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diff --git a/43187.txt b/43187.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f1d6cc7..0000000 --- a/43187.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7051 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's The Harlequin Opal, Vol. 1 (of 3), by Fergus Hume - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: The Harlequin Opal, Vol. 1 (of 3) - A Romance - -Author: Fergus Hume - -Release Date: July 10, 2013 [EBook #43187] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HARLEQUIN OPAL, VOL. 1 (OF 3) *** - - - - -Produced by Suzanne Shell and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - -THE HARLEQUIN OPAL - -A ROMANCE - - -BY - -FERGUS HUME - -_Author of "The Island of Fantasy," "Aladdin in London," etc._ - - -VOLUME I - - - Once a realm of Indian glory, - Famed in Aztec song and story, - Fabled by Tradition hoary - As an earthly Paradise; - Now a land of love romances, - Serenades, bolero dances, - Looks of scorn, adoring glances, - Under burning tropic skies. - - -LONDON -W. H. ALLEN & CO., LIMITED -13, WATERLOO PLACE, S.W. -1893 - -WYMAN AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON AND REDHILL. - - - - - PROEM. - - - The stone had its birth in the nurturing earth. - Its home in the heart of the main, - From the coraline caves it was tossed by the waves - On the breast of an aureate plain; - And the spirits who dwell in the nethermost hell - Stored fire in its bosom of white; - The sylphs of the air made it gracious and fair - With the blue of the firmament's height. - - The dull gnomes I ween, gave it glittering sheen. - Till yellow as gold it became: - The nymphs of the sea made the opal to be - A beacon of emerald flame. - - The many tints glow, they come and they go - At bidding of spirits abhorr'd, - When one ray is bright, in the bosom of white, - Its hue tells the fate of its lord. - For yellow hints wealth, and blue meaneth health, - While green forbodes passing of gloom, - But beware of the red, 'tis an omen of dread, - Portending disaster and doom. - - - - -Transcriber's Note: Minor typographical errors have been corrected -without note. Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have -been retained as printed. Words printed in italics are noted with -underscores: _italics_. The cover of this ebook was created by the -transcriber and is hereby placed in the public domain. - - - - -INDEX. - - -CHAP. PAGE - - I.--CHUMS 1 - - II.--THE DEVIL STONE 27 - - III.--"THE BOHEMIAN" 54 - - IV.--IN THE TRACK OF COLUMBUS 78 - - V.--DON MIGUEL IS COMMUNICATIVE 100 - - VI.--CHALCHUIH TLATONAC 125 - - VII.--DOLORES 152 - -VIII.--VIVA EL REPUBLICA 177 - - IX.--THE CALL TO ARMS 201 - - X.--PADRE IGNATIUS 221 - - XI.--THE DRAMA OF LITTLE THINGS 238 - - XII.--A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE 262 - - - - -THE HARLEQUIN OPAL. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -CHUMS. - - Long years have passed since last we met, - And left their marks of teen and fret; - No longer faces plump and smooth, - Proclaim the halcyon days of youth. - But haggard looks and tresses white - Betray the ardour of the fight; - The same old friends: we meet once more-- - But not the merry boys of yore. - - -"It is a great mistake," said Sir Philip Cassim, looking doubtfully at -the piece of paper lying on his desk; "then we were foolish boys, now -we are--I trust sensible men. Certainly it is a great mistake." - -The piece of paper was yellow with age, a trifle grimy, and so worn -with constant foldings, that it was wonderful the four quarters had not -long since parted company, as had the four friends, each of whom -carried a similar piece in his pocket-book. Often in his wanderings had -Sir Philip pondered over that untidy boyish scribble setting forth the -foolish promise, which he now, half regretfully, characterised as "a -great mistake." - - "Bedford Grammar School, - - "_24th July, 1874._ - - "If we live and are in good health, we promise faithfully to meet - at Philip's house, in Portman Square, London, on the twenty-fourth - day of July, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-nine, at seven - o'clock in the evening. - - "(Signed) - - "PHILIP WINTHORP CASSIM, - JOHN DUVAL, - PETER PAUL GRENCH, - TIMOTHY TERENCE PATRICK FLETCHER." - -"That is quite fifteen years ago," said Cassim, smoothing the frail -paper with tender fingers; "now it is the twenty-fourth day of July in -the year eighty-nine. Six o'clock! I wonder if any of them will turn -up. Jack is an engineer, building railways and bridges in China. Peter, -as a respectable physician, doses invalids in Devonshire. Special -Correspondent Tim, the stormy petrel of war, wires lies to London -newspapers. I--I am a mere idler, given to wanderings among the tombs -of dead civilisations. Peter may come. It means only a short railway -journey to him; but Jack and Tim are probably thousands of miles away. -Still, as I came from the Guinea Coast to meet them, they certainly -ought not to miss the appointment. This is the day, the place, the -hour, and I have prepared the fatted calf, of which they will -partake--if they turn up. Pshaw! I am a fool to think they will come. -They have, no doubt, quite forgotten this boyish freak. Perhaps it is -best so. It is a great mistake to arrange a meeting fifteen years -ahead. Father Time is too fond of strange surprises." - -Rising from his chair, he paced slowly to and fro with folded arms, and -bent head, the droop of this latter being somewhat dejected. The idea -that he was about to meet his old schoolfellows rendered him pensive, -and a trifle regretful. Many years had passed since those halcyon days -of youth, and, oh, the difference between now and then! He could hardly -avoid speculating on their certain mutation. Had the wand of Time -changed those merry lads into staid men? Would Jack still be ambitious -as of yore? Tim's jokes were famous in the old days; but now, -perchance, he found life too serious for jesting. Then Peter's -butterflies! How often they had laughed at his entomological craze. -Now, doubtless, he was more taken up with pills and patients. And -himself,--he had out-lived his youthful enthusiasms, more's the pity. -No wonder he felt pensive at the thought of such changes. Retrospection -is a saddening faculty. - -Cassim grew weary of these pessimistic fancies, and pausing in front of -the fireplace, surveyed himself long and critically in the mirror. It -reflected a dark, handsome face, reddened by the saltness of wind and -wave, boldly cut features, and melancholy eyes. Those eyes of Philip's -were somewhat misleading, as they suggested a poetic nature, steeped in -sentimentalism, whereas he was a remarkably matter-of-fact young man, -inclined to scoff at the romantic tendencies of his fellow-creatures. -By no means expansive or apt to unbosom himself to his friends, this -reticence, in conjunction with his romantic appearance, entirely -deceived the world as to his true character. His Byronism lay in looks, -rather than in actions. - -"Thirty is by no means old," mused Sir Philip, absently stroking his -moustache, "if anything, it errs on the side of youth, yet I look close -on a hundred. Dark people never do wear well. Tim is five years older -than I, Peter past thirty-three, but it's probable they look younger -than I do. As to Jack--well, Jack is an infant of twenty-eight summers, -and I suspect has altered but little. They would hardly recognise me. -Possibly I shall have considerable difficulty in recognising them." - -He resumed his walk and his soliloquy, reverting therein to his first -idea. - -"This meeting is a mistake. Beyond the fact that we were at school -together, we have nothing in common about which to converse. Different -lives, different ideas. We will simply bore one another. Perhaps they -are married. Peter was just the kind of boy who would grow into a -domesticated man. Jack was romantic, and has probably been captured by -a pretty face. Tim! I'm not so sure about Tim. I fancy he is still a -bachelor like myself!" - -It was his own fault that such was the case, as many a maiden would -have gladly married Sir Philip and his Kentish acres. The baronet, -however, with but little predisposition to matrimony, fought shy of the -marriage ring, and preferred his yacht to all the beauties in -Christendom. On rare occasions, he showed himself in Belgravia -drawing-rooms, but in the main loved the masculine seclusion of his -club, and the lurching deck of _The Bohemian_. It may be that some -of his remote ancestors had intermarried with the Romany, and thus -introduced a strain of wandering blood into the family; but certain it -was that Sir Philip Cassim, in place of being a steady-going country -squire, was an irreclaimable Arab in the matter of vagrancy. Cases of -atavism occur in the most respectable families. - -His nomadic instincts lured him into the dark places of the earth, and, -as a rule, he preferred these to the more civilised portions. Humanity -in the rough is more interesting than humanity veneered with culture, -and in seeking such primevalism, Sir Philip explored many of those -barbaric lands which gird our comfortable civilisation. Peru he knew -better than Piccadilly; St. James's Street was unknown territory to him -compared with his knowledge of Japan, and if his yacht was not skirting -the treacherous New Zealand coast, she was certainly battling with the -giant billows off the Horn. - -Hating conventionalism, and the _leges non scriptae_ of London society, -this vagabond by predilection rarely dwelt in the Portman Square family -mansion. When he did pay a visit to town, he usually camped out--so -to speak, in a club bedroom, and before his friends knew of his -whereabouts, would flit away without warning, and be next heard of at -Pernambuco, or somewhere about Madagascar. On this special occasion, -however, he occupied his town house for the purpose of keeping the -appointment made with his three friends fifteen years before on the -banks of the Ouse. - -On this account, and to avoid the trouble of hiring servants for the -few days of his stay, he brought his stewards up from the yacht. These, -accustomed to such emergencies, owing to Sir Philip's whimsical mode of -life, speedily rendered a few rooms habitable, and prepared the dinner, -which was to celebrate the re-union of the quartette. It seemed strange -that Cassim should take all this trouble to fulfil a boyish promise, -but as he was a man who did not make friends easily, and moreover was -beginning to weary of solitary wanderings, he greatly inclined to a -renewal of these youthful friendships. Besides, he cherished a kindly -memory of his old school-fellows, and looked forward with genuine -pleasure to meeting them again. Yet, as his latter reason savoured of -sentimentalism, he would not admit of its existence even to himself--it -clashed with his convictions that life was not worth living. - -Despite the fact that he was a cosmopolitan, Philip's nature, -impressionable in the extreme, was deeply tinged with the prevailing -pessimism of the day. He professed that facile disbelief in everything -and in everyone, which is so easy to acquire, so difficult to -relinquish. Human nature he mistrusted, friendship he scoffed at, and -was always on his guard against those with whom he came in contact. -Thus living entirely within, and for himself, the real geniality of -his disposition became encrusted with the barnacles of a selfish -philosophy. This _noli me tangere_ creed isolated him from his -fellow-creatures--with the result that while he possessed many -acquaintances he had no real friends. Thus he created his own misery, -he inflicted his own punishment. - -Adopting as his motto the saying of the Oxford fine gentleman, -"Nothing's new! nothing's true, and no matter," Cassim schooled himself -to suppress all outward signs of feeling, and passed through life with -a pretended indifference to the things of this world. Pretended! -because he really felt deeply and suffered acutely, though pride -forbade his showing aught of such mental disturbances to those around -him. Perhaps, in seeing so much of the world, he had early exhausted -all emotion; but he certainly surveyed everything from Dan to Beersheba -with calm indifference. The real man was a genial, kind-hearted -creature; the false, a frigidly cold person who accepted all things -with ostentatious stoicism. - -He was by no means popular with men, as they greatly resented his -reserve and haughty demeanour; but women professed to find him -charming. Probably they, with the subtle instinct of their sex, saw -below the mask of feigned cynicism, and judged him by what he was, not -by what he appeared to be. Certainly he never laid himself out to gain -their good opinion. He rarely troubled to make himself agreeable; he -was not a marrying man (than which there can be no worse crime in a -woman's eyes), and led a solitary, vagrant existence; yet, in spite of -such social disqualifications, women were his best friends, and -defended him loyally from the clumsy sneers of his own sex. Assuredly -he should have married, if only out of gratitude for such championship; -but he preferred a single life, and in the main eschewed female -society. - -Withal he was not inclined to undervalue either his personal appearance -or his mental capacity. No mean classical scholar, he seldom passed a -day without dipping into the charming pages of Horace or Catullus. Of -the two he preferred the Veronese, who with Heine and Poe formed his -favourite trio of poets, from which names it can be seen that Sir -Philip had a taste for the fantastic in literature. He was conversant -with three or four modern languages, and was especially familiar with -the noble tongue of Castille. A man who can read "Don Quixote" in the -original is somewhat of a rarity in England. Those of Philip's -acquaintances who could induce him to talk literature and art formed an -excellent opinion of his abilities. Moreover, he was unique in one -respect. He had circumnavigated the globe, yet had refrained from -writing a book of travel. - -As to his personal appearance, it was as smart and spruce as that of -his yacht. Only those who know how a crack yacht is cherished by her -owner can thoroughly understand this comparison. In spite of his -solitary existence, Philip was always careful of the outward man, and -this attention to his toilet was a notable trait of his character. Yet -he was by no means effeminate, foppish, or finical. To sum up, he was a -well-dressed, well-bred, cultured Englishman--who had all the -qualities--mental, personal, and physical--fitting him to shine with no -mean lustre in society, yet he preferred to live the life of a nautical -hermit--if such a thing be possible. - -Walking constantly to and fro, he glanced every now and then at the -clock, the large hand of which was close on seven. Given that all three -guests were within a measurable distance of the rendezvous, he began to -calculate, from what he knew of their idiosyncrasies, which one of them -would be the first to arrive. - -"I am certain it will be Peter," decided Cassim, after due reflection; -"neat, orderly, punctual Peter, who never missed a