will bo worth more than you, hor father. Don't forget that Don Esteban is before all else a business man. Bo careful that some ono doesn't mako him so good on offer for your girl that ho ' will forget his promlso and sell her." Sebastian uttered a hoarse, animal cry and the whites of his eyes showed through the gloom. "Ho would never sell Evangellna!" Cueto laughed aloud onco more. "Of course! He would not daro, eh! I am only teasing you. But see! You have given yourself away. Everything you tell mo proves that you know all about that treasure." "I know but ono thing." the slave de clared, stiffening himself slowly, "and that Is to be faithful to Don Esteban." He turned and departed, leading Pancho Cueto staring after him meditatively. In the days following the birth of his children and tho death of his wife, Don Esteban Varona, as had been his custom, steered a middle course In politics, In that way managing to avoid a clash with the Spanish officials who ruled the Island, or an open break with his Cuban neigh bors, who rebelled beneath their wrongs. This was no easy thing to do, for the agents of the Crown were uniformly cor- rupt and quite ruthless, whllo most of the native-born were either openly or secretly In sympathy with the revolution In tho Orient. Blat Esteban dealt diplomatically with both factions and went on raising slaves and sugar tp his own great profit, Owing to the impossibility of lmportlnc I ill i lit Jl I wbrI IfOMT JsWMm M&$& A JSBwa 111 1 HI I MRs w v sW- S X II II S fill Br vyiSlI:::T V-. II 11 Sill J W&, )n i55" iS Into healthy children and beenmo the pride of Sebastian nnd his daughter, Into whoso care they had been given. As for nvanKCllna. the young negiess, sho grew tn nnd tronff nnd mm,some untll Bno wn lho flnest ,ave glr, , Ue ne,Khbor. llood whenever Sebastian looked nt her ,,0 tllankcd 0od for IlIs ,,, clrcum, ,- Then, one day, Don Esteban Varona remarried, and the Dona Isabel, who had been a famous Habana beauty, came to live nt tho quinta. The daughter of Im poverished parents, sho had heard and thought much nbout the mysterious treas uro of La Cumbre. There followed a period of feasting nnd entertainment, of music and merrymak- "'R- Spanish officials, prominent civilians ot Mantanzas and the countryside drove un tno " to welcome Don Esteban's bride. But beforo tho llrat fervor of his upon his tormentor, a free man save honeymoon cooled the groom began to fear that ho had made a serious mistake. Dona Isabel, he dlscovcied, was both vain and selfish. Not only did bhe crave lux ury and display, but with singular per sistence sho demanded to know nil about her hubband's financial affairs. Now Don Esteban was no longer young; age had soured him with suspicion and when onco ho saw himself ns the victim of a mercenary marriage he tuincd bit terly against his wife. Her curiosity ho sullenly resented, nnd ho unblushlngly denied his possession of any considerable wealth. In fact, he tried with malicious Ingenuity to make her believe him a poor man. But Isabel was not of the sort to bo icadlly deceived. Finding her arts and coquetries of no avail, she flew into a rago and a furious quarrel ensued tho first of many. For ,the lady could not rest without knowing all thero was to know about tho treasure. Avaricious to her fingertips, sho Itched to weigh thoso bags of precious metal and yearned to see those Jewels burning upon her bosom. Her mercenary mind magnified their value many times and her angor at Don Esteban's obstinacy deepened to a smoldering hatred. Seeking the Gold Sho searched the quinta, of course, whenever sho had a chance, but she dis covered nothing with the result that tho mystery .began to engross Jier whole thought. Sho pried into the obscurest corners, she questioned the slaves, she lay awako nt night listening to Esteban's breathing In tho hope of surprising his secret from his dreams. Naturally such a life was trying to the husband, but as his wife's obsession grow his determlna- tlon to foil her only strengthened. Out- wardly, of course, tho pair maintained a show of harmony, for they were proud and they occupied a position of Borne con sequence In tho community. But their private relations went from bad to worse. At length a time came when they lived In frank enmity; when Isabel never spoke to Esteban except In reproach or