Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-01

- of sapphire and
other shades of
o---J blue all in fair
preservation. After this came the ruins
The little party. led by the Spanish
woman. picked their way over broken
stone floors. by choked-up staircases,
darkly mysterious hooks and ,Nvernous
chambers without windows; then to cham
bers with roofs all but open to the
sky. Finally she ushered them into
what was once garden, but was no"
mass of blocks of masonry, fallen
statues. old orange trees. sword-blue
aloes. scarlet cactus. jasmine and rub
hish. Probably it had been one of those
Cordovan gardens. the glory of sun
steeped Andalusia. dating from the days
when the Saracens carried the art OF ir-
risation to perfection and the first Omey-
ward Sultan OF Cordova had dispatched
messengers all over Europe to collect
rare plants. trees and flowers This mel
ancholy Enclosure still retained one
beauty-its prospect. Time and neglect
were powerless to impair that and from
this miserable remains Of q pleasaunce
one obta q magnificent view OF the
river and the Sierras.
While Hester Toasted her eyes. the
lugubrious srvant was volubly talking 10
Marietta. and when Hester questioned
her as to the subject. Marietta replied:
"She SAYS the eldest CondeSa had lately
lost her wits and thinks everything is
as grand as it was. when she WIS young.
eighty years ago. and keeps ordering the
carriages and the servants, Wnen II 5 all
they can do to get bread and onions. The
younger one is distracted, now tney Will
not even see the priest.
MAY we not offar her money! sug-
gested Hester-'give 1t for them Sc
cretlv?
but how 10 help them? The heirlooms
went Years ago the jewels and silver
There are sill some pictures; l saw
them in the salon.
..Only those which they will not sell.
..Try. Marietta. and l Will buy one; do
ask the woman
Capt. Tudor. who was secretly bored by
this aimless rambling among dusty ruins,
went on. and sat on broken step IN
The c,rden select ID a cigar and patiently
awaited Miss Forbes good pleasure
Meanwhile. he maditated.
Miss Forde was charming girl. unaf-
facted and simple. and she understood
the compass of his voice to THE best
acecmpanist he had ever had: she was
handsome. too. Well yes. he meant to
have a good try-fortune favors the
bold.
Left to their own devices Marietta and
to the desolate salon and looked around
them in search Of suitable purchase.
Here is one said Has.er. There. up
IN the corner. No. I don't want Holy
indicated small half-length portrait of
a dark cavalier in feathered hat. As
she spoke she climbed up on one OF the
rickety chairs and gaZed into the bold
proud face: it seemed to her that it had
look of Paul.
paul, He was in eyerythine-the pro-
ceseion. this picture--he was like Mr.
Dick and the heed of King Charles!
Romantic idot:'' cried the Puritan
over-self las ii the Marquis de Sarazin
ever gave you a second thought! You
have lost your senses, and you know 1t. ;"
Nj the same, Hester. despite her menta al
mentor. resolved hat she would buy this
picture II only the old Condesa could be
When the Spanish woman entered she
pointed to her selection and made ener-
getic signs
But the servant slowly shook her bead
and continued to shake it from side to
side while Marietta interpreted:
1T is an ancastor-tha: says ALL
ASK her-ask her urged Hester.
eagerly. and she brought out few
broken sentences. and actually prevailed
on the Spaniard to go and interview her
mistress.
After a wear'some delay the woman re-
turned and said: Come. the Condesa
VIII see you LOT y moment
See me-" repeated Hester. much as
tonshed. Then. Marietta. you must
come too. for cannot speak to her.
and she followed he servant back into
the patio. md up wond ,rfully carved
stone staircase into corridor. and ulti-
mately to lofty, bare room, overlooking
the square.
Here in high leather chair. sur
mounted by crown. sat the gfost or an
old Spanish lady. dressed IN rusty black
with a shabby m7ntilla pinned over her
head. Oh. such a wrinklad face. Oh.
such cavarnous black eyes! The long.
pointed. yellow hands. resting on the
chair were m rely skin and bone Ex-
cent for few SEATS. table and some
faded pictures. the room was emp y: but
from one adjoining came sounds Of peals
of or" cked laughter. and then a thin. i'm
percus voice, evidently issuing COM
mands.
AS Hester entered the old Condesa rose
st'ffiv. bowed TO her and signed to her
servant 20 close the adjoining door. Then
she began to speak in Spanish. addressing
herself exclusively to lister who gath
cred word here and there. At its con-
clusicn. Marietta gliby interpreted the
en- ire speech.
THE Condesa says she has not seen a
woman of her own class for five ye'rs;
but her poverty is now greater than her
pride. Her sister Is insane: she must
have attendance. food and doctor. The
Condesa is deeply ashamed to receive
YOU. or any one. IN THIS ruin OF the palace
of the Quebradas; but she is helpless and
aged. and your money means life and
reason. If her sister were well. she would
never admit a soul. her spirit was so
high: but she, the Condesa. is weak-and
different. and il is for her sisters sake. !"
AS Marietta interpreted the old lady
"a. with her eyes steadily fixed upon the
E.nRlishwoman. and never did misery
speak more plainly from human face.
Yes. / understand. and / am obliged
10 her for receiving me-" said Hester.
with suppressed emotion.
You wish the portrait OF Don Miguel
de las Basayas?' she asked.
Yes IL she pleases. ] should like to
have it,
He was an ancestor. brave. renowned
and killed I'm battle: but he was also n
bad man Therefore she will sell him.
La Condesa knows naught of the value.
but the picture Is at least three hundred
Years old. To you. signora. with your
gracious permission, she leaves the price,"
Hester pondered. She cas-. a furtive
glance round the empty room--no COM
fort. no ease for the poor. unhappy lady
gibbering and laughing maniac through
the panel: she gazed into the anxious
face OF the Spanish servant and. moved
by a tremor of feeling. replied:
81 will give two hundred pounds for it."
"'Tis too MUCH muttered Marietta, in
a sharp aside-''far too much"
And II il proves to be- valuable. / will
add whatever is just; besides. il IL is OF
no value. ! like it-and that's sufficient
Five thousand pasetaS!' cried the SER
vant. clasping her bony hands. Here.
indeed. is fortune at last.-truly, the
RANTS have heard u.s.
The amount. however. made no impress