lesson, and never -came late to class. Tim is careless! Jack is whimsical! If anyone -arrives, it will be Dr. Peter Paul Grench. And," he added, as the bell -rang, "here he is." - -His prognostication proved to be correct, for in a few minutes the door -of the study opened to admit a precise little gentleman, in whom Philip -had no difficulty in recognising his quondam schoolfellow. It was a -trifle larger Peter--it was Peter in evening dress, twirling a -pince-nez--Peter with mutton-chop whiskers and a bald head; but it was -undeniably Peter Paul Grench, of Bedford Grammar School. - -"'The child,'" quoth Philip, advancing to meet his guest, "'is father -to the man.' It is just on seven, and you, Peter, keep your -fifteen-year-old appointment to the minute. I am delighted to see you." - -"I am sure the feeling is reciprocal," responded Dr. Grench, primly, as -he grasped the baronet's hand; "it is indeed a pleasure to meet an old -schoolfellow after these many years." - -Peter spoke in a Johnsonian manner, but his words were genuine enough -and under the influence of this natural emotion, for the moment he -forgot his primness. After a time, however, habit asserted its -influence over nature, and Grench resumed his buckram civilities, while -Philip, also recovering himself, relapsed into his usual nonchalant -manners. - -"So you kept this appointment, after all," said Cassim, as they settled -themselves for a confidential conversation; "I thought it possible you -might have forgotten about it." - -"By no means," answered Grench, producing a piece of paper similar to -that of Philip's. "I have often looked at this, and always intended, -unless prevented by disease or death, to meet my old schoolfellows as -agreed. Here we are, my dear friend; but Tim and Jack?" - -"May be at the other end of the world, for all I know," responded the -baronet, carelessly. "Special correspondents and engineers are the -Wandering Jews of to-day. Still, as I came from the Guinea coast for -this appointment, they will surely not grudge a lengthy journey for a -similar purpose." - -"Tim is in London," said Peter, unexpectedly. - -"Ah!" remarked Philip, manifesting but little surprise, "you have seen -him, then?" - -"No! Since we parted at Bedford I have seen none of you; but I have -heard of all three." - -"Nothing good of me, I am afraid," said Cassim, with that amiable -belief in his fellow-creatures which made them love him so. - -"Nothing bad, at all events," answered Peter, serenely. "You are -constantly travelling; you are still a bachelor; you open your heart to -no one, and judge the world as though you were not its denizen." - -"Which last remark is stolen from La Rochefoucauld. Yes! Your -description is accurate if not original. However, let us not talk of -Philip Cassim. I am terribly tired of him. What about Jack and Tim?" - -"Of Jack I know nothing, save that he was last heard of in India. Tim, -however, wrote to me the other day saying _he_ intended to keep this -appointment. Concerning his life, he volunteered no information." - -"So like Tim! His private correspondence was always unsatisfactory. I -like his newspaper letters however; the descriptions are so bright and -vivid--plenty of gunpowder and adventure. Certainly Tim makes an -excellent war correspondent. I wonder if he still has that strong -brogue." - -"Surely not. When he came to Bedford, he was fresh from Ireland; but -now that he has been travelling so much, he must have lost his -pronounced Irishisms." - -"I'm not so sure of that," said Philip, with a smile, "Tim is Irish of -the Irish. I believe he loves his brogue. You can't educate the race -nature out of a man. Believe me, my dear Peter, Tim will be as noisy -and as warm-hearted as of yore. I am very fond of Tim." - -"Yet I should think Tim, such as you describe him, would be the last -person to suit a fastidious individual such as yourself." - -"Come now, Peter, I am not quite so hypercritical as all that. Besides, -Tim, with all his noise and brogue, is a thorough gentleman. It is your -veneered person I object to. However, Tim may have changed. Meanwhile -what about yourself?" - -"Like Canning's knife-grinder, I have no story to tell. When I left -Bedford I went to Cambridge--afterwards came to London. Passed my -examinations, walked the hospitals, took my degree, and hearing that a -doctor was wanted down at Barnstaple, I went there. For some years I -practised with more or less success. Then I retired to give----" - -"Retired!" interrupted Philip, in surprise. "Have you made your -fortune?" - -"By no means. Country doctors never make fortunes. No! I inherit five -hundred a year from my father, and as there is no necessity for me to -physic people for a livelihood, I devote myself----" - -"To sticking pins through unoffending butterflies!" - -"Now, how did you guess that?" asked the little doctor, in mild -surprise. - -"Easily enough. You had a butterfly and beetle mania at school. If I -remember rightly, we rolled you in nettles to cure you of entomology. -Boys don't relish scientific urchins. So you are still at it. But five -hundred a year and beetles. Peter, you are not ambitious." - -"No," assented Grench, simply; "I am not at all ambitious. My -entomology gives me great pleasure, or why should I not enjoy myself in -my own way? Ah, Philip, you do not know what true enjoyment is." - -"Certainly not--if it's butterflies." - -"To see one of the Callidryas species for the first time is indeed a -pleasure," said Peter, beaming with scientific rapture. "Then the -Papilios, the Hesperidae and the red Timitis----" - -"Oh, oh!" yawned Philip, stretching himself, "how dry it sounds." - -"Dry!" echoed Peter, indignantly; "the most fascinating pursuit in the -world." - -Philip looked kindly at the little man who appeared to be so satisfied -with his simple pleasures. - -"Decidedly, Peter, you are a happy person. Come with me on a cruise, -and I will introduce you to the paradise of butterflies. Tropical -America, Peter, where the insects are like flying flowers. Green -butterflies, purple beetles, gilded moths----" - -"Oh!" cried Peter, opening his eyes with delight, "I should like to go -to South America. I would find a peculiar species there, the -Heliconidae. Why, Philip, if only----" - -"Hark! there's the bell," exclaimed Cassim, rising with alacrity, -rather thankful to escape Peter's lecture. "Is it Jack or Tim?" - -"Tim," said Peter, promptly, "no one else would ring so violently." - -"Where did ye say they were?" cried a hearty Irish voice half way up -the stairs. - -"That settles it," remarked Philip, comically, as he opened the door; -"no two persons can possess such a strong brogue." - -And Tim it was. Tim, large and burly, roaring like a Bull of Bashan, -who hurled himself into the room, and flung himself on Philip's neck. - -"My dear friend! my dear boy!" he thundered, squeezing Cassim in his -athletic embrace, "it's glad I am to see you." - -"Gently, Tim, gently," gasped Philip, helpless in the hug of this bear; -"don't crush me to a jelly." - -"And Peter!" exclaimed Tim, releasing the baronet to pounce on the -doctor, "you fat little man, how splendid you look." - -Warned by the fate of Philip, the doctor skilfully evaded the embrace -of the giant, and Tim was only able to demonstrate his affection by a -handgrip. He threw all his soul into this latter, and Peter's face -wrinkled up like a monkey's with pain. It was like a fly struggling -with an elephant, and Philip, thoroughly roused from his ordinary -placidity, laughed till the tears ran down his cheeks. - -"As soon as you've quite done murdering us, Tim," he said, placing a -chair between himself and his too demonstrative friend, "perhaps you'll -give your hat and coat to the servant." - -Tim, who had rushed upstairs without pause, meekly delivered the -articles in question to the servant, who stood grinning at the door. -Looking on this respectful grin as a liberty, Philip frowned at the -poor man, who thereupon vanished, while Tim, overcome by his late -exertions, fell so heavily into a chair that the room rocked. - -"Phew!" he said, wiping his heated brow, "it's hot. I am, anyhow." - -"That's scarcely to be wondered at," returned Cassim dryly, -"considering the enthusiasm of your greeting." - -"And why not?" retorted Tim, with the broadest of brogues; "am I not -glad to see you both?" - -"Of course; and we are glad to see you," said Peter, examining his -crushed hand; "but you needn't maim us for life." - -Tim roared with laughter in the most unfeeling manner, and Cassim, with -a smile, placed his hand on the giant's shoulder. - -"The same noisy Tim as of old," he said kindly; "you were a large boy, -Tim, and now you are a large man. I wouldn't have recognised you, -though, save for the brogue. It's as strong as ever." - -"That's true, anyhow," acknowledged Fletcher placing his huge paw on -Philip's slender hand as it rested on his shoulder. "Wasn't I but one -term at the school, and that didn't turn it into cockney speaking. -Besides, I've been to Cork since." - -"To freshen up the accent, I suppose," said Grench, with the air of a -man who has made a cutting remark; "but a special correspondent should -know more than one language." - -"Especially if the language is Irish," finished Cassim, mischievously. - -"Get along with you," replied Tim, with a twinkle in his eye; "why, -it's a polyglot I am, French, Italian, Spanish, and a touch of Arabic. -I can tell lies in any one of them. So here you are, lads. Where's -Jack?" - -"Lord knows!" - -"He was in South America when I heard last; but I'll go bail he'll turn -up soon. What is the time?" - -"Half-past seven," rejoined Peter, consulting an eminently respectable -watch of the family physician species. - -Tim took out his piece of paper from a pocket-book commensurate to his -size, and smoothed it carefully with his huge hand. - -"Seven's the hour, and Jack's late. I never knew him early yet." - -"Well, you were not renowned for punctuality at school, Tim!" - -"True for you, Philip, and many's the hearing I've had for that same. -But this is a special occasion, and Jack should be punctual. Confound -him." - -"Oh, he'll be here shortly," said Cassim, shrugging his shoulders. "We -have plenty to talk about until he arrives. How are you, Tim? But I -needn't ask, you look like the giant Goribuster." - -"Six foot five in my stockings," replied Tim, complacently; "and a good -thing it is for me that same. Special corresponding isn't knocking -about the world in a gentleman's yacht, sir." - -"Or collecting butterflies," added Philip, with a sly smile at Peter. - -"Are you at that rubbish still, Peter?" - -"Of course I am," answered Peter, in mild surprise; "in fact, since my -father left me five hundred a year, I've devoted myself entirely to -entomology." - -"And to eating!" said Tim, with a grin. "Why, Peter, you've a paunch -like a priest." - -"Oh, really!" began Peter, scandalised; but his further protestations -were drowned in the laughter of Philip, on hearing which Tim nodded -approvingly. - -"Come now, my dear friend, that's better. You are more like a Christian -than when I last saw you." - -"At Bedford?" inquired Philip, still smiling. - -"No! In London--no less. Didn't I see you at the theatre six months -ago, looking for all the world as if you were attending your own -funeral?" - -"Why didn't you speak to me?" - -"You looked so supercilious and stand-off-the-grass like that I -couldn't bring myself to it at all." - -"You idiot!" said Philip, colouring with vexation. "You know I am -always glad to see you." - -"Is that a Chinese invitation, Philip?" - -"No; I assure you, Tim. Don't think me such a prig. Why, I came all the -way from the Guinea coast just to meet you." - -"It's a fine boy you are," said Tim, stretching out his huge hand; -"it's only joking I am. If you didn't recognise an old friend, it's -thrashing you I'd be, as once I did at school." - -"If I remember rightly, it was you who had the worst of that little -encounter," retorted Philip, gripping Tim's hand strongly. - -"It was a draw," said Peter, suddenly; "I remember the fight quite -well. But we can talk of these things again. I want to know what Tim is -doing." - -"And this is fame," grunted Tim, nodding his head. "Haven't you seen my -letters about the Soudan War to _The Morning Planet_, and my account of -the Transvaal ructions? Am I not a special correspondent, you ignorant -little person?" - -"Oh yes, yes; I know all that," replied Peter, impatiently; "but tell -us about your life." - -"Isn't that my life, sir? When I left school, I went to Ireland and -became a reporter. Then I was taken up by a paper in London, and went -to the Soudan--afterwards to Burmah, where I was nearly drowned in the -Irriwaddy. They know me in Algiers and Morocco. Now I've just returned -from Burmah, where I parted with my dear friend, Pho Sa. He's in glory -now--rest his soul! They hanged him for being a Dacoit, poor devil." - -"You seem to have been all over the world, Tim," said Philip, when the -Irishman stopped for breath, "it's queer I never knocked up against -you." - -"Why, you never stayed one day in one place. That boat of yours is a -kind of Flying Dutchman." - -"Not a bit of it; she has doubled the Cape lots of times. I was just -trying to persuade Peter to take a cruise with me." - -"I am seriously thinking of the advisability of doing so," observed -Peter, judiciously selecting his words. - -"Are you, indeed, Mr. Lindley Murray. Well, if Philip asks me, I'll -come too." - -"Will you really, Tim?" asked Philip, eagerly. - -"Of course I will. There's no war on at present, and I'm not busy. If -those squabbling South American Republics don't come to blows again, -I'll be free for six months, more or less." - -"Then come with me, by all means." - -"I tell you what," observed Peter, who had been thinking; "Jack, if he -turns up at all, will have travelled home from South America. Let us -take him back in Philip's yacht." - -"That's not a bad idea anyhow," from Tim, patting Peter's head, a -familiarity much resented by the family physician. "You've got brains -under this bald spot." - -"I am quite agreeable, provided Jack turns up," said Sir Philip, -yawning; "but it is now eight o'clock, and I'm hungry. It's no use -waiting any longer for Jack, so I vote we have dinner." - -"He'll arrive in the middle of it," said Grench, as Cassim touched the -bell. "Jack was never in time, or Tim either." - -"Don't be taking away my character, you mosquito," cried Tim, -playfully, "or I'll put you on the top of the bookcase there. It's a -mighty little chap you are, Peter!" - -"Well, we can't all be giants!" retorted Peter, resentfully. "I'm tall -enough for what I want to do." - -"Collecting butterflies! You don't know the value of time, sir. Come -along with me to the dining-room." And, in spite of Peter's struggles, -he picked him up like a baby, and carried him as far as the study door. -Indeed, he would have carried him into the dining-room had not the -presence of the servant restrained him. Tim had no idea of the dignity -of the medical profession. - -The servant intimated that dinner was ready, so the three friends sat -down to the meal rather regretting that Jack was not present