The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-16
CASTLES IN SPAIN
BY lzoLA FORESTER.


There's widows pension goes
with it, Jess, mind her mother said
soothingly. And Barty's a fine lad
altogether. It's a sight better than
watching from that window for MIR.
Delguardo to show up again.
Jess flushed, slowly leaning her
chin on her hand 1t was a pretty
chin and it was pretty hand. She
had not lived her life out down in
the basement by long shot. From
SIX to fifteen she had been in a con-
vent up the Hudson, and when she
gave the girls her address she always
said she lived down in the old Wash
| ington Square studio district, which
was quite true: but she did not add
that her father was janitor.
Always they had accused her of
building castles i'll Spain and longing
Tor the things she could never have
1t had been joke for years-Jess
and her high-fiying notions-and then
out OF the blue sky almost there had
dropped a real live gentleman from
Spain. Antonio Delguardo, an artist
, who took the third flood studio, paid
his rent in advance and acted like
grandee.
Before his coming. Jess had gone
ont for an evening walk with Barry
now and then when he was off duty
and had even taken in the theaters
with him, or an occasional trip to the
beach, but one day when she was
sweeping the basement steps Mr.. Del
gardo had stopped at the little iron
grill gate to ask if the mail had
come, and Jess had told him she
would take it up to the studio for
| him.
All, no, senorita. not at ALL" he
| had declined. Il will myself descend
for it, 1t is not for you to come so
far, thank you"
The whole world turned somer-
sault for Jess right there and then.
Here was one human being who rec
ognized at glance that she did not
belong to the basement stratum. When
the postman whistled, Mr.. Delguardo
came leisurely down and received his
mail, and he bowed to her and smiled.
One day she was directing the vac
uum-cleaner man around the house.,
and came to the studio. She opened it's
+ door delicately and stared Could
the grandee be doing light hOusekeep-
ing? There was what seemed to be
an alcohol stove. but of strange pat
tern, also some peculiar bowls of
dark metal, much burned, and other
things, including bottles full of liquids
like Photographic chemicals. All were
rather mysterious And while she stood
irresolute the gentleman from Spain
walked in. His eyebrows lifted slight
ly at the sight of her. He seemed sur
prised-mOre, grieved. Jess was all
bushes and anxiety. as she explained
His tone was soothing
1t is nothing. senorita It was the
dazzle of sunlight in my poor studio
that bewildered me for the instant.
| thank you. l kiss your hand in
token"
Now Jess had never had her hand
|
queen. When he brought her a gar
denia that evening it seemed all part
of the new wonder of life, a single
gardenia given with such a bow and
look. Jess was standing out on the
front steps listening to the band over
in the square, and she lifted the flower
to her nostrils, inhaling its perfume
luxuriously after he had gone up.
My. It's hot, amt it. JESSE said
Mrs. Avery, coming heavily up out of
the basement for breath of air.
But just at this moment two strange
gentlemen paused at the steps and in
quired for Mr.. Delguardo.
Hes not had visitors BEFORE" Mrs.
Avery specialized.
! Jess was silent Vaguely her castle
in Spain was taking shape, and she
| glided through it's black and white
marble corridors and watched from it's
terraces for Senior Delguardo, or
| would they call him Don, she won
dered dreamily.
1t was about three minutes after
the ascent of the two callers when
there came a smothered explosion
from the third floor studio Some
body turned in fire alarm at the
: corner, and it was Bartys company
from over on Greenwich street that
/ responded. Jess stood down in the
hall when he passed by and he stopped
! just long enough to say: The bulls
got Delguardo.'
| She had seen il herself-her gran
dee with handcuff on one wrist. pass
ing out of the house in custody. Her
father was busy telling the police
man about it and she heard Del
guardo was receiver of stolen gold
lie melted it up neatly into ingots in
/ his tidy little MISUNDERSTANDING
utensils, and his name was not Del
| guardo. 1t was Quincy Jack"
Somewhere at her feet lay the gar
denia. Unconsciously, Jess arms were
! like her mothers when Mrs Avery
was on the Offensive kimbo a la
County Limerick.
Smoky and dripping, Barty was the
last to leave, after the firemen had
cNtinguished the blaze Mr.. Delguardo
lad started by trying to ignite the
alcohol and escape in the excitement
How about the movies tomorrow
night. girlie?" he asked.
The castle in Spain became a mir
I age. Ii seemed good to strike earth
again. Barty's foot crushed the gar
do hn no
and followed the rest out.