anger, and when Esteban unlocked his lips only to taunt his wife with the fact that she had been thwarted despite her cunning, In most quarters, as tlmo went on, the story ofj 'the Varona, treasure was forgot- ten, or at' least put dowii a leen&uy. liii(S-(W'i)i4& i , iiF 3m&& r II i &w hmhMW' 'V' only for the wide iron bracelets and their Only Isabel, who. In spite of her hus band's secretlveness, learned much, nnd Pancho Cueto, who kept his own nccount of tho annual Income fiom the business, held tho matter In serious lenicmbrance. The overseer was a putieut man; ho watched with interest tho growing dls- cord at tho quinta and planned to profit by It, should occasion offer, It was only natural under such condi tions that Dona Isabel should learn to dtsliko her stepchildren Esteban had told her frankly that they would Inherit whatever foitune he possessed. The thought that, after all, sho might never sharo In the tieasure for which sho had sacrificed her youth and beauty was liko to drive the woman mad, and, ns may be Imagined, she found wnys to vent her spite upon the twins. She widened her hatred so ns to Include old Sebastian nnd his daughter, nnd even went so far ns to persecute Evangellna's sweetheart, tt hiaVe named Asensio, It hud not taken Dona Isabel long to guess the reason for Sebastian's many privileges, and one of 'her first efforts had been to win the old man's confidence. It. was In vain, however, that she flat tered and cajolod, or stoimed and threat ened; Sebastian withstood her ns a tower ing celba withstands the summer .heat nnd the winter hurricane. His firmness made her vindictive, and bo In time she laid a scheme to estrange him from his master. Dona Isabel was crafty. She besan to complain about Evangellnar but It was only 'after many months that she veil- turcd to suggest to her husband that ho sell tho girl. Esteban, of course, refused uolntblank; he was too fond of Scbas- tlan's daughter, he declared, to think of such a thlng.v "So, that Is It," sneered pona Isabel. "Well, she Is young and shapely and handsome, ns wenches go. I rather sus pected you were fond of her " With difficulty Esteban restrained an oath. "You mistake my meaning," In said, stiffly. "Sebastian has served me faithfully, and Evangellna plays with my children. She Is good to them; she is more of a mother to them than you have ever been." Is that why you dress her like a lady? i A lUeelir-Wryl" Isabel toesed wr Bahl connecting chain. fine, dark head. "I'm not blind; I see what goes on about me. This will make a pietty scandal among your friends sho ns blnojc as the pit, and you " "Woman!" shouted the plnnter, "you have a sting like a scorpion." "I won't have that wench In my house," Isabel flared out at lilm. Goaded to fury by his wlfe'o senseless ncciK-atlon, Esteban cried: "Your house? By what lice iso do you call It yours?" "Am I not married to you?" "Damnation! Yej as a leech Is mar lioJ tp Its victim. You suck my blood." "Your blood!" Tho womnn laughed shrilly. "You have no blood; your veins run vinegar. You are a miser." "Miser M'ser! I grow sick of the word. It is nil you find to taunt mt with. Confess that you married mo. for my money," he roaieJ. "Of course, I dirt! Do you think a woman of my beauty would many you, for anything else? But a ine bargain I made!" "Vampire!" "Wife or vampire, I Intend -to rule this house, and I refuse to be shamed by a thick-lipped African. Her airs tell her story. Sho is insolent to me, but I sha'n't endure It. She laughs at me. Well, your friends shall laugh at jou." "Silence!" commanded Esteban. ' "Sell her." "No." "Sell her, or " Esteban and Evangellna Without waiting to hear her threat Es teban tossed his arms nbrfve his head and fled from tho room. Flinging himself into the saddle, ho spurred down tho hill ind thjough tho "town to tho Casino de uspanoi, wiier no spent tne nigni ni cuius wim viie- ojuuihu uuicmis. j-iui no uia noi sen uvangeunn. In the days that followed many simi lar scenes occuried, and as Esteban's homo Ufo grew moro unhappy his dissi pations Increased, He drank and gambled heavilv; he brought liln friendu n thn quinta with htm, and strove to forget do niestlc unpleasantness In boisterous rev elry. His wife, however, found opportunities enSuah to weary and exasperatejiro "wWi referee thee Mmi!