to -complete the quartette. Just as they finished their soup the servant -announced-- - -"Mr. Duval!" - -Simultaneously the three sprang up from the table, and on looking -towards the door beheld a tall young fellow, arrayed in tweeds, -standing on the threshold. - -"Jack!" they cried, rushing towards him with unbounded delight. "Jack -Duval!" - -"My dear boys," said Jack, his voice shaking with emotion; "my dear old -friends." - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -THE DEVIL STONE. - - Spirits dwelling in the zone - Of the changeful devil stone, - Pray ye say what destiny - Is prepared by Fate for me. - Doth the doubtful future hold - Poverty or mickle gold, - Fortune's smile, or Fortune's frown, - Beggar's staff, or monarch's crown? - Shall I wed, or live alone, - Spirits of the devil stone? - - See the colours come and go, - Thus foreboding joy and woe; - Burns the red, the blue is seen, - Yellow glows and flames the green, - Like a rainbow in the sky, - Mingle tints capriciously, - Till the writhing of the hues, - Sense and brain and eye confuse, - Prophet priest can read alone - Omens of the devil stone. - - -Having finished dinner, they repaired to the library, and there made -themselves comfortable with coffee and tobacco. Emotion at meeting one -another after the lapse of so many years had by no means deprived them -of their appetites, and they all did full justice to the excellent fare -provided by Philip's cook. So busy were they in this respect that -during the meal conversation waxed somewhat desultory, and it was not -until comfortably seated in the library that they found time for a -thoroughly exhaustive confabulation. - -For this purpose the quartette drew their chairs close together, and -proceeded to incense the goddess Nicotina, of whom they were all -devotees save Peter. He said that tobacco was bad for the nerves, -especially when in the guise of cigarettes, which last shaft was aimed -at Philip, who particularly affected those evil little dainties -abhorred by Dr. Grench. Jack and Tim, to mark their contempt for -Peter's counter-blast, produced well-coloured meerschaum pipes, which -had circumnavigated the globe in their pockets. Whereat Peter, -despairing of making proselytes, held his tongue and busied himself -with his coffee--very weak coffee, with plenty of milk and no sugar. - -"What an old woman you have become, Peter," said Cassim, watching all -this caution with languid interest. "You have positively no redeeming -vices. But you won't live any the longer for such self-denial. Tim, -there, with his strong coffee and stronger tobacco, will live to bury -you." - -"Tim suffers from liver!" observed Peter, serenely making a side -attack. - -"What!" roared Tim, indignantly, "is it me you mean? Why, I never had a -touch of liver in my life." - -"You'll have it shortly, then," retorted Peter, with a pitying smile. -"I'm a doctor, you know, Peter, and I can see at a glance that you are -a mass of disease." - -All this time Jack had spoken very little. He alone of the party was -not seated, but leaned against the mantelpiece, pipe in mouth, with a -far-away look in his eyes. While Tim and Peter wrangled over the -ailments of the former, Philip, lying back luxuriously in his chair, -surveyed his old schoolfellow thoughtfully through a veil of smoke. He -saw a greater change in Jack than in the other two. - -In truth, Duval was well worth looking at, for, without being the ideal -Greek god of romance, he was undeniably a handsome young man. Tim had -the advantage of him in height and size, but Jack's lean frame and iron -muscles would carry him successfully through greater hardships than -could the Irishman's uncultivated strength. Jack could last for days in -the saddle; he could sustain existence on the smallest quantity of food -compatible with actual life; he could endure all disagreeables -incidental to a pioneer existence with philosophical resignation, and -altogether presented an excellent type of the Anglo-Saxon race in its -colonising capacity. Certainly the special correspondent had, in the -interests of his profession, undergone considerable hardships with fair -success; but Tim was too fond of pampering his body when among the -fleshpots of Egypt, whereas Jack, constantly in the van of civilisation -subjugating wildernesses, had no time to relapse into luxurious living. -The spirit was willing enough, but the flesh had no chance of -indulging. - -His face, bronzed by tropic suns, his curly yellow locks, his jauntily -curled moustache, and a certain reckless gleam in his blue eyes, made -him look like one of those dare-devil, Elizabethan seamen who thrashed -the Dons on the Spanish Main. Man of action as he was, fertile in -expedients, and constantly on the alert for possible dangers, Jack -Duval was eminently fitted for the profession which he had chosen, and -could only endure existence in the desert places of the world. This -huge London, with its sombre skies, its hurrying crowds, its etiquette -of civilisation, was by no means to his taste, and already he was -looking forward with relief to the time when he would once more be on -his way to the vivid, careless, dangerous life of the frontier. - -Philip admired his friend's masculine thoroughness, and could not help -comparing himself disadvantageously with the young engineer. Yet Cassim -was no weakling of the boudoir; he also had sailed stormy seas, had -dared the unknown where Nature fights doggedly with man for the -preservation of her virgin solitudes. Still, withal, Jack was a finer -man than he was. What were his luxurious travels, his antarctic -explorations, in comparison with the actual hardships undergone by this -dauntless pioneer of civilisation? Jack was one who did some good in -the world; but as for himself--well, Philip did not care about pursuing -the idea to its bitter end, as the sequence could hardly prove -satisfactory to his self-love. He irritably threw away his cigarette, -moved restlessly in his chair, and finally expressed himself in words. - -"Why do you come here, Jack, and make us feel like wastrels? A few -hours ago and I rather prided myself on myself; but now you make me -feel idle, and lazy, and selfish, and effeminate. It's too bad of you, -Jack." - -Brains were not Duval's strong point, and, unable to understand the -meaning of this outburst, he simply stared in vague astonishment at Sir -Philip. Tim and the doctor, pausing in their conversation, pricked up -their ears, while Cassim, paying no attention to this sudden -enlargement of his audience, went on speaking, half peevishly, half -good-humouredly. - -"I am the enervated type of an effete civilisation. You, my friend, are -the lusty young savage to whom the shaping of the future is given. You -are Walt Whitman's tan-faced man, the incarnation of the dominating -Anglo-Saxon race, ever pushing forward into fresh worlds. As compared -with mine, your primaeval life is absolutely perfect. The Sybarite -quails before the clear glance of the child of Nature. Take me with you -into the wilderness, John Duval. Teach me how to emulate the Last of -the Mohicans. Make me as resourceful as Robinson Crusoe. I am a -prematurely old man, Jack, and I wish to be a child once more." - -"What the deuce are you driving at, Philip?" asked practical Jack. - -"It's from a book he's writing," suggested Tim, with a laugh. - -"Melancholia," hinted Peter, who was nothing if not medicinal. - -Philip laughed and lighted a fresh cigarette. Duval ran his hand -through his curly locks, pulled hard at his pipe, and delivered himself -bluntly. - -"I suppose all that balderdash means that you are tired of London." - -"Very much so." - -"Why, you never stay two days in London," said Peter, in astonishment. - -"Neither do I. Don't I tell you I'm tired of it? Be quiet, Peter; I can -see that Jack is on the verge of being delivered of a great idea." - -"Upon my word, that's cute of you, Philip," exclaimed Jack, admiringly. -"Yes, I have a scheme to propound, for the carrying out which I need -your assistance--in fact, the assistance of all three." - -"This promises to be an interesting conversation," said Cassim, in an -animated tone. "Proceed, John Duval, Engineer. What is it you wish us -to do?" - -"I had better begin at the beginning, gentlemen all." - -"That's generally considered the best way," observed Peter, with mild -sarcasm. - -"Be quiet! you small pill-box. Let Jack speak." - -"As I told you at dinner," said Jack, placing his elbows backward on -the mantelshelf, "I have been all over the world since I last saw your -three faces. China, Peru, New Zealand, India, Turkey--I know all those -places, and many others. I have made money; I have lost money; I have -had ups and downs; but everywhere I can safely say I've had a good -time." - -"Same here," murmured Tim, refilling his pipe. - -"At present I am in Central America," pursued Jack, taking no notice of -the interpolation, "under engagement as a railway engineer to the -Republic of Cholacaca." - -"Cholacaca?" echoed Tim, loudly; "isn't it there the row's to take -place?" - -"Why, what do you know about it, Tim?" - -"A special correspondent knows a lot of things," returned Fletcher, -sagely. "Go on with the music, my boy. I'll tell you something when -you've ended." - -Jack looked hard at Tim and hesitated, but Philip, curled up -luxuriously in his big chair, asked him to proceed. - -"You're going to tell an Arabian Night story, Jack." - -"Well, it sounds like one." - -"Good! I love romance. It's something about buried cities, and Aztecs, -and treasure, and the god Huitzilopochtli." - -"Oh, bosh! You've been reading Prescott." - -"It seems to me," observed Peter, plaintively, "that with all these -interruptions we'll never hear the story." - -"The first that speaks will be crushed," announced Tim, glaring around. -"If you please, Mr. Duval, it's waiting we are." - -Jack laughed, and resumed his story. - -"While I was at Tlatonac--that is the capital of the Republic--I became -mixed up in certain events, political and otherwise. I found I could do -nothing I wanted to without assistance; so, as I suddenly remembered -our promise to meet here this year, I came straight to London. In fact, -I was in such a hurry to find out if you three had remembered the -appointment, that I left my luggage at the railway station, and came on -by a hansom to Portman Square. This is the reason I am not in evening -dress." - -"Oh, deuce take your evening dress," said Philip, irritably; "you might -have come in a bathing-towel, for all I cared. I didn't want to see -your clothes. I wanted to see you. Go on with the story of the buried -city." - -"How do you know my story is about a buried city?" - -"I never heard a romance of Central America that wasn't." - -"You'll hear one now, then. This isn't about a city--it's concerning a -stone." - -"A stone?" echoed his three listeners. - -"Yes. An opal. A harlequin opal." - -"And what is a harlequin opal, Jack?" - -"Tim, I'm astonished at your ignorance. A special correspondent should -know all things. A harlequin opal is one containing all the colours of -the rainbow, and a few extra ones besides." - -"Well, Jack, and this special opal?" - -"It's one of the most magnificent jewels in the world." - -"Have you seen it?" - -Jack drew a long breath. - -"Yes; once. Great Scott, what a gem! You fellows can't conceive its -beauty. It is as large as a guinea-hen's egg. Milky white, and shooting -rays of blue and green, and red and yellow like fireworks. It belonged -to Montezuma." - -"I thought those everlasting Aztecs would come in," said Philip -smiling. "Well, Jack, and what about this stone?" - -"Ah, that's a long story." - -"What of that? The night's young, and the liquor's plentiful." - -"I don't mind sitting up all night, if the story is interesting. Start -at once Jack, and don't keep us any longer in suspense. I hate -wire-drawn agonies." - -"A year ago I was pottering about at Zacatecas, over a wretched little -railway that wasn't worth bothering about. Being hard up, I went in for -it in default of something better; but meanwhile kept my eyes open to -see what I could drop into. After some months, I heard that the -Republic of Cholacaca was about to open up the country with railways, -so I thought I'd go there to get a job." - -"Where is Cholacaca?" - -"Down Yucatan way--not far from Guatemala." - -"Oh, I know; looks on to Campeche Bay." - -"No; on the other side of the neck. Washed by the Carribean Sea." - -"I must get you to show it to me on the map," said Philip, finding his -geographical knowledge at fault. "I have an idea of its whereabouts, -but not of its precise locality. Meanwhile let us continue your -adventures." - -"When I heard of this prospect at Tlatonac," continued Jack, without -further preamble, "I left Zacatecas for Mexico, stayed a few days in -the capital, to make inquiries about the Republic. These proving -satisfactory, I went on to Vera Cruz, and, fortunately, found a -coasting-vessel which took me on to Cholacaca. Considering the ship, I -got to my destination pretty sharp. I didn't know a soul in the town -when I arrived; but, after a few days, began to pick up a few -acquaintances. Among these was Don Miguel Maraquando, a wealthy old -Estanciero. He has great influence in Cholacaca, being a member of the -Junta, and is regarded by many people as the future president of the -Republic." - -"That is if Don Hypolito stands out," said Tim, softly. - -"Have you heard----" began Jack, when the journalist cut him short. - -"I've heard many things, my boy. Later on I'll tell you all I know." - -"You seem to be pretty well acquainted with what's going on in -Cholacaca," said Jack, after a few moments' reflection; "but I'll tell -my story first, and you can tell yours afterwards. Don Miguel became a -great friend of mine, and I saw a good deal of him while I stayed at -Tlatonac. He is greatly in favour of this railway, which is to be made -from the capital to Acauhtzin, a distance of some three hundred and -fifty miles. Don Hypolito Xuarez, the leader of the Oposidores, -objected to the scheme on the ground that it was utterly unnecessary to -run a railway to Acauhtzin when ships could take goods there by water." - -"And isn't the man right?" said Tim, indignantly; "what's the use of -running a railway along the seacoast?" - -"We'll argue that question later on," replied Jack, dryly; "I have my -own ideas on the subject, and, as an engineer, I know what I'm talking -about. Don Hypolito's objection sounds all right, I have no doubt; but -if you look into the matter you will see he hasn't a leg to stand on. -Besides, he's only objecting to the railway out of sheer cussedness, -because Maraquando won't let him marry Dona Dolores." - -"Ah, ah!" observed Philip, who had been listening to the story with -great attention, "I was waiting for the inevitable woman to appear on -the scene. And who is Dona Dolores?" - -"She is Maraquando's ward," replied Jack, colouring a little. - -"With whom you are in love?" - -"I didn't say that Philip." - -"No; but you looked it." - -Peter chuckled, whereat Duval turned on him crossly. - -"I wish you would stop making such a row, Peter; I can't hear myself -speak." - -"Well, what about