The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-12-19

~ had reason to appreciate the
talent of her counsellor. She, too,
was sure it was all over. Her son
was not so blind as his father had
been. He was returning 10 the
path Of duty,
Remedies, with her head bowed
low over her embroidery, would
blush deep red whenever Rafael
praised her work or told her she
was the prettiest girl in all Alcira.
He would help her thread her
needles, and hold his hands out
to make q winding frame for the
Rlxeins. And at night, alone in
the dining room with Don Andres,
when the hour of condolences
came, Dona Bernardo would for
get the affairs of ''the party" to
say with satisfaction:
It's going better"
us Rafael taking to her?'
More and more every day.
That boy is the living image Of
his father when it comes 20 mat
tiers like this And she was sure
that DR.. Moreno's daughter no
longer existed for Rafael. She
knew, from her spies that the
two had met on the street. Rafael
had looked the other way and the
..comica had turned pale and
walked straight ahead pretending
not to see him. What did that
mean? Al break for good, Of
course!
Member Of Family
In the Joy Of her triumph Dona
Bernardo was thinking anviously
of her sons marriage to Remedies,
and. coming down one peg on
the ladder Of her dignity toward
Don Matias, she began to treat
the exporter az q member OF the
family.
Don Andres and his friends at
the club kept asking when the
wedding would take place. In
presence of ..the children Dona
Bernardo would speak Of altera-
lions that would have to be made
in the house. The whole first
story would be for the couple,
with new rooms that would be
tie talk OF the city.
And Rafael would listen to all
these things as In a dream. In
reality he had not expressed the
slightest desire to marry; but
there was his mother. taking
everything for granted. arranging
everything. His wedding was a
foregoTie conclusion, the topic
Of conversation for the entire
city,
One night Rafael drew back in
front OF the door to his room
with tlsa lreunors he would have
felt On the threshold 81 a place
Of HORROR Hardly realizing what
he was doing, Rafael went down
into the street. Soon he found
himself upon the bridge. He went
on through the SILENT deserted
streets Of the suburbs. He was
drawn on and on into the mysteri-
Gus silence OF the fields.
How good It was to be alivei
The blood tingled more rapidly,
more holly, through the body!
Rafael followed the usual path.
He had turned instinctiveIy to-
ward the Blue House. The shame
OF his disgrace still smarted raw
within him. Had he met Leonora
j now in the middle of the road he
would have recoiled in childish
terror: but he would not meet
her at such an hour. That re-
Election gave him strength to
walk on. It would be his fare
WE'LL The within had occurred to
him as he left the city and saw
the first orange trees laden with
the blossoms whose perfume had
for many months been holding
the songstress there in patient
expectation. Leonora would never
know he had been near her in
Il
moonlight. The gate with the
view among the trees-the gate
that had been slammed behind
him in insulting dismissal.
The House Dog
He was about to step forward
\ when a dark form shot out from
beneath two orange trees and
? stopped near him with a muffled
growl. IT was the house dog.
Rafael recoiled iDstinctively from
the warm breath of that painting,
furious muzzle which was reach
ing for his leg; but the dog, after
q seconds hesitation, began to
wag its tail with pleasure. He
reached the walk leading to rhe
plazoleta and was surprised to
find the gate half open. Suddenly
he heard a suppressed cry near
by. He turned around, and there
on the tiled bench, wrapped in
the shadow of the palm trees and
rose bushes he saw a white form
"a woman. AS she rose the
moonlight fell square on her
features.
"Leonora"'
sunk into the earth. Rafael!
You here?"
And the two stood there in
silence. face to face. He kept his
eyes fixed on the ground, ashamed
she looked ut him with O certain
INDIGESTION.
What are you doing here?"
Rafael was at a loss for d
reply.
Come. now" said Leonora
gently, don't hunt up any far
fetched excuses. You were COM
ing to bid me good-bye-and
without trying to see me! What
q lot OF nonsenseh'
Rafael, quite encouraged by this
unexpected reception, tried to beg
forgiveness for the madness that
had caused his expulsion from
the place; but the actress cut him
short.
Lets not discuss that un-
pleasant thing! II hurts me Just
TO think of it. You're forgiven.
But-no liberties. You know me
now" She turned to the bench,
motioning to Rafael TO take a
seat at the other end.
ExhiIeratiOn
What a night! feel a strange
infoxiCafinn without Inrinapt s9I