The Harlequin Opal, Vol. 1 (of 3)

r e

as midnig

t as midn

r gl

of love'

hate lov

e eyes look

e glances w

take those

des fo

ocean of

lo

h

ks have r

tis torn

t

en heart,

s it who

from thy la

smile, and

ill love be

fe of

et life in y

lo

th the girl of his heart. The Cholacacans treat their women folk as do the Turks: shut them up from the insolent glances of other men, and only let them feel their power over the susceptible hearts of cavaliers a

f the creature man, and were correspondingly grateful for the seeing. Still, even in Cholacaca it is going too far to let a young unmarried fellow ride for many miles beside the caleza of two unmarried ladies. So far as Do?a Serafina was concerned, it did no

Thus, the affair admitted of some excuse, and Don Miguel was grateful to Jack for performing what should have been his duty. He did not know that the gratitude was all on the other side, and that Duval would have given years of his life for the pleasant journey, obtained with so little difficulty. If he had known-well, Don Miguel was

was as stupid as a stone idol, drove the caleza containing the two ladies. Do?a Serafina, overcome by her own stoutness, and the intense heat, slept heavily

e sent a flash of her dark eyes through the veil of her mantilla, and then Jack felt queer sensations about the region of the heart. A pleasant situation, yet tantalising, since it was all the "thou art so near and yet so far" business, with no care

in the solitude of the bedroom they shared together. Don Miguel seized on his sleepy sister in order to extract from her a trustw

four o'clock, and Jack found his three friends enjoying their siestas. He woke them up, an

t the rail

ntly; whereat Tim and Philip laughed so heart

king about?" aske

airs," replied P

own," said Tim, cruelly. "If you only knew the way he

eddening; "I walked about Tlat

th Eulalia last

s, Tim. It's a l

self. "I knew you would fall in love with Eulalia. Now, it's no use protes

, and you say I love th

in a love affair. I fell in lov

d Tim, reflectively. "When I was in B

m, he's asleep again, like the fat boy in Pickwick. Well, gentlemen both, I am

you intend to

at, and go off to Maraquando's to see the ladi

in love with Do?a

r a few hours' sleep. Even lovers require rest, and bucketing about on a half-broken horse for the b

way, "if old Serafina smiles on Peter, and those girls flirt with you

w, and pick out a se?orita to

an seven, Philip. Why, there was once a girl i

w that story, Tim. It's a chestnut. You told it in that bo

myself, but that I have to write up this intervi

d given three different versions. Ke

Preside

araquando said-and how you all lied against one another. Do let us sleep, Tim. First

mself, "or it's the sack I'll be getting. Come on with ye! 'There will be no war', said the Preside

e paper with a bad pen, and

e, and the possible war. He-under orders from Jack and Philip, who wanted the girls to themselves-made himself agreeable to Do?a Serafina. Unaccustomed, by reason of her plain looks, to such attentions, she enjoyed the novelty of the thing, and thought this fat little Americano delig

idnight-that is as regards the shadows, for the hour was yet early. Here and there in the violet sky trembled a star with mellow lustre, and the keen, cold shafts of moonlight, piercing the dusk, smote the flowers and tessellated pavement with silver rays. Pools of white light lay on the floor wellin

s he strolled up and down on the flat roof talking seriously with Tim. Through the warm air, heavy with the perfume of flowers, floated the contralto voice of Dolores. The song

ah, yes,

ay was

you se

he moon her

ale your son

ark I then w

chamber upw

he burden of

that sin

in-dea

! yes, far

now w

re as

love for me

thers thou

saken, sit

in your voic

burden of t

I fled

ain-dea

?" If Philip thought so, he did not say so, being busy with Eulalia. They were talking Chinese metaphysics,

nto that of her lover's under cover of the darkn

pretty things in Spanish; "I left behind my heart whe

am afraid of this war; should Don Hypolito co

can he do with a few adherents aga

the In

m. To what end? Xuarez cannot restore

f Xuarez I am so much afraid as of the Indian

puzzled tone of voice. "Why, how coul

towns are nothing to them when they set their hearts on anything. And they

d you al

oc

the opal or the old gods.