Dona Dolores?" persisted Philip, maliciously. - -"Dona Dolores," repeated Jack, calmly, "is the woman whom I hope to -make my wife." - -At this startling announcement there was a dead silence. - -"I congratulate you, Jack," said Cassim, gravely, after a momentary -pause. "I hope you will ask us all to your wedding. But what has this -story of politics, railways, and love to do with the harlequin opal?" - -"Everything. Listen. Don Hypolito is an ambitious man who wants to -become Dictator of Cholacaca, and rule that Republic as Dr. Francia did -Paraguay. Now, the easiest way in which he can obtain his desire is by -marrying Dolores." - -"What! Is she the heiress of the Republic?" - -"No; but she is the lawful owner of the Chalchuih Tlatonac." - -"What, in heaven's name, is that?" - -"It means 'the shining precious stone,' in the Toltec tongue." - -"The deuce!" murmured Philip, in an amused tone; "we have got past the -Aztecs." - -"I suppose this shining precious stone is the harlequin opal?" said -Peter, inquiringly. - -"Precisely. This celebrated stone is hundreds of years old. Tradition -says it was the property of Quetzalcoatl." - -"That's the Mexican god of the air," said Philip who knew all sorts of -stray facts. - -"Yes. You've read that in Prescott." - -"No, I didn't. Bancroft is my authority. But how did it come into the -possession of your Dona Dolores?" - -"Oh, she is a direct descendant of Montezuma." - -"An Aztec princess. Jack, you are making a royal match." - -"I'm afraid there is very little royalty about Dolores," replied Jack, -laughing; "but, as regards this stone. Quetzalcoatl gave it to -Huitzilopochtli." - -"Lord! what names." - -"When Cortez conquered Mexico, he found the stone adorning the statue -of the war god in his famous teocalli in the city of the Aztecs. One of -the Spanish adventurers stole it, and afterwards married a daughter of -Montezuma. When she found out that he had the opal, she stole it from -him, and went off down south, where she delivered it to some native -priest in one of those Central American forests." - -"Where it remains still?" - -"By no means. This woman had a son by the Spaniard, a Mestizo, as they -call this mixture of Indian and Spanish blood. He, I believe, claimed -the stone as his property whereon the high priest of Huitzilopochtli -proposed to sacrifice him. Not being a religious man, he disliked the -idea, and ran away, taking the stone with him. He reached the coast, -and married a native woman. There they set up a temple on their own -account to the god of war, and round it, as time went on, grew a -settlement, which was called after the opal 'Chalchuih Tlatonac.' Then -the Spaniards came and conquered the town, which they rechristened -Puebla de Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion; but the name didn't catch -on, and it is now known by its old Indian name of Tlatonac. Of course -there are a good many Spaniards there still; descendants of the -Conquistadores; but the majority of the population are Indians." - -"And what became of the opal?" - -"Well, as the Spaniards tried to get hold of it, the Indians took it -inland to one of their forest retreats. The descendants of Montezuma, -however, are still supposed to be its guardians, and, when one owner -dies, the opal is brought secretly to Tlatonac, and shown to the new -possessor; then it is taken back to its forest sanctuary." - -"Where did you see it?" asked Philip, curiously. - -"That's the whole point of the story," answered Jack, thoughtfully. -"The son of Montezuma's daughter married a native woman, as I told you; -their son, however, married a Spanish lady, and so the race was -continued. Off and on, they married Indian and Spaniard. This mixing of -race isn't good, from a philoprogenitive point of view, and Dolores is -the last descendant of the original owner of the opal. Therefore, she -is its guardian, and that is the reason Don Hypolito wants to marry -her." - -"He wishes to obtain the stone as a wedding dowry?" - -"Yes. This Chalchuih Tlatonac is an object of superstitious veneration -to the Indians. They are supposed to be converted; but they all more or -less cling to their old beliefs. In one of these mysterious forests -stands a temple to Huitzilopochtli, and there a good many of them go in -secret to consult the opal. How they consult it I don't know, unless by -its changing colours. Now, if Hypolito marries Dolores, through her he -might seize the stone. If he becomes its possessor, he could do what he -pleased with the Indian population. As they greatly outnumber the -Spanish element, he would use them to raise himself to the Dictatorship -of Cholacaca." - -"Then he doesn't love the girl?" - -"Not a bit," replied Jack, viciously; "all he wants is to marry her, -and thus gain possession of the devil stone. Besides, apart from the -use it would be to him, from a superstitious point of view, he would -like to obtain the stone for its own sake. It is a magnificent gem." - -"Has he seen it also?" - -"Yes; at the same time as I did. Dolores' father died, and she became -the ward of her uncle Don Miguel. I was a good deal about the house, -and naturally enough fell in love with her." - -"Jack! Jack!" - -"You'll fall in love with her, yourself, Philip, when you see her; -she's an angel." - -"Of course. You say that because you are in love with her. Does she -return your love?" - -"Yes; she is as fond of me as I am of her." - -"And what does Don Miguel, the proud hidalgo, say?" - -"He says nothing, because he knows nothing," said Jack, promptly; "we -haven't told him yet. However, when Dolores and myself found out we -loved one another, she told me all about this Chalchuih Tlatonac, and -how she expected it was to be shown to her, according to custom. A few -nights afterwards the priest arrived secretly, and showed her the -stone. While she was holding it up, I entered the room suddenly with -Don Hypolito. We saw the opal flashing like a rainbow in her hand. By -Heaven, boys, I never saw such splendour in my life. We only had a -glimpse of it, for as soon as the old priest saw us he snatched it out -of her hand and bolted. I followed, but lost him, so the opal went back -to the forest temple; and Lord only knows where that is." - -"Doesn't Dona Dolores know?" - -"No; nobody knows except the priests. They meet the worshippers on the -verge of the forest and blindfold them before leading them to the -shrine." - -"And how did Don Hypolito find out Dolores was the guardian of the -opal?" asked Peter, after a pause. - -"Oh, the story is common property. But the opal isn't of much value to -Dolores. She is called its guardian, but has nothing to do with it. Now -I suppose she'll never see it again." - -"It's a queer story anyhow," observed Tim, reflectively; "I would like -to see that jewel." - -"That's what I've come to see you all about," said Jack, excitedly. "I -want you all to come with me to Cholacaca, and help me to marry -Dolores, and get the devil stone." - -The three remained silent, and a shade of disappointment passed over -Duval's face. - -"Of course, if you fellows don't care, I----" - -"Wait a moment, Jack," interrupted Philip, slowly. "Don't jump to -conclusions. You want us to go to Central America?" - -"Yes." - -"And upset Don Hypolito's little plans?" - -"Exactly." - -"Speaking for myself," said Philip, quietly, "there is nothing I should -like better. I am with you, Jack. But Peter----" - -"Oh, I'll come too," said the doctor, serenely, "if it's only to -collect butterflies. While I'm on the spot, I may as well help. There's -sure to be fighting, and I can attend to the wounded. You can depend -upon me, Jack; I'll be your family physician, and physic the lot of -you." - -"Bravo!" cried Jack, his face lighting up as he grasped a hand of each. -"And what do you say, Tim?" - -"Your story is queer," remarked Tim, solemnly; "but mine is queerer. -I'll go with the greatest of pleasure, Jack; but it so happens I'm -going out to the same place for _The Morning Planet_." - -"What?" - -"It's a coincidence, anyhow, Jack. I told you I knew about Don -Hypolito." - -"You did." - -"Have you seen the evening papers?" - -"No; I was too excited at the idea of meeting you fellows to bother -about reading." - -"You are an ignorant person. While you've been fast in coming here, the -telegraph's been faster. From all accounts, there's going to be a -shindy in Cholacaca." - -"Dolores!" gasped Jack, turning pale. - -"Oh, you needn't be distressful," said Fletcher, hastily; "there's -nothing much up as yet. I saw the telegram myself this morning. Don -Hypolito has left Tlatonac, and gone to that other town--what d'ye call -it? 'Tis on the tip of my tongue." - -"Acauhtzin." - -"Yes, that's the name. 'Tis said he's trying to stir up a row; but -there's no news of any consequence, at all!" - -"You've been ordered to the front, then, Tim?" said Philip, quickly. - -"You've hit it, my boy! I was in the office this morning, and the -editor called me in. 'D'ye want a trip?' says he. 'I don't mind,' says -I. 'There's going to be trouble again in South America,' says he. -'What!' says I, 'are the Peruvians at it again?' 'No,' says he, 'it's -Cholacaca.' 'And where's that?' says I. 'It's more nor I know,' says -he. 'Find out on the map, and hold yourself in readiness to go.' So I -left him at once, and looked up the map; found out all I could about -the place, and at any minute I'm expecting to be sent off." - -"Jove! how curious," said Jack, reflectively. "I didn't expect Don -Hypolito to cause trouble quite so soon; but I saw things were shaping -that way. It's strange, Tim, that you should be going to the very place -I wish you to go to. But Philip and Peter won't like to come now." - -"It doesn't make the slightest difference to me," said Philip, coolly. -"In fact, like Xeres, I'm longing for a new pleasure. I've never been -in a war, and should like the novelty of the thing. As to Peter! he's -coming to resume his profession on the battle-field." - -"But what about my butterflies?" remonstrated Peter, who did not -exactly relish the idea of being put in the forefront of the battle. He -objected to the role of Uriah. - -"Oh, you can do all that sort of thing between times. The main thing is -to get the better of Don Hypolito, and help Jack." - -"Very well, Philip," said the little man meekly. "I'll come." - -"But your practice," hesitated Jack, not liking to be selfish. - -"Why, the poor little man hasn't got one," laughed Tim, digging Peter -in the ribs. "Hasn't he killed his patients long ago, and is now -starving on five hundred a year, poor soul." - -"It's very kind of you all!" said Duval, looking at his three friends. -"But I feel that I'm leading you into trouble." - -"Not me," declared Tim, stoutly, "'tis the _Morning Planet's_ to blame, -if I peg out." - -"And I want some excitement," said Philip, gaily; "and Peter wants -butterflies; don't you, doctor? We're all free agents in the matter, -Jack, and will go with pleasure." - -"How strange," said Peter, pensively; "we little thought at Bedford -that----" - -"Peter, don't be sentimental," interrupted the baronet, jumping up. "We -little thought our meeting would bring us good luck, if that is what -you mean. I'm delighted at this new conquest of Mexico." - -"We must start at once, Philip." - -"My dear Jack, we shall start the day after to-morrow, in my yacht. -She's lying down at Yarmouth, in the Isle of Wight, and is ready to get -steam up at a minute's notice." - -"Is she a fast boat?" - -"Fast!" echoed Philip, indignant at the imputation; "she's the fastest -steam-yacht afloat. Wait till she clears the Channel, then you'll see -what a clean pair of heels she can show." - -"The quicker the better. I don't want to arrive at Tlatonac and find -Dolores missing." - -"You won't find a hair of her head touched. You shall marry her, Jack, -and inherit the harlequin opal, and go and be priest to -Huitzilopochtli, if you like. Now have a glass of wine." - -Tim, who was always handy when liquor was about, had already filled the -glasses and solemnly handed them to his friends. - -"To the health," said Tim, standing up huge and burly, "of the future -Mrs. Duval." - -The toast was drunk with acclamation. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -"THE BOHEMIAN." - - Come, lads, and send the capstan round, - Oh, Rio! Rio! - Our good old barkey's outward bound, - Oh, Rio! Rio! - So, shipmates, all look sharp and spry, - To Poll and Nancy say good-bye, - And tell them, if they pipe their eye, - We're bound for Rio Grande. - - The old man drank his grog and swore, - Oh, Rio! Rio! - He'd stay no longer slack ashore, - Oh, Rio! Rio! - "Come, tumble up, my lads," sez he, - "An' weigh the anchor speedily, - In twenty days the Cross we'll see, - We're bound for Rio Grande." - - -"What do you think of her?" asked Philip, with justifiable pride. - -"She's as near perfection as can be," replied Jack, enthusiastically; -"no two opinions about that, old fellow." - -_The Bohemian_ was a superbly modelled craft, and well deserved their -admiration as she lay in Yarmouth Harbour, Isle of Wight. Schooner -rigged fore and aft, she was close on two hundred tons yacht -measurement, and one of the smartest vessels of her kind in British -waters. Putting aside her speed when the screw was spinning, she was -renowned for her sailing capabilities. With all sails set, and a fair -wind, she could smoke through the water at the rate of fifteen knots an -hour. Thanks to her owner's wandering proclivities, she was well known -in every civilised port, and a good many savage anchorages had also -seen her graceful form glide into their smooth waters. - -Some said that her engines were too powerful for her frame; and, -indeed, when all her furnaces were going, the boat quivered from stem -to stern at every rise and fall of the cranks. Philip, however, rarely -used the full power of her screw, as it was quite unnecessary; but when -she did fire up to the extent of her furnace accommodation, her speed -was something wonderful. Sometimes the baronet used the screw, more -often the sails; and, with her white wings spread like summer clouds, -_The Bohemian_, leaning to leeward rode the surges like a Venus of -the foam. Taper masts, splendid spars, cotton-white cloths, she looked -a thing of beauty as she swirled through the sea in a smother of foam. -She was the pride of Philip's heart, and whether becalmed in the -doldrums or seething through troubled waters in the heel of the trade, -was well worthy of her owner's admiration. - -Jack was scarcely less enthusiastic. He knew more of the land than of -the sea, and this was the first time he had ever had the opportunity of -inspecting a crack yacht. It was impossible not to admire her -milk-white decks, her well-polished brasses, and the general spruceness -of her whole appearance. Philip attended thoroughly well to her wants, -and despite her frequent voyagings in stormy seas, she always looked as -though she had just left dry dock. When the screw thrashed the water -into silver froth, and the black smoke poured from the wide funnel, -_The Bohemian_ knew what was expected of her, and put her heart into -her work. In such a craft it was impossible that a voyage could be -otherwise than pleasant, and Jack looked forward to having a thoroughly -jolly run to Yucatan with his old schoolfellows. - -As has before been stated, they were at Yarmouth. Not that -land-and-water Norfolk puddle, but the quaint little seaport in the -Isle of Wight. It was famous enough in the old days, and in the reign -of our second Charles, the governor of the island made it his -head-quarters. Now his old residence is turned into an hotel, and in -comparison with Cowes and Ryde, this once populous town is a mere -village. With its narrow streets, and antique houses, and indolent -townsfolk, it has an old-world air, and is still affected by some -yachtsmen at the time when the Solent is full of graceful boats. Philip -was very fond of this out-of-the-way seaport, and generally left _The -Bohemian_ in its harbour when he wished to run up to town. - -After that famous dinner, the four friends separated in order to -prepare for the voyage. As they had only one clear day in which to do -all things, there was little time to be lost. Peter started for -Barnstaple by the early train, in order to arrange his affairs, and, to -save time, Philip agreed to pick him up at Plymouth. The special -correspondent went straight to his chief, and told him of his desire to -start for Cholacaca at once; so, as it seemed pretty certain that the -difference between Don Hypolito and the Government would culminate in a -civil war, Tim duly received his orders. Now he was flying round town -collecting needful articles for his campaign, and was expected down by -the early train. - -On his part, Jack had absolutely nothing to do in London. He already -possessed all necessaries, and had neither the money nor the -inclination to buy things he did not want. Indeed, leaving the bulk of -his belongings in Tlatonac, he had arrived in England with but a single -portmanteau, which had been left at the station. Philip carried the -homeless wanderer to his club, and put him up for the night, and next -day they took themselves and the solitary portmanteau down to Yarmouth, -where they soon made themselves comfortable on board the yacht. All -things being thus arranged, they only waited Tim's arrival to leave for -Plymouth, from whence, after taking Peter on board, _The Bohemian_ -could bear away westward in the track of Columbus. - -With all his indolence Philip was no dilettante yachtsman, to leave -everything to his sailing master, and thoroughly believed in looking -after things himself. After displaying the beauties of his boat to -Jack, he busied himself with seeing about stores, and making sure that -all was in order for the voyage. While the baronet was thus engaged, -Jack wandered over the yacht in a musing sort of fashion, thinking not -so much of the scene around him as of Dolores and of the possible -events now happening at Tlatonac. - -He had good reason to mistrust Don Hypolito knowing as he did how -treacherous and cruel was the nature of that would-be dictator. Half -Indian, half Spanish, this Mestizo possessed the worst traits of both -races, and, once his passions were aroused, would stop at nothing to -accomplish his desire. It was true that it was principally on account -of the opal that he desired to marry Dona Dolores; but he was also in -love with her beauty, and adored her in a sensual, brutish fashion, -which made Jack grind his teeth and clench his hands at the very -thought. Yet he was undeniably a clever man, and skilled in diplomatic -intrigue; therefore it might be that his revolt against the established -Government of Cholacaca would end in his assuming the dictatorship. In -such an event, he would certainly force Dolores to become his wife; and -against his power the Englishman would be able to do nothing. Still, as -he had now the aid of his three friends, Duval hoped, if it came to the -worst, to escape with Dolores and the opal in Philip's yacht. Once on -the open sea, and they could laugh at Xuarez and his threats. The -engines of _The Bohemian_ were not meant for show. - -What Jack feared was that Don Hypolito might have resorted to strong -measures, and carried off Dolores with him to Acauhtzin. Hitherto there -had been no suspicion that he intended to revolt; so, lulled by a sense -of false security, Dolores might have permitted herself to be -kidnapped, in which case Jack hardly knew what to do. Still, it might -be that nothing had happened save the withdrawal of Xuarez to -Acauhtzin, and Duval fervently hoped that he and his friends might -arrive at Tlatonac before the out-break of hostilities. Provided he -started fair with Xuarez in the game, Jack hoped to come off -winner--Dolores, the opal, and the Republic, being the stakes. - -"If we start to-morrow, it will not be long before we reach Chalacaca," -thought Jack, as he leaned over the taffrail looking absently at the -dull-hued water. "Once there, and I will be able to protect Dolores. If -the worst comes, there is always Philip's yacht, and as to marriage, I -am sure Maraquando would rather see his niece married to me than to -that Xuarez half-bred." - -"In a brown study, Jack?" said Cassim's voice, behind him. "I won't -give a penny for your thoughts, for they are worth more." - -"How do you know that?" - -"Because you are thinking of Dona Dolores." - -"It's a true bill," replied Jack, with an ingenuous blush. "I was -hoping she had not been carried off to Acauhtzin by that scoundrel -Xuarez." - -"Oh, your friend Don Hypolito! Not a bit of it. If all you say is -correct, he is in too serious a position, at present, to hamper himself -with a woman. Don't worry, fond lover. _The Bohemian_ will take us -to Central America in less than no time, and if there's going to be a -row, we'll be there to see its genesis." - -"I hope and trust so," said Duval, gloomily; "but I'm not so hopeful as -you are." - -"I hopeful! My dear lad, I'm the most pessimistic person in existence; -but at this moment I look at things from a common-sense point of view. -If Xuarez intends business, he has withdrawn to Acauhtzin to make his -plans. To do so, he requires time. If he had kidnapped Dona Dolores, -things would be brought to a head before his plans were ripe. Therefore -he has not kidnapped her. Q.E.D. So come ashore, and don't talk -nonsense." - -"Have you finished your business?" asked Jack, following Sir Philip -into his boat. - -"Yes, everything is right. As soon as Tim arrives, we shall start for -Plymouth, to pick up Peter. I wish Tim would come down to-night; but I -suppose even a special correspondent must have time to collect his -traps." - -"What is your reason for going ashore?" - -"In the first place, I wish to send a wire to my lawyer, as to my -destination; and, in the second, I desire to stretch my legs. Let us -have as much dry land as we can get. It will be nothing but sea for the -next week or so." - -"Have you been long ashore, this time?" asked Duval, as they went up to -the telegraph-office. - -"Only five or six days. I came from the Guinea coast, I tell you, to -keep this appointment. I didn't then know it would result in a Central -American expedition." - -"I hope you are not regretting your determination?" - -"My dear Jack, I am delighted. I have not yet seen a war, so it will be -something new. Now then, Messrs. Bradshaw and Co.," he added, poising -his pen over the telegraph form, "I had better tell you where I am to -be found. How do you spell Tlatonac, Jack?" - -"T-l-a-t-o-n-a-c," spelt Jack, slowly; "but why don't you write your -lawyer a letter, instead of sending an unsatisfactory telegram." - -"I have nothing to write about," replied Philip, signing his name with -a flourish; "all they need know is where I am in case of my possible -death, so as to make things right for the next-of-kin. They have no -letters to forward. I always carry plenty of money, so I never bother -my head about them, beyond giving my bare address." - -"Don't they object to such unbusiness-like habits?" - -"They did at first, but finding objections of no use, have quite given -up such preachings. Don't trouble any more about them, but let us take -a walk. 'You take a walk, but you drink tea,' saith Samuel Johnson." - -"I don't see the connection," said Jack, soberly. - -"Neither do I; but what matters. 'Dulce est desipere in loco.' There is -a bit of dictionary Latin for your delectation." - -"Peter said you were a misanthrope, Philip; but I don't think so -myself." - -"Peter is a ---- collector of butterflies," retorted Philip, gaily. "I -_was_ a misanthrope; man delighted me not, nor woman neither; but now I -have met the friends of my youth, I feel much better. The friends we -make in life are never as dear as those we make at school. Since -leaving Bedford I have made none. I have lived for my yacht and in my -yacht. Now that I have you, and Tim, and Peter, I feel that I am -rapidly losing the character for Timonism. Like Mr. Bunthorne, I am a -reformed character." - -"Who is Mr. Bunthorne? a friend of yours?" - -"Jack, Jack! you are a sad barbarian. It is a character in one of -Gilbert and Sullivan's operas. But you have lived so long among savages -that you don't know him; in fact, I don't believe you know who Gilbert -and Sullivan are." - -"Oh yes, I do. I'm not so ignorant as all that." - -"There is balm in Gilead then," said Cassim, satirically. "Jack, when -you marry Dolores, and realise the opal, you must return to -civilisation. I can't let the friend of my youth dwell among the tombs -any longer." - -"I am very happy among the tombs." - -"I know you are. You would be happy anywhere," rejoined Philip, -enviously. "Would I were as easily contented. Tell me how to be happy, -Jack." - -"Get married," returned Jack, promptly. - -"Married!" echoed Cassim, as though the idea were a new revelation; -"that is a serious question, Jack, which needs serious discussion. Let -us sit down on this soft turf, my friend, and you shall give your -opinions regarding matrimony. You don't know anything about it as yet; -but that is a mere detail." - -By this time, owing to their rapid walking, they had left Yarmouth far -behind, and having turned off the high-road, were now strolling across -a field yellow with gorse. In a few minutes they arrived at a land-slip -where the earth fell suddenly down to the beach. The brow of this was -covered with soft grass, starred with primroses, and Philip threw -himself down thereon with a sigh of content. Jack more soberly seated -himself by the side of his friend, and for a few moments they remained -silent, gazing at the scene. Below was the rent and torn earth, on -either side a scanty fringe of trees, and in front the blue sea -stretching far away towards the dim line of the Hampshire coast. A -gentle wind was blowing, the perfume of the wild flowers came -delicately on its wings, and they could hear the waves lapping on the -beach below, while occasionally a bird piped in the near boughs. It was -very cool, pastoral and pleasant, grateful enough to Jack's eyes, weary -of the burning skies, and the gorgeous efflorescence of the tropics. Ah -me! how often we sigh for green and misty England in the lands of the -sun. - -"'There is no land like England,'" quoted Jack, absently smelling a -pale primrose. "Ah! there is no doubt it is the most delightful country -in the whole world. I have been all over the planet, so I ought to -know." - -"And yet you propose to leave the land you profess to love," said -Philip, rolling himself over so as to catch his friend's eye. "Jack, -you are inconsistent." - -"I must earn my bread and butter. Everyone isn't born like you, with a -silver spoon in his mouth. If I can't find employment in England, I -must go abroad. Besides, there is always Dolores." - -"Of course," assented Philip, gravely, "there is always Dolores. Is she -pretty, Jack?" - -"Pretty!" echoed Duval, with huge disdain; "if there is one adjective -that does _not_ describe Dolores it is 'pretty.' She's an angel." - -"Such a vague description. Fra Angelica, Burne Jones, Gustave Dore, all -paint angels differently." - -"Oh, I don't mind being more minute, if you care to listen. But I do -not wish to bore you with my love affairs." - -"I like to be bored with love affairs--when they are those of Jack -Duval." - -Jack smiled thankfully. He was eager to talk of Dolores to Philip; but -being somewhat sensitive to ridicule, hesitated as to whether he should -do so. As a rule, a man's friends do not care about listening to a -lover's ravings. Women are the most sympathetic in such a case; but as -Jack had no female friend in whom to confide, he had either to hold his -tongue or tell Philip. Philip, he thought, would not care for -descriptions of the beloved one, so he kept silent; but now that he had -been warmly requested to be as explicit as he pleased, he eagerly -hastened to unbosom himself. At that moment, Jack thought Philip an -angel of sympathy. - -"Dolores," he began slowly, fixing his eyes seaward, "is rather tall, -with a charming figure. Her hair is purple black, her face oval, and -her complexion inclined to be darkish. She has teeth like pearls, and a -mouth like Cupid's bow. Her eyes--well, her eyes," said Jack, -enthusiastically, "are like those velvety dark pansies when the dew -lies on them." - -"That's the first original epithet you've used, Jack. Teeth of pearl, -and Cupid's bow for a mouth are old similes. Dew on pansies is -distinctly good." - -"Oh, if you are going to laugh----" began Jack, angrily, when Cassim -hastened to disclaim any such discourtesy. - -"I'm not laughing, my dear lad. I am only complimenting you on your -ingenuity. I know exactly what kind of a woman Dolores is. She is like -De Musset's Marquise--half fiend, half angel." - -"I never heard of her," interrupted Duval, bluntly, as he produced a -gold oval from his pocket; "but, to save further description, look at -this picture. It was done for me by a Spanish fellow at Tlatonac." - -Philip surveyed the portrait in the locket long and earnestly. - -"Has Dolores a temper, Jack?" - -"Rather!" replied Jack, laconically; "but what do you think of her?" - -"She has an exquisite face, and, judging from her mouth, a fiery -temper. I don't wonder you are in love with her, Jack. I hope she'll -make you a good wife." - -"You seem rather doubtful on that point," said Jack, half annoyed, as -he restored the locket to his waistcoat pocket. - -"No; but to tell you the truth, I'm doubtful of the advisability of -mixed marriages in the matter of race. It may be all very well for the -offspring, who, as a rule, are clever; but the husband and wife, having -different trainings, do not as a rule hit it off. Race-nature again, my -friend." - -"Oh, as to that," rejoined Jack, equably, "I have lived so long in -Mexico and South America that I am half Spanish in my habits, and so -can suit myself to Dolores. Besides, when we are married, we will stay -in Spanish America; it will be more advisable than coming to England." - -"Yes; I agree with you there," said Philip, lazily; "in fact, I think -the indolent Creole life of South America would suit me also. I also -must find an Indian-Spanish spouse. And that reminds me, Jack, that we -sat down to discuss my marriage prospects, whereas we've done nothing -but talk about yours." - -"Well, suppose