&iltoai'&wMiML:- CHAPTER II Spanish Gold rpiIE twins were seven years old whea J- Dona Isabel's schemes bore their flrtt bitter fruit, nnd the occasion was a h. tlculniiy uproarious night when Don it- onn eniermine.s n crowd of Ills CastUlta friends. Little Rosa was awakened it a late hour by tho laughter and sliouti of' ner tamers guests, sue was afraid, for theio was something strange about the voices, some quality to them which wu rorelgn to the child's experience. Cretp. Ing Into her brother's loom, she awolti mm, nnu together tliey listened, Don Mario del Castnno was singing i song, the words of which wme lost, but which brought n yell of approval from his companions. Tho twins distinguished the voice of Don Pablo I'eza, too Doa I'nblo, whoso magnificent black beard had so often excited their ndmlratlon. Tw, . and there wns Colonel Mcndoza y LInarel, doubtless in his splendid unlfoim. These gentlemen wero well and favorably known to the boy nnd ghl, jet Itosa be gan to whimper, and wncn Esteban tried to lenssure her his own voice was thin nnd icedy fiom fright. In the midst of their agitation they heard some ono weeping; there came rush of feet down thb hallway, and the next Instant Evangellna flung herself Intti the room. A summer moon flooded the chamber with ladlance arid enabled "her to see the two small white flgurea slttinj up In the middle of the bed Evangellna fell upon her knees before them. "Little master! Little mistress!" she sobbed. "You will save me, won't you? e lovo each other, eh? Eee then, what a crime this la! Say that yoa will save me!" She was beside herself, nnd her voice was hoaise and cracked from grief. She wrung her hands, she locked herself fiom side to elde, she kissed tho twins' nightgowns, tugging tX them convulsively. The chtlchen wero frightened, but they managed to quaver: "What has happen ed? Who hna harmed you?" "Don Pablo Peza," wept the nezresi. "Your father has sold me to him lost M'- me at cards. Oh, I shall die! Sebastian won't believe It. He fa praying. And Asensio O God! But what can they do to belli mo? hi nlone can save me. j You won't let Don Pab'.o take me away! m it would kill me." "Walt!" Esteban scrambled out of bed nnd stood beside his dusky nurse and playmate. "Don't cry any more. I'll tell papa that you don't like Don Pablo." Rosa followed. "Yes, come alonf, brpther," she cried, shrilly. "We'll tell Don Pablo to go home and leave oar Evangellna." "My blessed doves! But will they listen to you 7" moaned the slave. "Papa does whatever we ask," they assured her, gravely. "If ho should M growl we'll come back and hide you la tho big wardrobe where nobody will ever find you." Then hand in hand, with their long nightgowns lifted to their knees, they pattered out into the h&H nnd down toward the llvln? room, whence, came the shouting und the laughter. An Apparition .Don Mario de Castano. who was fadnj M the door, stopped in the midst of a. rl-M bald song to cry: "God be pralseai What's this I see?" Tho others looked and then burst Jntt merriment, for ocioss the litter of card! nnd dice and empty glasses they saw djmpled gill and boy, as like as two j . ...... -..- i..a. IheT peas, iney wero jusi oui ui ! wero peering through the smolte, blinking like two little owls. Their evi dent embanassment amused the guests hugely. "So! You nwaken he household wb. your songs," some one chlded Pon M "t nimniiK. from heaven." another. nvolo lnrt And a third cried, "A toa-t to Estebau'l linnntirill rlltlill-fill " . ' i But the father lurched forward, fiwn nnnn Ills face. "What il thlJClj dears?" he Inquired, thickly. "" to your beds. This la. no place tor j- int. l... f.,nollnn" ulned V twins. "You must pot let Don nm have her If you pleaso." "Evanselina?" Tht-y nodded. "Wo love her. Sho plays with us every day, We want her to stay here, ' belongs to us." An...r.mrt n thev were to """Sal ! compliance with their demands, m wpoUo imperiously; but they bad newji pnn frniVn like this upon their fatnerji face( nd nt ns refusal their voices BLJ squeaky with excitement anu ;-., talnty Inty, i .,,o.,rti1l "Oo to your rooms, my sweetbea" Don Esteban directed, finally . n1Sl "We want Evangellna. She belong J us," they chorused, stubbornly. I nn.,m,irrinn '' CONTINUED IN MONDAY'S Eueumg &&H h t-tfs i ."t & fe. T l V
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