Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-07-12


mounting he contrived to meet Ramon
and sent note to Teresa informing her
that he would be in Albuquerque within
six days.
The end of the week found Raymer
settled in the Office of the depot quarter
master at Albuquerque, with prospect
of remaining month at least. He took
an early opportunity to call upon Senior
Valencia, by whom he was cordially
welcomed and promptly invited to din
ner. No ladies were at the table.
A week passed. during which time
Raymer saw nothing of Dona Teresa or
her mother. Inquiry for Ramon Vaca,
whom no hoped to make available as
messenger, elected the information that
the day after the lieutenant called upon
Senior Valencia the boy had been sent to
a distant rancho Of the family's. Evi-
IDENTIFY la sonora intended he should
have no friends in town to assist him in
communicating with her daughter.
Philip spent hours in contriving meth
ods for obtaining al interview with
Teresa, only to abandon them as i'm
practicable. On the Sunday after his ar
rival he fingered near the church and
saw the family 60 to and from morning
service, but no sign of recognition came
to him. Monday evening he strolled
into hotel and stood looking over a
game of cards in which Senor Valencia
appeared to be interested. AS Raymer
watched the varying fortunes Of the
play sudden plan occurred to him. He
approached the Mexican gentleman and
said:
"Senor Valencia, can 1 make use Of
your library this evening to look up
reference?'
Certainly, Mr.. Raymer. Here is the
key. Let yourself in and stay as long as
you please.
The lieutenant started at once for the
Valencia residence that stood on the
eastern outskirts of the town. 1t was
built in the usual style of Mexican
dwellings-a one story adobe house,
with an interior court, open to the sky
and surrounded by continuous veran-
da The outside was plain and gloomy,
with few windows, and with one large
entrance, through which coach could
be driven into the court. This court
was planted with trees, vines and flow
ers about central pool, and the doors
and windows opening upon it disclosed
beautiful interiors.
The library, however, formed no part
of the original building. 1t was sepa-
rate edifice, built against its southern
wall at the left of the entrance and
somewhat retired from the line Of the
house front, no door connecting it with
the main building. A veranda and
we'll grassed lawn, inclosed by paling,
stretched along its front.
Raymer opened the gate, crossed the
lawn and stopped an instant to survey
the dark walls before him, then stepped
upon the veranda, unlocked the door
and entered. He was not unacqualnted
with the room, having been there with
Senior Valencia several times during his
previous visits to Albuquerque. He
therefore encountered no difficulty in
obtaining and lighting lamp. The
room was about % feet square and we'll
lined with bookshelves. Several choice
paintings adorned the walls. A bust of
Apollo, small statue of Psyche, a cou-
pie of bronzes, few specimens of Pueb-
10 pottery were gracefully disposed here
and there. A stepladder, lounges,
chairs, tables and desk, resting upon
q fine carpet, made handsomely fur
nished library.
On the side next the residence, about
four feet above the floor, Raymer no.
ticed square aperture, now closed by
a panel. Above the casing was rod,
upon which hung, by heavy gilt rings,
two blue silk curtains. A large skylight
in the fiat roof lighted the apartment.
Tho ample shelves were loaded with
books in many languages, chiefly Span
ish and English. Some of them were
rare and old, quaint and rich in bind
ing
Raymer selected a volume and sat
down at a table, pretending to read.
His thoughts, however, were not cen
fined to the page They were dwelling
upon the all absorbing subject that had
occupied them since Christmas at Los
Wales Grandes. He was again planning
means for accomplishing the purpose
which had brought him to this town.
During the past few days he had culti-
waited the acquaintance of the half dozen
alcaldes III the place, with the hope that
one among them might be induced to
perform the marriage service for him
self and Teresa
While reviewing his experience with
the alcaldes Raymer heard the voices
Of women on the other side of the panel.
He could not distinguish their words,
but he recognized the tones of Mrs. Va
lencia and her daughter. The latter
seemed to be tearfully pleading and the
other earnestly persuading. Silence fol-
lowed, TO be succeeded by q rush of pre-
liminary notes over the keys of fine
piano, which settled into nocturne Of
Chopin, which in turn ran into a plain
tive and sobbing Spanish melody. The
music ceased, and all was still.
The lieutenant bowed his head upon
fI,o hool, Iofo,o hin, f1roprol iptn a