you marry Dona Eulalia?" - -"What, have you found me a spouse already?" cried Cassim, sitting up, -with a ringing laugh. "And who, is Dona Eulalia?" - -"The cousin of Dolores, and the daughter of Don Miguel." - -"Is she as beautiful as her cousin? But there, I needn't ask that. Of -course, in your eyes, no one is so perfect as Dolores. Well, I will -consider the matter when I see Eulalia. It is too important a step to -take without due consideration." - -"What nonsense you talk, Philip." - -"Why shouldn't I talk nonsense? Between you and me, Jack, I grow weary -at times of very sensible people. We won't discuss how that remark -applies to you. Tell me how many more members there are of the -Maraquando family." - -"Only a son, Don Rafael." - -"And what does the young hidalgo?" - -"He is in the Cholacacan navy. A very jolly young fellow of -twenty-five. We are great friends. Then there is a Dona Serafina." - -"Another beauty?" - -"According to her own idea, very much so," replied Jack, dryly. "She is -the old man's sister, and acts as duenna to Dolores and Eulalia." - -"Ah, an old maid. Good! We will marry her to Peter, and they can -collect butterflies together." - -"Oh, Dona Serafina would marry anyone; but why to Peter?" - -"I don't know. Peter looks as if he needed a wife; so, as he won't -choose one for himself, I must do so for him. Oh," yawned Philip, -rising reluctantly to his feet, "what a pleasant talk we have had. I -suppose it's time we returned to the boat? Come, John, I'll race you to -the road." - -Nothing loth, Jack accepted the challenge at once, and, though Philip -ran like a deer, succeeded in beating him easily. - -"Whew!" gasped Cassim, leaning breathless against a fence which verged -on the high-road. "You're one too many for me, Jack. I thought I was a -good runner, but you can beat me." - -"You're out of training. Too much flesh. Too soft muscles." - -"Well, I'll soon right all that at Cholacaca, when we run from the -enemy. Constant life on a yacht isn't a good thing to develop a -fellow's running powers." - -They jumped lightly over the fence, and walked soberly towards Yarmouth -in the gathering dusk. The sun was setting, and there was a glory over -sea and land somewhat tempered by the twilight. The friends strolled -comfortably along, still talking. Indeed, since their meeting they had -done little else but talk, more especially Philip, who was not like the -same man. His reserve seemed to have melted away like dew before the -sun of Duval's geniality, and he was more like the merry boy of old -than the haughty, distrustful man of the present. The reason of this -lay in the fact that he felt he could thoroughly trust Jack, and it was -a great comfort to him that there was at least one man in the world to -whom he could open his heart unreservedly. Secretly, he was much -astonished at the pleasure he found in this friendship, and by no means -displeased, for while in Jack's company the world seemed a goodly place -in which to dwell. Yet Duval was decidedly a commonplace young man, -smart enough at his business, yet by no means distinguished for -intellectuality; withal, so warm-hearted and simple-natured, that -Philip surrendered himself entirely to the influence of this pleasant -friendship. - -"You are doing me no end of good, Jack," he said as they walked through -the town. "Before you came, I was gradually becoming a fossil; now I am -renewing my youth." - -"I am very glad to hear it," replied Jack simply. "But indeed, Philip, -so far as I can see, you seem to be as jolly as a sandboy." - -"I wasn't a week ago. It's the sunshine of your happy geniality, Jack. -I will stay with you until the cure is complete. Then I will see you -safely married to Dolores; present you with the opal stone, as a dowry, -and then----" - -"And then!" repeated Jack, as his friend paused. - -"Then I will take up the old discontented life again." - -"I won't let you do that," said Duval, slipping his arm within that of -Philip's. "No. I will cure you, as you say, and then you will marry -Eulalia." - -"Humph! That's doubtful." - -"I'm not so sure about that, _mi amigo_. Meanwhile, I'm hungry, so -let us go on board and have dinner." - -"Oh, bathos," laughed Philip, but offered no opposition to so sensible -a suggestion. - -They sat up late that night talking of many things, but principally -about Dolores and Tlatonac. Jack gave his friend a vivid description of -the Cholacacan capital, and of the life therein, all of which was -highly appreciated by Philip. The baronet's taste in existence, as in -literature, leaned towards the dreamy and fantastical, so the -languorous life of Spanish America in sleepy towns, amid the -dilapidated pomp of former splendours, appealed greatly to the -imaginative side of his nature. Hitherto his visits to these -out-of-the-way places had been limited to a few days ashore, while his -yacht was anchored in the harbour; but this time he determined to take -Jack for his guide, and live the life of these strange people. It was a -dream of the Orient in a new world. The Arabian Nights in the west. - -Next morning they were up early in order to greet Tim, who duly arrived -in a state of great excitement. He was delighted to be once more on the -war-path, especially as he was to go through the campaign in the -company of his old school-fellows. The business of putting his luggage -on board took but little time, as Tim did not believe in special -correspondents travelling with much impedimenta. - -"You could have brought more luggage, if you had liked," said Philip, -when they inspected Tim's modest kit. - -"More! Haven't I got all I want," retorted Tim, indignantly. "What -would I be stuffing up the boat with rags for. A tooth-brush and a -clean collar is all I require." - -"Hardly, if this is going to be a lengthy campaign," replied Philip, -dryly. "I expect, before the end of the voyage, you'll be wearing -Peter's clothes." - -Peter was so small, and Tim so large, that the idea struck the latter -as wonderfully ludicrous, and he sat down to laugh which he continued -to do until the screw began to beat the water. Then he went on deck to -superintend the departure. - -In due time they arrived at Plymouth without accident, where they found -Peter waiting with as much luggage as a bride would take on her -honeymoon. It proved to be mostly articles for capturing butterflies, -and cases for preserving them much to the disgust of Philip, who hated -his yacht to be overloaded with such _debris_. With that painful -candour which prevailed between them, he told Peter that he would only -take half; but the meek doctor waxed indignant, and refused to go -without all these, what he called, "necessaries." So, in the end, -Philip had to give in. - -Then _The Bohemian_ turned her prow westward, and dipping her nose in -the salt brine, followed in the track of Columbus. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -IN THE TRACK OF COLUMBUS. - - Spread sails, out oars, the galley's beak - Points westward where the sunset dies. - The fabled land of gold we seek, - Which glows beneath the tropic skies,-- - A jewelled land of Paradise; - The waters round our prow are curled, - White foam bells streak their turquoise blue, - We leave behind the ancient world, - To seek the new. - - Spread sails, out oars, a path of gold - Streams from the sinking sun at eve, - As those bold mariners of old, - Again romances wild we weave, - Of splendours we would fain believe; - Yon path leads on to fairyland, - Which glows within the sunset's heart, - We anguish for that magic strand, - And so depart. - - -Notwithstanding the notoriety of the Atlantic Ocean for storms, _The -Bohemian_ met with little or no bad weather during her voyage to -Cholacaca. Blue skies, blue seas and fair winds, it was an ideal -cruise, and had it not been necessary to reach Tlatonac with as little -delay as possible, Philip would willingly have prolonged this ocean -tramping for an indefinite period. Jack, however, was anxious to see -Dolores; the special correspondent looked forward eagerly to the fierce -delights of possible battles, and Peter hankered after the insect -tribes of Central America; so, in deference to their wishes, Philip -made his yacht act well up to her reputation as a fast boat. _The -Bohemian_ did not belie her fame, and made a bee-line straight for her -destination. - -Ignoring Lisbon, where boats generally touch on their way to South -America, the yacht held on straight for the Azores, passed them in the -night, and continued her course to Cuba, from whence she could drop -down to Tlatonac in a few days. She touched at Havana, which was a -trifle out of her course, at the express request of Jack, who had a few -commissions to fulfil for Dolores; otherwise her nearest point of call -would have been Kingston, in the Island of Jamaica. - -Truly there are worse lots in the world than a lotus-eating existence -on board a crack yacht, and none of the four friends found the voyage -too long or too dull. Peter attended to his entomological traps; Tim, -obeying his journalistic instincts, made notes of daily events for -future use; and Philip, in conjunction with his sailing master, -attended to the navigation of the boat. The only idle person on board -was Jack Duval, who did nothing but eat, sleep, drink, and think of -Dolores, save when he amused himself by worrying his busier companions. - -Thanks to the powerful engines of _The Bohemian_ and the uniform -speed at which they were kept the whole time, the voyage to the -Carribean Sea was accomplished in a wonderfully short period. -Occasionally, when the bearings of the engines became heated by -constant friction, the screw was stopped and the sails were set, when -the yacht, leaning slightly to one side, swirled through the waters -under a cloud of canvas. They depended chiefly on steam power, however, -and it was rarely that the drum of the screw ceased resounding through -the vessel as she held on steadily westward in the eye of the sunset. - -All four friends had plenty to do and plenty to talk about, so managed -to get through the days in a sufficiently pleasant fashion. After -dinner, which was the principal event of the twenty-four hours, they -sat on deck chatting in the warm tropic nights, or else stayed in the -saloon listening to Philip's piano playing and Jack's singing. Tim also -sang in a pleasant tenor voice, and often favoured the company with a -varied selection of ditties, ranging from pathetic Irish melodies to -the latest music-hall songs of the day. Peter was the most unmusical -member of the party, and, save talking, did little else to amuse his -friends. It is true that he offered to give them a lecture on -"lepidopterous moths," but the offer was promptly refused on the score -that it would be dull. Peter could not understand such an adjective -being applied to so interesting a subject. - -It was at one of these symposiums that Jack gave them a description of -the political situation in Cholacaca, information peculiarly acceptable -to Tim, who was anxious to be thoroughly acquainted with the local -affairs of the country. On reaching Tlatonac, he wrote a capital -article embodying Jack's information, and sent it off at once to _The -Morning Planet_, in whose columns it duly appeared, and gave the -British public an excellent idea of Don Hypolito's reasons for -rebelling against the Established Government of the Republic. Tim's -articles were brutally plain and untempered by style. - -The night was warm and cloudless. Westward the faint after-glow of the -sunset; and in the east, the slender crescent of the moon, low down on -the horizon. Overhead the constellations large and mellow burned like -lamps in the purple sky, and mirrored their flashing points in the -deep, so that the yacht cut her way through a glittering sea of -planetary splendours. The sails were all furled, and a light breeze -made humming noises in the taut hemp of the rigging. From the wide -mouth of the funnel floated a faint trail of smoke, and the steady -screw, with monotonous repetition, throbbed like a beating heart. The -water hissing like serpents, streamed past the black sides of the boat, -and at the prow the white foam boiled like a witch's cauldron, as she -rose and fell on the heaving plain. It was all wonderfully charming, -and the voyagers seated on deck felt it to be so. After a time -conversation ceased, and they remained silent, drinking in the beauty -of the night and the infinite magic of the sea. Peter, unromantic -Peter, was the first to break the charm with a commonplace remark. - -"I hope we shall get fresh milk in Cuba; I'm tired of this Swiss -stuff." - -"The heathen!" cried Tim, in a disgusted tone; "he thinks of nothing -but his fat little paunch. Can't you admire the works of Nature, you -little dunderhead." - -"Well, I _do_ want fresh milk," urged Peter, obstinately. - -"You have no eye for beauty, Peter," said Jack, gravely; "look at the -grandeur of the scene around you." - -"It's very pretty." - -"Pretty!" cried Philip, laughing. "I once heard a young lady call the -Hallelujah Chorus pretty. You must be a relation of that young lady, -Peter." - -"Of all the adjectives in the English language," said Duval, with mock -solemnity, "the one I most detest is 'pretty.'" - -"Especially when it is applied to a certain damsel, whereof we wot," -interjected Philip, mischievously; whereat Jack blushed and the others -laughed. - -"If Peter is so enthusiastic over all this," said Tim, waving his hand -to indicate the same, "what will he say when he sees Dona Serafina." - -"Bother Dona Serafina," retorted the doctor, growing red. "I wish you -fellows would stop roasting me on the subject." - -"She isn't a subject, Peter, but an object. Forty-five, and as plain as -Tim there!" - -"Is it me you mean, Jack. Why, I'm not bad looking, at all. I've had -that same on the best female authority. We can't all be heathen gods, -like you and Philip." - -"I object to be compared to a heathen god," said the baronet, lighting -a fresh cigarette. "There is ugly Vulcan as well as beautiful Apollo. -Your compliment reads both ways, Tim." - -"Oh, the vanity of the creature. But I'm not going to pass compliments, -sir. No, it's my intention to request Mister Duval to deliver a -speech." - -"What about?" asked Jack, considerably taken aback at this cool -request. - -"On the politics of Cholacaca. I dursn't neglect my business, lads, and -the first letter I have to send to my chief is a report of the cause of -this shindy." - -"The information will be useful to us all," said Philip, settling -himself more comfortably in his chair; "we will then know which side to -take, Don Miguel's or Don Hypolito's. Go on, Jack, and you, Peter, hold -your tongue; interrupt, and I'll give orders for your removal -overboard." - -The doctor grinned and expressed his desire to know all that Jack had -to say on the subject; whereat Duval, without wasting any time, plunged -at once into the middle of the subject. - -"It's a difficult task," he said, rubbing his chin in some perplexity; -"but first you must know the geography of Cholacaca. It has more depth -than breadth, being a strip of country lying south of Yucatan, about -four hundred miles