Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-19

IL myself have not seen the gown since mar
RED Estudilla Eet the stOrehOuSe with
with some other things.
Don Jiminez' eyes were shut. The cigarette that
hung between his loosely closed lips had lost its fire.
The girls attention wandered from the old gown and
the old days to the man and the present moment,
and she wondered if in reality he slept and, if
what might be the dreams that drew his black brows
so close and furrowed so deep the line between them.
PUT the next morning she remembered her hostess
promise and coaxed and begged that at last the
old dame consented to show her treasure and led the
way through long unused corridors to the ancient
storehouse of the Estudia wealth. Before they
reached it, however, Evelyn paused before closed
door, shifting the air
Yes, eet ees Don Jiminez,' laughed Donna Per-
fecta. "Thees ees what you call hees workroom,
long ago, when he boy.
"Ah, thought it was his cigarette | smelled' an
swered the GIRL hurrying after Don Jimnez mother
and wondering what he might be doing in that long
ago workroom
But all thought of him and his occupation
driven from her mind when Donna Estudia flung
wide the door of the treasure house The pride in her
gesture would have fifty accompanied the opening of
Kings Golfers, and yet the place bare and
empty. Empty shelves hung against cobwebbed
walls. On the floor litter of broken boxes and
in one corner was pile of rags; but nothing of any
possible value could the girls eyes perceive. single
ray of sunlight filtered through crack in the broken
tiles of the roof Into this light Donna Perfecta
dragging small leather trunk which she had taken
from under the rags in the corner
Il have kept eet hidden so, she murmured. q
| wanted to keep eet until the last. Eet not nee
essary to keep all our things, no? Just for Don
Jiminez and me? He-he has many needs, and
and eet-eet easy for me to let things co. She
opening the box as she spoke. Miss Halleck saw
that over the contents spread square of linen
wrought with dainty stitches into a veritable cob
web. This Donna Perfecta lifted with loving hands.
Then she drew back. You will take the gown out
yourself, yes?"
The courteous invitation of voice and gesture was
not to be denied and with fingers almost reverent
Donna Perfectas would have been the girl
raised the gown. The long years that had yellowed
he tin had har to fhef evt and he
heavy folds hung straight and stiff from the tiny
gathered waist. The bodice only cuirass hold
ing folds of lace that must have beloved about the
breast and arms of the wearer. Caught in fold of
the lace dried leaf which to Miss Halleck spoke
of no flower whatsoever until Donna Perfectas voice
resurrected the blossom into living beauty.
'Eet orange blossom geeven me by-no not
by Estudilla- night l told you of. No, eet
not Estudilla by any MEANS and eet because the
flower was there that never wore the gown and
never let Estudilla eet, no, nor Don Jiminez.
Eet not for Estudilla and Don Jiminez to know,
yes? See, the veil there too, the veil and the
Shoes and all" Suddenly she laid her hand Eve
what you call try the gown? 1 shall be very glad
eef you will like to take eet to your room and put
eet on. II cannot show you how l wore eet; but
you are leete and small and you could how beau
tiful eet was, nor"
FVELYN'S protestations grew fainter and fainter
- under the urgent voice of her hostess abetted by
her eager desire to herself in the century old
fnery. Carrying the treasure in her arms she sped
down the passage, distancing the slow steps of her
companion But again she paused abruptly at the
room that had been Don Jiminez' workshop. The
door had swung open and she could see Don Jiminez
standing near the window. His her
hands, long barreled old fashioned pistol. In
stantly she remembered the words Donna Perfecta
had spoken, "A tall man. all in black, with mask and
a peestol an old fashioned peesto!'' Could it be,
then, that Don Jiminez
Pausing no longer, Miss Halleck hurried on to her
room and tossed the bundle of satin and lace on
na1 Qo-1