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He looked up froro standing before hiray; but he was of superb proportions, and the ar His black face was puckered with grief, as he began: "Master, is it true that Dona Rosa--" The fellow choked

"Yes," Esteban nodded, wearily, "she is dead, Sebastian"

Tears came to Sebastian's eyes and overflowed his cheeks; he stood th he said: "She was too good for this world God was jealous and took her to Paradise"

The ed rily: "Paradise! What is this but paradise?" He stared with resentful eyes at the beauty round about hi arht like that in heaven? And yonder--" He turned to the harbor far beloith its fleet of sailing-ships resting like a flock of gulls upon a sea of quicksilver Beyond the bay, twenty e of hazyto the south, Esteban looked up the full length of the valley of the San Juan, clear to the ht indeed; then his eyes returned, as they always did, to the Yuave her everything She gained nothing by dying"

With a grave thoughtfulness which proved him superior to the ordinary slave, Sebastian replied: "True! She had all that any wooodness she gave you children You have lost her, but you have gained an heir, and a beautiful girl baby ill grow to be another Dona Rosa I grieved as you grieve, once upon a time, for hter lives, and she has brought sunshine into e That is the purpose of children" He paused and shifted his weight uncertainly, digging his stiff black toes into the dirt After a time he said, slowly: "Excellency! Now, about the--well--?"

"Yes What about it?" Esteban lifted s 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 hinity in his black face

"Understand, , even to the deeds of patent for the plantations If I thought there was danger of your betraying ue pulled out and your eyes torn from their sockets"