long and two hundred broad. Tlatonac, the chief -town, is in the south, and Acauhtzin, the second city, in the north, -about three hundred miles intervening. There are other towns of more or -less importance in the interior; but the most of Cholacaca consists of -dense forests inhabited by Indians and dotted with buried cities." - -"One of which contains the Temple of the Harlequin Opal, I suppose," -said Philip, leisurely. - -"Yes; I have an idea that the Temple of the Opal is not very far from -Tlatonac; but of this I am not sure. Well, to proceed. The country is -very mountainous, and there are comparatively few roads. I am engaged -by the Government to construct a railway to Acauhtzin." - -"How far have you constructed?" - -"Fifty miles, or thereabouts, and now that this war is on the tapis, I -expect the works will have to be abandoned. Failing this railway, the -only way to get to the second capital is by water. So, you see, -communication between the two towns is not so perfect as it might be." - -"And thus offers good opportunities to Don Hypolito to make things -nasty for the Government." - -"There's no doubt of that, provided Don Hypolito can secure the -allegiance of the navy." - -"The navy!" said Peter, in surprise. "You don't mean to say, Jack, that -Cholacaca has a navy?" - -"A very good one, as South American navies go. They have three -war-ships, named respectively, _The Columbus_, _The Cortes_, and _The -Pizarro_, all first-class vessels. The Government has also sent to -England for two torpedo-boats, which are expected out shortly." - -"Then, if Don Hypolito commands the navy, he can do what he likes." - -"Not exactly. Tlatonac is well fortified, and the war-ships would have -to keep well out of the range of the guns." - -"Any army worth mentioning?" - -"Yes; a capital army for this part of the world. Mostly Mestizos, you -know; and, if needs be, I dare say the Government can secure the forest -Indians as their allies. Fools if they do. No wise man trusts an -Indian. That holds good of governments also, I take it." - -"Judging from your opal story," said Philip, reflectively, "it seems to -me that this Indian business depends on the stone." - -"No doubt. If Don Hypolito secures Dolores and her opal, the Indians, -out of sheer superstition, will side with him against the Government. -In that case, they are too near Tlatonac to be pleasant." - -"And what are the plans of this Don, if you please," asked Tim, who was -scribbling shorthand notes in his pocket-book. - -"Hum! you'll have to ask Xuarez about those, and then he won't tell -you. So far as I can judge, he will win over the navy to his side, -establish his head-quarters at Acauhtzin, and make things unpleasant -all round. With the navy of three, he can blockade Tlatonac." - -"What about the torpedo-boats?" - -"They, no doubt, are on their way out from England. If the war-ships -can stop them, they certainly will." - -"Torpedo-boats are unpleasant things to handle." - -"Yes; I don't suppose the war-ships will try force. Those in charge of -the two torpedo-boats won't know of the disaffection of the navy; so -possibly their commander will be decoyed on board the ships, and the -rebels can place their own men in charge of the torpederas." - -"In that case," said Philip, after a pause, "it would be as well to use -this yacht to warn them before they enter the harbour." - -"My dear Philip, if you tried on that game, the rebels would send a -war-ship after you, and _The Bohemian_ would be knocked to bits." - -"Not if she gets a start. I'll back her speed against the whole -Cholacacan navy. When _The Bohemian_ has all her furnaces going, she -is like a streak of greased lightning." - -"But, after all," said Peter, yawning, "I don't see why we need -anticipate evil. Don Hypolito may _not_ have rebelled, and the -navy may still be loyal to the Government." - -"What!" cried Tim, sticking his chin in the air, "d'ye think I've come -all these miles to see a flash in the pan. If Don Hypolito doesn't -revolt, I shall consider myself deceived. I want war--blood red war, -and plenty of it." - -"Barbaric wretch!" said Philip, indolently. "War wasn't invented to -fill the empty columns of your paper during the silly season. Not that -I would mind a war myself." - -"You'll see all that and more," remarked Jack, confidently. "Xuarez is -bent on becoming Dictator of the Republic, and as President Gomez won't -care about being kicked out, it will be a case of war to the knife." - -"What kind of a man is Xuarez?" - -"He's like Napoleon: a wonderful man, I can tell you. You can see from -his face that he was born to command. If he gains the day, he won't be -content with playing at Dictator. Not he! He'll make himself Emperor, -establish his capital in the neck of the Isthmus of Panama, and conquer -South America. He won't attempt the north further than Mexico, in case -the U.S. Government might make it hot for him. The Yankees object to -foreign domination. Some people are so particular." - -"The New World is not the place for empires," said Philip, decisively. -"Monarchs are at a discount in the Americas. Maximilian failed; -Iturbide failed; Dom Pedro had to leave Brazil. No; Montezuma was the -last of the American emperors--there will never be another." - -"Don't prophesy till you know, Philip. Don Hypolito is as cunning as -the devil, and as clever." - -"I don't care how clever he is. No one can depend on the half-baked lot -that form the population of Spanish America. You have to form a nation -before you can construct an empire." - -"There's some truth in that." - -"Still, if Xuarez appeals to their superstition through this opal," -said Peter, mildly, "there will be----" - -"That only counts with the Indians. The Mestizos and the descendants of -the Spaniards won't be led by such child's play." - -"What about the Church?" - -Jack flicked a spot of dust off his coat. - -"The Church has that much power in Cholacaca now," he said slowly, -"it's effete; it's worn out. The age of the Inquisition is past." - -"If Don Hypolito does get to be Lord-Lieutenant," asked Tim, -inquiringly, "what will he do for the downtrodden country?" - -"According to his own showing--everything. Don't I tell you he wishes -to found a monarchy. But when he's got the upper hand, I question -whether he'll do much, save what chimes in with his own personal -ambition. Besides, Cholacaca is going ahead now quite as much as is -good for it." - -"That refers to the railway, Jack." - -"Partly, and to other things also. This railway will open up a lot of -valuable country. It will run through from end to end. From Janjalla in -the south to Acauhtzin in the north. Then lines will branch off here -and there to the sea-coast on one side, to the mountains on the other. -Thus the whole country will be a network of railways, bringing the -population and towns within trading distance of one another." - -"All of which visions are to be realised by Jack," said Peter, with -mock sarcasm. - -"Yes, realised by Jack," assented the engineer, good-humouredly. "If -Don Hypolito gets beaten, and things go on as now, I will have plenty -of work." - -"Much virtue in 'if,'" quoted Philip, smiling. - -"It is certainly difficult to foresee the end. Still, Gomez has the -army." - -"And Don Hypolito has the navy. It's pretty even, I think." - -"The combat will be decided by us four," said Tim, conceitedly, "and -we'll fight on the side of Jack's choosing." - -"Then we will assist the Government. I don't want to help Xuarez to -marry Dolores, and get the Harlequin Opal." - -"It's my opinion that the war has nothing to do with the Harlequin -Opal," said Peter, decisively. "If the Indians have got it, the Indians -will keep it." - -"Unless I'm within stealing distance of it," replied Jack, promptly. -"No; whatever comes and goes, I'm determined to get that opal. It -belongs to Dolores." - -"And Dolores belongs to you. You are an unselfish person, Jack." - -Duval laughed good-humouredly at Philip's mild protestation, and began -to talk of other things. Tim went down to the saloon to arrange his -notes; Peter turned in, and the symposium broke up without further -conversation. - -This is only a sample of the many talks they had on the subject of -Cholacaca. The information supplied by Jack was useful, as it showed -his three companions plainly how matters stood. On their arrival at -Tlatonac, they were thus well acquainted with the causes of the war, -and could follow future developments with great interest. And when this -last conversation took place, Tlatonac was not far off. - -After leaving Havana, where they only stayed a few hours for a run -ashore, the yacht dropped down towards the Bay of Honduras, and drew -steadily towards their destination. The nearer they came, the more -excited did Jack become at the prospect of seeing Dolores once more. As -a rule, the young engineer was a steady, cool-headed fellow; but this -love had upset his brain, and he was as love-sick and inconsequent as -any raw lad. Amused at this spectacle, Philip did his best to restrain -Jack's impatience, and kept the engines at full speed, so that the -lover might the sooner arrive within kissing distance of his beloved. - -Within the circle of the Indian isles the heat grew almost unbearable. -Blue sea, blue sky, and the burning eye of the sun grilling them -constantly during the day. When the west flared red with his setting, -and the waters heaved in billows of crimson, they were glad to welcome -the cool night with serene moon and chilly, gleaming stars. The pitch -bubbled sluggishly in the seams of the deck, the brasses burnt like -fire when touched by an incautious hand, and the very air was tremulous -with the heat. In vain, with linen suits, solar topees, and constant -keeping in the shade, they endeavoured to find coolness; the sun found -them out, and baked them with his fierce rays till they were half dead -with exhaustion. The heat did not brown them as is customary in more -temperate climes, but simply squeezed all the life out of their poor -bodies, until they waxed so indolent that did they nothing but lie -about in shady corners all day, longing for the night. Even Peter -abandoned his entomology; so, from such sacrifice, must the intense -heat be judged. - -Tim was a perfect god-send in those glowing days of heat and thirst. He -was skilful at preparing drinks, and concocted beverages which enabled -them to hold out during twelve hours of incessant sun glare. -Occasionally they passed an island covered with masses of palms, cacti, -and aloes, and sometimes a distant ship arose and fell against the line -of the horizon; but they were too indolent to trouble about such -trifles. It was nothing but eternal sunshine and eternal heat. But all -things must come to an end, and so did this voyage. - -"To-morrow," said Philip, thankfully, as he broiled in the shade. -"To-morrow we will sight British Honduras. Then Tlatonac won't be far -off." - -"Perhaps it will be worse on shore than at sea," sighed Peter, mopping -his bald head with a red-silk pockethandkerchief. "Why, if----" - -"For Heaven's sake, Peter, throw that handkerchief overboard," cried -Jack, irritably; "the very colour makes me hot." - -"But it's silk!" - -"I don't care what it is. It's red, and that's enough for me." - -"Don't lose your temper, Jack!" said Tim, soothingly. "Vamos a tomar -las once." - -This Spanish phrase, meaning, "Let us go and take the eleven," was -introduced by Jack, and referred to "aguardiente" (brandy), which has -eleven letters. It was in constant use, and when the familiar sound -struck on their ears, Philip and Peter lifted their heads anxiously. It -is but fair to state, however, that in the sense in which the saying -was used on board the yacht, it referred to lemon squash, which also -has that number of letters. - -"I'll take one, if you prepare it." - -"Carambo!" said Tim, viciously. "I won't. Brew one for yourself. I'm -not a bar tender." - -"Tim's getting up his Spanish for the ladies," murmured Philip, lazily. - -"If he greets them with carambo, he'll be slung out of Tlatonac," -retorted Jack, who frequently indulged in American slang. - -"Oh, I also know how to make love in Spanish," said the Irishman, -bluntly. "El hombre prevenido nunca fue vencido." - -"Oh, shut up!" - -"What does that mean?" asked Peter, who was profoundly ignorant of the -Castillian tongue. - -"It means, 'The prepared man is never conquered,' you ignorant -creature. Peter, you'll have to learn Spanish, if only to flirt with -old Serafina." - -Peter deliberately arose from his chair, and walked down to the saloon. - -"That's Peter's way of remonstrating," said Jack, smiling. "It's hot -here; we had better follow his example." - -They did, and in a remarkably short space of time were fast asleep. The -siesta had also been introduced by Jack with such success that they -slept all day and sat up all night, when it was cool. It was the only -way they had of making life bearable. - -The next morning they were within sight of Tlatonac. A long low line of -sand appeared in the distance, topped here and there with a slender -palm. As they drew nearer, they saw the frowning walls of the forts -rising above the waters, and beyond, on a hill, the red-roofed houses -of the city. Above all, the slender towers and high dome of the -cathedral. - -"Hullo!" said Jack, noting the absence of the war-ships. "No navy! This -looks ominous." - -"Do you think war has begun?" asked Peter, turning round in dismay. - -"Lord knows! It looks like it." - -"Well, at all events, the war-ships can't hurt us now," said Philip; -"we are under the guns of the forts." - -From the central part of the forts a long wharf shot into the blue -waters. The bay was covered with boats; intensely green vegetation -clothed the shores, and the white walls of the forts glistening like -silver in the blazing sunlight. And this was Tlatonac. - -"A most exposed situation," said Philip, thinking of the war. "If the -war-ships start shelling those red roofs, there won't be much of them -left." - -He addressed Jack; but that young man did not reply. He was thinking of -Dolores. Philip turned towards Peter; but the doctor's mental eye was -fixed on clouds of gorgeous butterflies. Tim! - -"I'd like to see a naval combat in this bay," said Tim, gravely, "with -war-ships and torpedoes." - -"Three monomaniacs," said Philip, rising. "War, butterflies, and -Dolores. We'd better go ashore now, lads. I'm tired of those three -subjects." - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -DON MIGUEL IS COMMUNICATIVE. - - Why, look you, Senor, thus the matter stands: - When one is in a country dangerous, - And night is round him everywhere--'tis wise - To venture nothing till the morning's light, - Lest, in the dark, some hidden pitfall lurk. - Thus stands our fortune. Traitors full of guile - Are in our midst--yet, keeping quiet their plans, - Would gull us into false security. - We know not where to strike--for here, and here, - Danger may lurk, and yet we dare not strike. - - -The house of Don Miguel Maraquando was situate on one side of the Plaza -de los Hombres Ilustres, opposite to the Cathedral, and near the Calle -Otumba. Like the generality of Mexican mansions, it was