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

moons light here is almost clear as the suns s.
IL myself have not seen the gown since mar
riel EstudIla, no Eet ees cen the Storehouse with
with some other things.
Don Jiminez eyes were shut. The cigarette that
hung between his loosely closed lips had lost fre
The girl 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 brovS
50 close and turrOwed deep the line between them.
RUT the next morning she remembered her hostess
~ promise and coaxed and begged that at last the
old dame consented to show her treasure and lei the
way through long unused corridors 70 the ancient
storehouSe OF the EstudIlla wealth. Before they
reached it. however, Evelyn paused before q closed
door. shifting the air.
Yes, Get ees Don Timinez laughed Donna Per
tecta. Ihees ees what you call hees workrOOm
long ago, when he boy.
All, thought it his cigarette | smeed" an
swered the girl, hurryinc after Don Iiminez mother
and wondering what he might be doing in that long
ago wOTkToom.
But all thought of him and his occupation was
driven from her mind when Donna EstudiIla flung
wide the door OF the treasure house The pride in her
gesture would have tly accompanied the opening of
a king Golfers, and yet the place was bare and
empty. Empty shelves hung against cobwebbed
walls On the floor was litter of broken boxes. and
IN corner pile of rags; but nothing of any
possible value could the girls eyes perceive y single
ray of sunlight filtered through a crack in the broken
tiles of the roof. Into this light Donna Perfecta
dragging u small leather trunk which she had taken
from under the rags in the corner.
II have kept Get hidden so. she murmured Il
wanted TO keep Get until the last. Eet not
cssary To keep all our things. no, lust for Don
Jiminez and me- He-he has many needs, and
and Get Get easy for 70 let things go. She
was opening the box She spoke Miss IIaIleCk 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 VIII take the gown out
yourself, yesl'
The courteous invitation of voice and gesture was
not TO be denied and with fingers almost as revereut
as Donna Perfectas own would have been the girl
raised the gown. The long that had veOWed
the satin had done no harm To the texture and the
heavy folds hung straight and stiff from the tiny
gathered waist. The bodice was only CuiraSS hold
ing folds of lace that have beloved about the
breast and arms of the wearer Caught in fold of
the lace was dried leaf which to Miss IaIleck spoke
OF no flower whatsoever until Donna PerfeCtas voice
ItauIreCted the blossom INTO living beauty.
Eet was an orange blossom geeven me bv-no not
by Estudilla that night told you Of No. eet was
not Estudllla by any means and eet because the
Hover was there that never wore the gown and
never let Estudilla Get, no, nor Don IimineZ
Eet was not Tor Estudilla and Don Iiminez to know
yes See, the veil eeS there too the veil and the
shoes ana all Suddenly she laid her hand on Eve
yh iiaiIeck arm. Nou-yOu would like to-to
what you call try the gOwn9 | shall be verv Glad
eet you will like to take Get to your room and mt
Get on. Il cannot show you how | wore Get. but
you are leete and small and you could see how beau
tu Get was, nor"
EVELYN'S protestations grew fainter and fainter
under the urgent voice of her hostess abettec bv
her own eager desire To herself in the century old
nnery Carrying the treasure in her arms she sped
down the passage. diStanCinp the slow stems of her
companion. But again She paused abruDtIv M the
room that had been Don Iiminez' workshop The
door mad swung OPEN and she could see Don Jiminez
standing near the window, His name was on her
hps but her voice was arrested bv the obiect i; hi
hands, long barreled old fashioned pistol In
Stantly she remembered the words Donna Perfecta
hhd spoken ~ tall man. all in black, with mask and