"In the interest of
friendship, I withdraw. A curse on these buried treasures, anyhow.
We shall yet come to blows."
As he walked away he heard Norine say: "Don't pay any attention to
him. We'll go and dig it up ourselves, and we won't wait until the
war is over."
An hour later Esteban and his nurse still had their heads
together. They were still talking of golden ingots and pearls from
the Caribbean the size of plums when they looked up to see
O'Reilly running toward them. He was visibly excited; he waved and
shouted at them. He was panting when he arrived.
"News! From Matanzas!" he cried. "Gomez's man has arrived."
Esteban struggled to rise, but Norine restrained him. "Rosa? What
does he say? Quick!"
"Good news! She left the Pan de Matanzas with the two negroes. She
went into the city before Cobo's raid."
Esteban collapsed limply. He closed his eyes, his face was very
white. He crossed himself weakly.
"The letter is definite. It seems they were starving. They obeyed
Weyler's bando. They're in Matanzas now."
"Do you hear, Esteban?" Norine shook her patient by the shoulder.
"She's alive. Oh, can't you see that it always pays to believe the
best?"
"Alive! Safe!" Esteban whispered. His eyes, when he opened them,
were swimming; he clutched Norine's hand tightly; his other hand
he extended to O'Reilly.
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