New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-11
THE SENORITA'S GHOST.


She never rests There growjcd Jose Maria.
She Is doing pcrarcc.
"Why?' asked the young Englishman, Mark
She was bAl-ycry bad'7
How do you know that, Jose Maria p SAID the
old lady sharply s"ngIns round on ,.. ml a e%
cited, and cu'ched her neck cOnNulslFcIy "4'i
one black-gloycd hand.
Il know it because | know ii, answered. jos
Maria mumbllnsy; land Heaven knows best OF
Who are you, jose Maria, TO prate of what
Heaven knows? Shut your m'uth ana c"ih
The old man turned aside muttering, but he
dared not argue with the Sonora, -,
Then she swung herself around with thc same
jerky movement as before, and spoke u NE young
How Would you fkc to be buried here"
He looked rather surprised at the question: anu
Here = he sid, Smuggling his shoulders.
would rather lay my bones in Lneland ,
BE thankful, rctorted sac SHARPLY
full if you get ~ good as the NY sTon1'alng,sa
was eajcn by fierce PIGS. They killed him, too.
Good Heavens how did that happen -
Nv grandmother kept fierce pigs and-Wei, SIZE
was Jealous. New Let us 90 On
She swung round again and led the way through
a tonelc OF garden hat by daylight was brilliant
with crimson passon-lowcrS ana ll1lScus' , n,n,
fragrant with tail shrubs Of swcct-sccted ycrhen@
and rosemary. Tie niapcro trees were po"In-
down with luscious yellow fruit. and the cherries
blushcd among their green leave,
The house stood az one end Of the garden NIi'i"
a fountain drippcd ia2ily. and frogs were alca"y
croaking in the evening light. r
WHO was The Scnorlta p asked Iark LdI''
with a sudden uHcOnirclllblc dcslrc to Know
The old lady swung round ln-riN:
It's no matter 10 YOU, Nlask lilft! ASK ho-
thing, and You viii hear 10 llcc.
They ra.scd through orrcpeI-9roWn TtiaAIIa
and entered the house II waS low, oh-laSh-
Toned, atragglhg hacienda house hni!t iouhu
patio. The hcorin- WAS of red tiles, broken ana
Uneven. The furniture WIS scanty. shabby ana
quantity old-faShioncd ~
Mark looked about him with interest. This
then was his heritage Years ago. when lc va a
mere child a letter had com" from his uncle Mark.
of whom the family had herd NOTHING ior haii 4
century, saying that he had buried hlmscl! Ill thls
remote corner Of Chilli. and that his prop rjy and
fortune should eventually belong to the boz N'r",
who he particularly requested should be taught
Spanish thoroughly. Their lie wrote again, some
ten years later, saying lac felt death was near ana
bidding Mark wait until lac had attained the age
Of twenty-five before coming 30 claim his llell-
tage unless he should be summoned before that
time by the death of his aunt, WHO waS Chlan,
i'm which case he should be duly informed of tine
event. From that day there came no further
communication. beyond the news OF the old man
death and Mark, in course of time. being unable
TO obtain any answer to hls letters, had, when he
reached the age Of twenty-five. announced his In
tention of visiting his aunt and had at last arrived
at the Oat-Of-the-W0y hacienda on the frontier
where she lived.
After riding about ten miles from the nearest
station, leaving his baggaee tC fellow him on
pach-mue, he and his eIidc-a taciturn CHILEAN
huasO or countryman -fOun1 themselves before
a tumble-down gate, leading into the tangle garden
already described, where they first saw tie old
II know who you are" she had said at once. You
are Mark Lairt. come to get wfnt YOU can
wishes, SAID he speaking ia Spanish. which he
knew perfectly. You are my aunt"
The old lady 'au-hed horrible laugh.
Ave Maria, Your aunt."
She was a STRENGTHENING old lady. with n very
erect and graceful way of holding herself. She
appeared TO he slight and wel-madc, hut her figure
Il, 1.I tl...t
her quaint aspect. Dv"r this She thick
black gauze mant0. which covered her head. and
wos drawn down over her face like veil Mark
could sc no feature distinctly, and even her eyes
were barricaded Ivy large blue spectaccS. She had
wonderfully elastic, sprngy walk, ana on cner-
geiic yet graceful way Of swinging herself round 10
speak TO any one Mark, rs lie stood hat IN hand,
holding his hose by the gate, and greeting this
odd old lady, thought il a strange experience,
and instinctively felt that he was an unwelcome
guest
You can send your guide away said Dona
Pillar, decidedly. lie can have nothing here.
Jose Maria. jose Maria ;" she shouted loudly,
in a strong, clear voice.
A shrivclled old man, an old man with rel
and blcaTed eyes, and a tOOthicsS mumbng mouth.
he was dressed in red and yellow striped
poncho, which hung loosely over his sharp
shoulders, and Tapping white chupaya hat was
tied by greasy black ribbons under his stubby chin.
Jose Maria" Dona Pillar had said then. take
the horse"
Jose Maria took IT, and stood waiting Mark
pull cl ont some money and pad his guide explain
Ing tnHt lie must return AZ once, ana dHklN- MN
10 send on the luggage as soon as possible. Though
he tipped the man wc it went 10 his heart TO send
OF man and beast without reircShmcnt.
Let him take back the horse, TOO, said the old
lady. There are plenty here without II. Now
follow me-"
Mark walked along the garden path behind her,
and was joined in q few minutes By Jose Maria,
who had delivered up the horse, and who came
hObbling after them.
And then it was that the old lady suddenly
stopped, swung herself round 10 speak 10 Mark and
pointed out the ScnOrita grave
When they entered the house, Dona Pillar turned
TO Mark again. a fine heritagc" she said
dcrsively Come | viii show you your room"
They passed through the patio, where the pavement
was green with age. and the damp that oozcd from
stagnant POOL, which had once been the ornament
al basin OF fountain, now all broken and leaking.
The Sonora led the way through an empty room,
into another patio bcyond their footsteps echoed
strangely in the deserted place, and rats scurried
away disturbed by the sound Dona Pillar pulled
out rusty key and opened door. The room
into which they entered had thu peculiar damp
musty smell that comes in rooms with adobe walls,
that have been too much shut up Mark walked
TO the window ard looked ont. The moon had
risen and poured in its pale light just as the day
had suddenly wancd.
a pretty old garden" said Mark. trying hard
At the same instant something cleaning caught
his eye. II was the moonlight on the White
stone of the Scnortas grave. M
The old woman laughed the same horrible
This is the Senorita's roOm,' she said. 81
have given it to YOU - ,
Then she went out suddenly and shut the
door Mark looked round the room. a heavy
wooden bcdstead stood in one corner. IL had
been a four-poster once, but the top had been
cut off. There was shabby chest OF draw,
ers, and shabber cupboard, two chairs ana
tn the ' room on either side, communicating with
the next rooms, as is usual in patio, houses
Mark tried one door. 1t locked; the OTHER
had the heavy cupboard in front of it. reach
ing to the top, Of the frame but rot covering 5il
the small window above the door. which dls
fignres most Cbilian rooms and which very often
is not made to open, and cannot even serve the
original intention of ventilation, The French
window which led 10 the vcranda had neither
curtains blinds shutters nor fastcnings of any
sort. He threw il wide open, and stood look
ing out: the Senoritas grave had q sort of fas-
eination for him Who was the Scnorita? He
1870 FL o. exc cor his mnclc and