The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-12-18

merged trees MA the Dalcoly IAOIH
view, he bowed his head, giving
himself up entirely to the silent
pleasure Of tasting the sweetness
that he could still feel upon his
burning lips.
Chapter VI
The elections set the whole dis
rict agog. The crucial moment
for the House OF Brull had come
and ali its loyal henchmen, rs
though still uncertain of the
party's omnipotence, and fearing
the sudden appearances of hidden
enemies were running this way
and that about the city and the
outlying towns, shouting Rafael's
name as q clarion call to victory.
The inundation was something
Of the forgotten past. The ben
Efficient sun had dried the fields.
The orchards, fortified by the
silt Of the recent flood looked
more beautiful than ever. A mag
nificent harvest was forecast
and, as sole reminders Of the
catastrophe, there remained only
q shattered enclosure here,
fallen fence there, or some sunken
road with the banks washed away
Most OF the damage had been res
paired in few days, and people
were quite content, referring to
the past danger jolingly. Until
next time!
Besides, plenty Of relief money
had been given out. Help lad
come from Valencia. from Madrid,
from every corner OF Spain, thanksN
to the whimpering publicity given
the intimidation in the local press;
and since the pious believer must
attribute all his boons to the pro-
lection of some patron saint, the
peasants thanked Rafael AMI his
mother for this aims, resolving
to be more faithful than eve:. to
the powerful family. So-long
live the Father of the Poor
Dona Bernarda's a m b I'll Gus
dreams were on the point OF re-
alization, and she could not give
herself a moments rest. Her
sons cool indifference was some
thing she could not understand
for the life of her! Rafael must
show himself in public, keep
everybody talking about him and
thinking about him
Dona Bernardo, in fact, had not
been slow in detecting her sons
new friendship. To begin with,
her one concern in life was
RafaeI,s health and conduct. And
in that gossipy induisitive country
town, her son could do virtually
nothing which she did not know
all about in the course OF a few
: hours.
On returning home at night
Rafael would find himself sub
1ected to searching cross
examination that would last all
during supper. Don Andreas
would usually be present, though
he did not dare raise his head
when that masterful woman
spoke. Where had he been?
Whom had he seen? Rafael felt
himself surrounded by a system
of espionage that followed him
wherever he went in the city or
in the country.
NO. sir; today you were at the
chorus girls house again! Take
care, Rafael! Mark my word!
You're killing me, you're killing
met"
= And then those absurd clan
destine trips to the Blue House
began, the leading man of the
district, the advocate Of Alcira's
fortunes, creeping on his stomach.
skulking. from bush to bush, in
order NOT to be seen by tell-tale
Observers,
Leonofa xas not the woman
that she hss,a shown herself On
the night - the flood. With the
fascination u danger gone, the
novelty Of the adventure, and the
extraordinary circumstances OF
their second interview, she treated
Rafael with a kindly indifference
like any other of the adorers
who had flocked about her in
her day. She had come to look
upon him as a new piece Of fur
Nniture that she found in place
in front Of Der every afternoon;
an automaton, who appeared as
regularly as a clock strikes, to
spend hours and hours staring at
her. pale, shrinking with an
absurd consciousness of inferi-
ority, and often answering her
questions with stupid phrases that
made her laugh.
Her irony and deliberate frank.
ness wounded Rafael cruelty.
Hello, Rafaelito," she would say
sometimes as he came in. you
here again? Better look out!
People will be talking about us
before long. Then what will mama
say to your" And Rafael would
would be stung to the quick. What
q disgrace, to be tied to a mothers
apron-strings, and have to stoop
to all these subterfuges to-. visit
this place without raising a rum
pus at homei
But try as he would, mean
while, he could not shake off the
spell that Leonora was exercising
over him.
Her passionate, tumultuous
soul seemed to fall Into = Ian.