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In most quarters, as tiotten, or at least put down as legendary Only Isabel, who, in spite of her husband's secretiveness, learned much, and Pancho Cueto, who kept his own account of the annual income from the business, held the matter in serious remembrance The overseer was a patientdiscord at the quinta and planned to profit by it, should occasion offer

It was only natural under such conditions that Dona Isabel should learn to dislike her stepchildren--Esteban had told her frankly that they would inherit whatever fortune he possessed The thought that, after all, she ht never share in the treasure for which she had sacrificed her youth and beauty was like to drive the woined, she found ways to vent her spite upon the twins She widened her hatred so as to include old Sebastian and his daughter, and even went so far as to persecute Evangelina's sweetheart, a slave nauess the reason of Sebastian's es, and one of her first efforts had been to win the old man's confidence It was in vain, however, that she flattered and cajoled, or stor ceiba withstands the summer heat and the winter hurricane

His firmness made her vindictive, and so in tie hian to coelina, but it was only after est to her husband that he sell the girl Esteban, of course, refused point-blank; he was too fond of Sebastian's daughter, he declared, to think of such a thing

"So, that is it," sneered Dona Isabel "Well, she is young and shapely and handsoo I rather suspected you were fond of her--"

With difficulty Esteban restrained an oath "You ," he said, stiffly "Sebastian has served ood to them; she is more of a mother to them than you have ever been"

"Is that why you dress her like a lady? Bah! A likely story!" Isabel tossed her fine, dark head "I'oes on aboutyour friends-- she as black as the pit, and you--"

"WOMAN!" shouted the planter, "you have a sting like a scorpion"

"I won't have that wench in my house," Isabel flared out at him