nk he is one of those who go to th

th for him to betray the sec

opal has prophesied war, and on that account the Indians are alarmed for me. Should there be no guardian of the opal, Huitzilopochtli will be angry, and lest I should be killed

aid Jack, fiercely; "but I don't believe this

besides, that is not the

t of

to marry

pressed the little hand,

rida; I thought we settled tha

ed Dolores, tenderly; "but when you departed, Juan,

udence!" muttered

e would plunge the country into war. I did not believe that he could do so or would

o catch me fi

ill tear down the walls of Tlatonac to seize you. This

al, scornfully; "I can protect mys

. When he departed, I spoke to my uncle; but D

n Migue

do nothing. Don Hypolito w

, Dolores. My friends and myself will protect you from this insolent one. I

at of E

hly; "I think you can trust Don

there will b

all know for certain when the mes

e boat had gone up to-day

ught Jack, but held his peace,

eaking too much to Jack, the Spanish beauty cross

Dolores, gaily, "wh

Eulalia, before Philip could speak. "Behold t

d of the joke. He was speedily informed of the performance going on above; so that the two actors had quite an audience, although they knew it not.

Peter wagged his hands in the air to indicate the flight of i

as the Spanish for 'birds,' and thought she had caught his meaning.

! You catch b

ough he was not quite sure if the Cholacacans did no

y across the azotea, flapping her arms, and singing. The

id, confidently

not devour beetles, set himself to work to show her what he really meant. He ran aft

is conversation with Maraquando being interrupted. "Why c

tles, here?" ask

Tim, drily. "I don't know. Do you eat beetl

re of disgust, and looked

xplained Do?a Se

rds she's ta

thought I showed her butterflies. This

ro

gone out of what little

meaning of the pantomime was explained, "

y all laughed over the mistake. "I'd better call up Philip and Jack

elow, where they had been watching the perfo

appearance in the azotea, wher

ilip, laughing; "you have no idea

doctor, ruffled. "Why

said Jack, proudly "Se?orita tal

peated Do?a Dolores, s

r, politely; whereat his friends laug

I was in love with a girl, I would teach her some be

Jack, quietly; "but those

her fan, was speaking to Do?a Serafina

to the company; then, fixing Peter with her

Peter, taken aback,

na, who was evidently quit

" laughed Philip, quite exhausted with merriment. "

d Jack, reproachfully; whereat Dolores l

l, somewhat bewildered at all this laughter, the cause of w

Peter," translated Tim, f

some Papilionidae! and a beautiful little glo

little humming-bird! He had good sport, Se?o

the Spaniard, gra

Eulalia were already chatting confidentially to their admirers. Do?a Serafina began to make more signs to Peter

ent," he said slowly; "and it goes to England to

ses you, Se?or

h me to-morrow morning. Has that

d, Se?or. It will return i

replied Tim, significantly. "His Excellency Gomez do

ez and his gang. I fear the people are becoming alarmed. The army, too, talk of war. Therefore, to set all thes

the al

is to be a public speech to inspire our people with confidence in the Governme

ciso Gomez speak, so I and my

sal," said Miguel, politely; "my daught

ier! It will be qu

y; "and I trust the word of his Excellency will show the Tlat

Dolores and Eulalia were unwilling to retire so early, but their aunt was adamant, and they knew tha

fina, politely, and her salutation was

to flash a tender glance at Jack as they descended into the patio, and Philip, leaning over the balustrade of the azotea ca

their leave after refusing Maraq

off to their own mansion; "not whi

ack, more for the sake of saying so

rself, Jack, and le

lip, mimicking Tim's brogue, "what d

t beautiful. I would rat

, indignantly. "As if she would unde

uite intell

ack's house, "you'll get plenty of fighting without starting

re,

Excellency the Lord Lieutena

"Well, he can say what he jolly well pleases. I'll lay an

r prophet tha