The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-12-17

How long had they been gone?
We're they to stay there forever?
And their minds dulled by IA
tigued and the sense of being
lost, thy imagined the night
would go out and leave the boat
q black coffin, for their corpses
to float In eternally.
Rafael, who was now facing
astern suddenly noticed Il Tight
on his left. They were going
away from IT; perhaps that was
the house they had been so pain
fully searching for.
The torch from the boat brought
out the lines OF q broad house
with q low roof that seemed to be
floating on the water. 1T was the
upper story Of q building that had
been swamped by the inundation.
The lower story was under water.
The flood, indeed, was getting
closer to the upper rooms The
balconies and windows looked like
landings Of e pier in an immense
lake.
Seems to me as il wed struck
the place" the barber said.
A warm, resonant voice. that
Of q woman, vibrant, but with q
deep, n1elodiotls softness. broke
the silence.
Hey, you in the. boat there!
Here, herep'
The voice betrayed no fear. It
showed not a trace Of emotion.
Didn't tell you so! the bar
Der exclaimed. The very place
we were looking Tor. DoIla Leo
nora! It's i! It's I!'s
a ripping laugh came out into
gloom.
why it's Cupido! It's Cupido!
can tell him by his voice.
Auntie, auntie! Don't cry any
more. Don't be afraid; and stop
your praying, please. Here comes
the God Of Love In g pearl shall
lop to rescue us!'
Rafael sl1ranIS at the sound Of
that somewhat hooking voice,
which seemed to people the dark
ness with brilliantly colored but.
terfIaes.
Now in the luminous square Of
q window he could make out the
naughty profile Of a woman
among other black forms that
were going to and fro past the
light inside, in agreeable surprise
at the unexpected visit.
The craft drew up to the
balcony. The men rose to their
feet and were able to reach an
iron railing. The barber, from
the Prov, was looking for some
thing strong where he could make
the boat fast.
LeOnora was leaning over the
balustrade while the light from
the torch lit up the golden he'll
met OF her thick, lIixuriant hair.
She was trying to identity that
other man down there who had
bashfully sat down again in the
stern.
You're q real friend, Cupido!
Thank you, thank you, ever and
ever so much. This Is one of
the favors we never forget But
who has come along with you?
The barber was already fasten-
ing the boat to the iron railing.
ITS Don Rafael BrllI, " he
answered slowly. { A. gentleman
you. have met already, believe.
You must thank him for this
visit. The boat Is his, and it
was he who got me out on this
adventure"
"Oh, thank you. senor Brull, .
said Leonora, greeting the man
with the wave Of a. hand that
flashed blue and red from. the
rings on its fingers. II must re-
peat what said to our friend
Cupido. Come right in. and +
hope you'll excuse my introducing
you through q second.story win
dow"
Rafael had jumped to his feet
and was answering her greeting
with an awkward bow, claspiug
the iron railing in order not to
fall. Cupido jumped into the
house and was followed by the
young man, who took pains to
make the climb gracefully and
sprightly.
Come right in, caballero," she
said to him. You surely need
something after this escapade of
yours. You are sopping wet, both
OF you. Poor boys! Just look at
them! Beppa! Auntie! But do
come In, sirt'
And she fairly pushed Rafael
forward with q sort of maternal
authoritativeness, much as a kind
ly woman might take her child
in hand after he has done some
naughty prank of which she is
secretly proud.
Rafael entered the dining room,
and there sat Dona Pepita, poor
woman, heaped in an armchair,
the wrinkles of her features
moistened with tears and her two
hands clutching a rosary. Cupido
was trying vainly to cheer her
with jokes about the inundation.
Look, auntie! This gentleman
is the son of your friend, Dona
Bernardo. He came over here
in a boat to help us out. 1t
was very nice of him, wasn't it?''
The old woman seemed quite to
have lost her mind from terror.
She looked vacantly at, the new
arrivals, as if they had been
there all their lives. At last she
seemed to realize what they were
saying.
claimed in surprise. "Rafaelito!
And you came to see us in such
weather? Suppose you get drowned,
What will your mother say? Lord,
how crazy of youl Lord"
But it was not madness, and
even If it were, it was very sweet
of him! That, at least, was what
Rafael seemed to read In those
clear, luminous eyes Of the gol-
den sparkles that caressed him
with their velvety touch every
time he dared to look ut them.
Leonora was staring at him;
studying him in the lamplight,
as if trying to understand the
difference between the man in
front Of hnt. and the how sha had