New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-09-19

See. he's of already We must follow him." And
almost as lightly AS the bird flew She hurried down
between the trees.
a FTER an artuous winter during which her name
hal added luster 10 the white glare Of Broadway,
Evelyn Hallcck had been sent TO the Estudilla
hacienda IN Southern California by friend who had
Travelled much IN many little Travelled places.
Il quite agree with your father he had written in
letter 20 her Fl IN his ilca that the mines at
Randsburg would he no place for YOU. But If you
still insist on being near him, and quite that
you need rest and nothing but rest can assure you
that YOU VIII find with Donna Pcrfccta Estudilla.
Her ranch hes at the foot of the hills, the coast
side and the stage road TO the mines lust back
OF her lands. She is "a bit of older civilization left
tor moIcrns 10 study and has nothing left OF
her old grandeur but few hundred acres OF good
for nothing land. Crumbhng adobe house and
worthless son, Don IImIueZ by name By the way,
don't translate that INTO Jim or Jimmy; but Of
course YOU know better than that. Truly, though,
he IS a worthless fellow, and think his old mothers
last days would be happier II she well nd OF him.
Donna Perfecta's memory is inexhaustihly stored
with tales of the old life that land of romance and
It IS absolutely at the disposal OF anyone who will
listen to her
~ her arrival at the hacienda EstuIilla Miss
~ IIalleck had found the old adobe crumbling in
deed but covered from end TO end with jasmine and
roses; the surrounding it worthless perhaps
according to any commercial appraiscment but riot
ously overgrown with palms acaciaS and pepper
trees, with orange and lemon groves. Donna Per
fecta seemed a picture from some old canvas. Her
Il
worn and torn, but drapcd over a fragile she'll comb
pointed with balls of gold; her gown. ragged and
frayed, stretched over her plump figure; and at
her belt was rosary of purple beads from which
hung golden CruCifIX. The old womans eyes still
held a youthful CLEAN under yclowed lids that lut-
tered and dropped in old fashioned coquetrv; her
hips, a line of scarlet in a face burnt sienna deep
chrome parted over teeth that white and firm.
Her reception OF Miss IIaecl that of a dowager
Queen receiving an envoy from neighbOring SOW
ereign; but Don Iiminez, the son, tall swarthy and
morose, accorded the visitor uncourteous well
come
On the afternoon when Donna Pcrfecta had told
her the story of FIlipo 3ecmpO She had been at the
hacienda for two weeks. Every hour of every ,lav
had been filled with stories and legends and every
hour OF every day she had watched Don Jmincz He
had been her constant companion. He had accom-
PANIED her on several short expeditions about the
country; but always she studied his WAYS and
moods the stronger grew her conviction that there
was something curiously mysterious about this last
scion of the house of Estudilla.
| was late in the afternoon of the following ,lav
The hot air was heavy with the perfume of the
jasmine that screened the corner where Donna Per
fecta sat with her guest and Don Jimnez The sun.
short half hour above the horizon was yelled about
with clouds of amethyst and amber that burned
slowly up into flames of scarlet and gold There had
been no stories told that afternoon for Donna Per
tecta had been lost in short memories of her own
youthful days.
That poor Fipo Beltempo stays in my mind
Evelyns eyes were on Don Inincz. His restless
movement as she spoke the name was not lost upon
her Neither did she fail 10 see the little furtive
movement of Donna Perfectas fingers. Have YOU
ever seen his ghost Don Jminezf"