The Washburn leader., 1916-02-04
CASTLES IN SPAIN
BY izoLA FORESTER.

And what will you do with Barty?"
asked Mrs. Avery.
He could stay where he is. 1dont
want to marry fireman"
There's q Widows pension goes
with it, Jess. mind,' her mother said
soothingly. And Barty's a fine lad
altogether. It's sight better than
watching from that widow for MI.
Delguardo to show up again
Jess flushed, slowly leaning her
chin on her hand. 1t was pretty
chin and it was a pretty hand. She
had not lived her life out down in
the basement by a long shot. From
six to fifteen she had been In 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 a janitor.
Always they had accused her of
building castles in Spain and longing
for the things she could never have.
1t had been joke for years-Jess
and her high-fying notions-and then
out of the blue sky almost there had
dropped real live gentleman from
Spain. Antonio Delguardo, an artist
who took the third food studio, paid
his rent in advance and acted like
grandee.
Before his coming, Jess had gone
out for an evening walk with Barry
now and then when he was OF 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 IL the mail had
come, and Jess had told him she
would take it up to the studio for
him.
"Ah, 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 a somer-
sault for Jess right there and then.
Here was one human being who rec
ognized at a 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 he 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.
I thank you. kiss your hand in
/! token"
Now Jess had never had her hand
kissed before, and she went out q
queen. When he brought her gar
denia that evening it seemed all part
Of the new wonder of life. q single
gardenia given with such 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 it's perfume
luxuriously after he had gone up.
My, 'tis hot, amt 1t. 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 speculated.
Jess was silent. Vaguely her castle
in Spain was taking shape. and she
glided through its black and white
marble corridors and watched from its
terraces for Senor De1guardo. or
would they call him Don, she won
dered dreamily.
It 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 a 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 It herself-her gran.
dee with q 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 q receiver of stolen gold.
He melted It up neatly into ingots In
his tidy little light-housekeepins
,,fanni1a and hia name WA nOt Del.