The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-12-17
Complete Novel
in a Week

sAnd how about the Blue
House" he ventured finally That
farm Of Dona Pepa's whore you
go sometimes? VIII anything be
wrong down there?"
ITS q good solid place. the
barber replied, and this isn't rlie
first flood it's been through. But
it's right on the river, and ny
this time the garden must be 4
lake; the water will surely be UP
to the second story. I'll bet DOna
Pepa's poor niece Is scared OFT
Of her wits. Just imagine com
ing from SO far away and from
such pretty places. and running
into a mess like this!
Rafael seemed to mediate for
moment Then as IL an idea
that had been dancing about In
his head all day had just occurred
to him, he said:
Suppose we take a run down
there! What do you say, Cunido?"
Down there! And how'll we
you're right! we could gel
through It will look funny, all
right! Us two padding up like
q couple Of Venetian gondoliers
to serenade celebrated priTla
donna In her fright. I've a good
mind to run home and fetch my
guitar along.
What the devil, Cupido! NO
guitar business! What JosIaer
you arei Our job ID to get those
women out Of there. They'll be
drowned IL we don't. =
The barber, insisting on his ro-
mantle idea, fixed a pair Of shrewd
eyes on Rafael.
II see! So you're interested in
the illustrious artistic, too. You
rascal! You're snnitten on her
reputation for good looks. tut
no. remember-you've seen her;
she told me so herself"
''She! She spoke to you about
me?''
"oh, nothing important! She
told me she saw you one after
noon up at the Hermitage"
Listen, Cupido; have my beat
right handy here: you know the
boat father had made to order in
Valencia as a present for me.
Steel frame; hard wood; safe as 2
warship. You know the river.
I've seen you handle an oar more
than once; and I've got a pair OF
arms myself. What do you say2'a
II say, let's go" the barber
answered resolutely.
They asked for a torch, and with
the help Of several men dragged
Rafael's boat toward q stairway
on the riverba1k
Above. through the crowds on
&kn.f 14NS4f1ern fhw,n YNnxNya fNf Rhn az.
petition flashed, but exaggerated
The men were going 20 save q
poor family that had taken refuge
on the roof of q house poor devils
in danger Of being swept off at
any moment. Rafael had learned
Of their plight, and he was start
ing to save them at the risk Of
his own skin. And q wealthy,
powerful man like him, with SO
much to live for. Many loyal
followers OF the BruIls were eager
OF go with the chief-droWn with
him, II need be.
Cupido protested. No: for q lob
like that, the fewer the better;
the boat had to be light; he
would do for the oars and Rafael
could steer.
Let her go! Let her go!'' called
Rafael.
And the boat, after nesitating
a. second, shot off on the current.
In the narrow gorge between
the Old City and the New, the
swollen torrent swept them afDrg
like lightning. The barber used
his oars just to keep the boat
away from the shore. Submerged
rocks sent great whirlpoOls to
the surface and pulled the boat
this way and that. The light OF
the torch cast a dull reddish
glow out over the muddy eddies.
Tree trunks, refuse, dead animals,
went floating by, ehapeless masses
with only few dark points Yisi-
BILE above the surface, as though
some dead man covered with mud
were swimming under water. OUT
on that swirling current, with the
shiny yapors of the river rising
to his nostrils and the eddies
sucking and boiling all around,
Rafael though himself the victim
of a weird nightmare and begun
even to repent Of his rashness.
The news of, their expedition had
spread throughout the city and
people were on the watch for
them as they sped by: Viva Don
Rafael! Viva Brull!''
But the hero who was risking
his life to save a family Of poor
folks out there in the darkness
Of that sticky, murky, sepulchral
night, had in mind only one thing
IA blue house, in which he
was to penetrate at last, IN So
strange and romantic fashion.
They were around the city in
no time. Few lighted windows
were now to be seen. High, steep
banks Of slippery mud-Quite I'M
scalable-crested with walls, were
slipping past on either hand, with
an occasional palisade, the piles
just emerging from the watsr.
Somewhat ahead, the open river,
where the two arms that grid the
Old City reunited in what was
now a vast lake!
The two men went on blindly.
All normal landmarks were gone.
The banks mad disappeared, and
in the blackness, beyond the red
circle Of torch light, they could
make out only water and then
more water-an immense inces-
sanity rolling sheet that was TAX
ing them they knew not whore.
Better begin to row, Cupido,'
said Rafael. 1.-THE current is very
strong. We must be still in the
river. Let's turn to the right
and see if we can get into the
orchards"
The barber bent to the oars, and
the boat, slowly, on account OF
the current, came around and
headed for line Of tree tops