The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-09
The Spanish Necklace
BY RER7HA M. cROKER
sCOpyhshs. isos by B. M creksr An Rishs Reserved,

passed yesterday was the home of their race. We'll, as we drive out presently, We will drop you near the Casa del Marques de Quebrada."
 Yet, In spite of Dona Luisa's offer most of the expedition was made on foot. The street was too narrow for carriages-so narrow. that one could place a hand on either wall-it was a street where the paved footway and white walls had echoed for centuries with the tramp of Moorish feet-the holes and the cobble-stones made un- pleasant walking. The calle Romano wound and twisted. and then suddenly turned Into an open square. one side of which was filled by a dignified grey ouiiding-not by any means a ruin with carved stone front, with mul- lioned windows and massive en- trance: above the door was an eIabo- rate coat of arms, which displayed the motto. Fortune Infortune" This was the house of the Marques de Quebrada.
 Marietta rang the bell; 1t was un- expecte1ly large and powerful, and changed far Presently a thin, elderly woman appeared. and her melancholy face brightened when she beheld the visitors.
 "ro see the hOusey she asked
 If you please" said Marietta.
 ~Certainly." and she led the way through an arch, past a stone mounting g block, into a great entrance -hali yaulted and empty. through another where there were broken chairs and several ancient sofas without seats various marble. and carved tables a number of gloomy pictures: others. which had fallen out of thoir frames. stood piled against the wall From this dllaDidated salon they were piloted into an open court. with the usual stone stairs and galleries. but instead of orange-trees here were only a few dead plants: instead of the fountain. an ancient draw-well. on which was carved coat of arms-a mans head with closed visor. a battle-axe. and the date 143o.
 - Beyond the court was a lofty pillared room with. columns of white marble and lined with Moorish glazed tiles. the celebrated 'Azulejos" of exquisite colouring In tints of sapphire and other shades of blue. all in fair preserva- ton. After this came the ruins. The little party, led by the Spanish wo- man. picked their way over broken stone floors, by choked-up staircases. darkly mysterious hooks, and caver- nous chambers without windows; then to chambers with roofs all but open to the sky. Finally she ushered them fn- to what was once a garden, but was now c mass of blocks of masonry fallen statues, old orange-trees sword-blue aloes. scarlet cactus, jasmine and rubbish. 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 irrigation to perfection. and the first Omeyyard Sultan of Cordova had despatched messengers all over Europe to collect rare plants, trees, and flowers. This melancholy enclosure still re- tained one beauty-its prospect. Time and neglect were powerless to impair that; and from this miserable remains of a pleasaunce. one obtained a magni- ficent view of the river and the SIerras.
 Whilst Hester feasted her eyes the lugubrious servant was Wolubly talk ing to Marietta; and when Hester ques-