built in the -Hispano-Moriscan fashion--a style of architecture peculiarly adapted to -this equatorial climate. Walls of massive stone, impenetrable to heat, -surrounded a patio paved with variegated tiles and brilliant with -tropical flowers. From this patio doors opened into the various rooms -of the house, while above were ranges of sleeping-chambers fronted by a -light iron-railed balcony running round all four sides of the -courtyard. The roof--generally called the azotea--was flat, and in many -houses is used for family gatherings in the warm nights or during a -temperate day. In this case, however, the Maraquando family made use of -the patio, where the heat, particularly at noon, was not so great. - -It was a charming spot, cool, bright and airy, with plenty of -brilliant-blossomed flowers standing round the sides in red, porous -jars, and vividly green creepers which twisted round the squat pillars -and clambered to the sunlight by the ladder of the balconies. An old -Aztec sacrificial stone carved with ugly gods occupied the centre of -the court, and here and there appeared misshapen statues of the same -grotesque deities. A light awning, gaily striped with red and white, -made the patio shady, and beneath this were cane chairs for the -accommodation of the lazy, and small tables on which to place -refreshments. It was a veritable castle of indolence, grateful to -day-dreamers, and, as such, peculiarly acceptable to the Cholacacans, -who are the least industrious people on this planet. - -Outside, the mansion, with its massive doors and iron rejas, presented -a gloomy and forbidding appearance, more like a prison than a dwelling -house. On entering the door, however, and passing through the dim -zaguan, the internal cheerfulness of the patio was accentuated by the -dullness without. Indeed, the sudden emergence into the light was -somewhat bewildering, as with blue sky above and flower-decorated patio -below, it was some time before the eye became accustomed to the -blinding brilliance of the whole. Graceful architecture, hideous idols, -the splendour of floral treasures, and silver glitter of the walls, the -patio was a most charming spot, and eminently calculated to make life -in this tropical zone remarkably pleasant. - -Into this city paradise, created by the hand of man, Jack introduced -his friends, and formally presented them to Don Miguel, Jefe Politico -of Tlatonac, who, having been informed of their arrival, awaited them -in his patio according to the etiquette of the country. He was tall and -lean and dry, with a most astonishing resemblance to Don Quixote as -delineated by the pencil of Dore. For coolness, he wore a white linen -suit, and shaded his austere face with a broad-brimed sombrero, which -latter he removed with infinite grace on the appearance of the -Englishman. - -"Welcome, gentlemen, to Tlatonac," he said majestically, in Spanish; -"my house and all therein is at your disposal." - -After this hospitable greeting, he insisted that they should seat -themselves in order to partake of some light refreshment. They had the -greatest difficulty in assuring him that they were not hungry; as, -indeed, they had just finished breakfast before leaving the yacht. -Ultimately, in order not to offend their courteous host, they accepted -some pulque, the national beverage of Mexico, and were sorry for the -concession. Jack was used to the drink, and professed to like it; but -the others pronounced it beastly. Those who have tried pulque for the -first time will heartily endorse this opinion. - -"Oh, oh!" spluttered Peter, trying to conceal his distaste from their -host; "it's like bad butter-milk." - -"What would I not give for a glass of whisky! 'Tis pig-wash, this -same." - -"It is certainly not the milk of Paradise," said Philip, in disgust. - -Don Miguel had retired for a moment in search of cigars for the party, -so they could express themselves freely to Jack. They took full -advantage of the opportunity. - -"The Mexicans say the angels in heaven prefer it to wine," said Jack, -who had finished his glass with great gusto. "They have a proverb: - - "'Lo beben, los angeles - En vez de vino.'" - -"I can't say much for the angels' taste, then," retorted Philip, -crossly. "Nastier stuff I never drank. Raki is bad enough, but it's -nectar compared with pulque." - -Jack laughed heartily at the wry faces made by his friends, and -comforted them after the manner of Job's acquaintances. - -"You'll have to drink it, however. Don Miguel will be offended if you -do not." - -They all promptly poured the liquor into some of the flower-bearing -jars which happened, fortunately enough, to be handy. - -"There," said Peter, triumphantly; "he'll think we have finished it." - -"I'll bring a pocket-pistol next time," said Tim, gloomily. "I'll be -having the cholera with this stuff." - -"Hush! here is Don Miguel." - -Their host returned with a good supply of cigars, which proved to be -more acceptable than the pulque. Maraquando expressed great surprise -that Peter did not smoke. - -"What does he say?" asked Peter, woefully ignorant of Spanish. - -"That you ought to smoke." - -Peter shook his head in disgust. - -"Tell Don Miguel tobacco is slow poison." - -Maraquando laughed when this was translated to him. - -"It must be very slow, Senor," he said, smiling. "I have smoked for -forty years, and yet the poison has not overtaken me as yet." - -All laughed at this speech save Peter, who could not appreciate jokes -in the tongue of Castille. Indeed, he began to find his ignorance of -Spanish somewhat annoying, as his friends, who acted as interpreters, -played tricks on him. He became proficient in the tongue when Dona -Serafina took him in hand; but that was many weeks later. - -All this time Jack was wondering why Dolores did not appear to welcome -him back. As it was not etiquette to ask directly for the ladies of the -family, he made the inquiry in a roundabout way. - -"Your family I trust are well, Senor?" - -"They are in excellent health, I thank you, Senor Juan. At present I -have but my daughter with me. Dona Serafina and Dolores are staying for -a few days at my estancio." - -This was bad news for Jack; but as Don Miguel's eyes were fixed -inquiringly on his face, he was forced to dissemble his sorrow. - -"And Don Rafael?" - -"Is at present with his ship at Acauhtzin." - -"What! with Don Hypolito?" - -The expression on Maraquando's face changed, and he seemed about to -burst out into a furious speech; but, out of courtesy, restrained -himself for the present. - -"We will talk of this again," he said, gravely. "I am sure you do not -care about our politics." - -"Indeed we do," replied Jack, emphatically. "This -gentleman"--indicating Tim--"is a special correspondent, sent here by a -great English paper, to report on your war." - -"Our war!" echoed the Spaniard, with some surprise. "How do you know -there is to be a war?" - -"The telegrams to Europe say as much!" interposed Tim, speaking in -Spanish. - -"Telegrams sent by Don Hypolito, I have no doubt," responded -Maraquando, grimly. "There will be no war, gentlemen." - -"_Carambo! Sacre!_ Damn!" ejaculated Tim, who swore fluently in all -three languages. "I have been tricked, then?" - -"Wait a moment, Senor Corresponsal. You will have plenty to write -about; I will tell you some astonishing news shortly. Meanwhile, I must -present you to my daughter, Dona Eulalia." - -The girl who appeared at this moment caused them all to rise to their -feet, and assuredly a more beautiful vision could not be seen anywhere. -She was a little sparkling brunette, all eyes and smiles (as Tim -afterwards phrased it), and when she beheld Jack, came forward eagerly -to greet him with outstretched hands. - -"Senor Juan," she said, in a deliciously sweet voice, "you have -returned. Ah, how sorry Dol--Dona Serafina will be that she is not here -to greet you." - -She gave a side glance at her father on pronouncing the name of Dona -Serafina; and, by that diplomatic substitution, Philip guessed that she -was in the secret of the lovers. - -"I trust Dona Serafina will return soon, Senora," said Jack, -significantly, after exchanging courtesies. "I am anxious to see Dona -Serafina." - -Eulalia put her black fan up to hide the smile on her lips, and -intimated that she expected her aunt back on the morrow. Nothing was -said of Dolores; but Jack was not so dull a lover as not to know that, -in this case, the lesser Serafina included the greater Dolores. -Meanwhile, neither Tim nor Philip could keep their eyes off this -Spanish beauty, and Don Miguel graciously presented them to his -daughter. As for Peter, he was examining an ugly clay god at the other -end of the court, which showed that he had no eye for beauty. - -"At your feet, lady," said Philip, in his best Castillian. - -"My hands for your kisses, Senor," she responded, coquettishly, whereat -the baronet felt a strange feeling about the region of his heart. - -"Oh, Lord, Lord!" he muttered, as Tim was executing court bows to the -lady. "Great Heaven! this cannot be love at first sight. It must be the -pulque." - -He caught Jack's eye at this moment, and saw a derisive smile on that -young man's lips, whereat he smiled also, as if to intimate that he -thought but little of the dainty beauty. Jack knew better, however. -Then Peter was torn away from his Aztec deity, and presented in due -form, making use, at the introduction, of all the Spanish of which he -was master. - -"Bueno! Bueno!" quoth Peter, in perplexity, when Philip came to his -rescue. - -"Say 'a los pies de usted,' Senora," he whispered quickly. - -"I can't remember all that," protested the doctor. - -"Try." - -"A los pres ud worsted!" - -Dona Eulalia put up her fan at the sound of Peter's Spanish; but -understanding the drift of his remark, replied gravely enough: - -"Bese usted los manos, Senor." - -"What's that, Philip?" - -"My hands for your kisses, Senor." - -"Will I have to kiss them?" asked Peter, in dismay. - -"No; it's only a matter of form." - -At this assurance, the doctor was much relieved, and not feeling any -profound interest in a dialogue carried on completely in a foreign -tongue, returned to his examination of the Aztec gods. Maraquando was -already deep in conversation with Jack and Tim, so Philip had Dona -Eulalia all to himself, and made good use of this solitude of two. He -was glad he knew Spanish. 'Tis a pleasant language in which to talk gay -nonsense. - -On her side, Eulalia had no strong objection to the company of this -eccentric American--all foreigners are Americans with the -Cholacacans--and though he was a heretic, yet he spoke Spanish -beautifully, and had no lack of pretty sayings at his command. Dona -Eulalia would have flirted with a lepero in default of anything better; -and as Don Felipe was a most desirable young man from every point of -view, she lost no time in making herself agreeable. Philip, the cynic, -enjoyed it greatly, thereby proving that a considerable portion of his -misogamy was humbug. With the hour comes the eternal feminine. This was -the hour--Eulalia the woman. It flashed across Philip's mind at that -moment that he was playing with fire. Confident in his own -imperviousness to fire, he went on playing. Then he burnt himself, and -great was his outcry. - -"I always understood," said Cassim to his charming companion, "that -Cholacacan ladies were shut up like nuns." - -"A great many of them are, Senor," replied Eulalia, demurely; "but my -father is more liberal in his ideas. He delights in presenting us to -his friends." - -"How charming--for the friends." - -"And how delightful--for us poor women. I assure you, Senor, that I -would not care to be shut up at all; neither would my cousin Dolores!" - -"I have heard of Dona Dolores from Jack!" - -Eulalia flashed a glance at him from her glorious dark eyes, bit the -top of her fan, and made an irrelevant observation. - -"My cousin admires fair people." - -"And Don Juan is fair. Oh, never fear, Senora, I know all." - -"All what, Don Filipe?" - -"All about fair people!" replied Philip, skilfully, "though, for my -part, I prefer dark ladies." - -This last remark was too much even for the audacious coquetry of -Eulalia, and she, glancing uneasily at her father, turned the -conversation with a dexterity begotten by long practice. - -"My aunt, Dona Serafina, is dark. She is our duenna, you know. I am -sure you will find her very charming." - -"Oh, certainly, Senora, on your recommendation I----" - -"And Tlatonac is charming, also," interposed the lady, smartly. "Do you -stay long here, Senor?" - -"That depends on--shall we say--Senor Duval." - -His intention was to hint Dolores; but Dona Eulalia evidently thought -the acquaintanceship was becoming too intimate, and entrenched herself -behind her fan and a smile. - -"Rather does it depend on Don Hypolito." - -"Ah! Is there, then, to be a war?" - -"I do not know, Senor. My father thinks it likely. If there is, of -course you will go?" - -"No! Why should I? Tlatonac has many attractions for me." - -"My father will show you all over it to-morrow," rejoined Eulalia, with -a mischievous smile. She knew quite well what he meant, but was not -going to betray such knowledge at such an early period of her -acquaintance. The proprieties must be observed--even in Cholacaca. Mrs. -Grundy is not indigenous to Britain only. She flourished at Tlatonac -under the name of Dona Serafina. - -"You came in a steamer, did you not, Senor?" - -"Yes; in my yacht, _The Bohemian_." - -"Your vessel, Senor?" - -"Yes." - -Eulalia opened her eyes. This Americano must be very rich to own the -boat she had seen steaming into the harbour. But, then, all Americanos -were rich; though not all so nice as this one. - -"You must do me the honour of coming on board, Senora," said Philip, -eagerly. Then, seeing her draw back in alarm at this audacious -proposal, "Of course, with Don Miguel and Dona Serafina. Likewise your -cousin. My friend Don Juan is anxious to see Dona Dolores." - -"Hush, Senor!" said Eulalia, quickly, glancing towards her father; "it -is a secret. Do not speak of it now; but let us talk to the Senor -yonder with the spectacles." - -"He cannot talk Spanish." - -"Oh yes, he can, Senor, I heard him." - -She burst out into a merry laugh, and went towards Peter, followed by -the reluctant Cassim. Philip was getting on excellently well, and -rather resented the introduction of a third person into the -conversation, even though it was but harmless Peter. That gentleman -would much rather have been left alone to potter about the patio by -himself; but Dona Eulalia, who saw his embarrassment, wickedly made him -attempt Spanish, much to his discomfiture. Philip translated his -compliments to Eulalia, whereon she smiled so graciously on the little -man that the baronet grew restless, and Peter began to think there were -other things in the world besides butterflies. - -Meanwhile Don Miguel was having an interesting conversation with Tim -and Jack concerning the state of affairs prevalent at Tlatonac. He was -much flattered at the idea that a "gran'-diario" of England should take -such an interest in Central American politics, and paid Tim, as the -Senor Corresponsal, such attention, that Jack began to wish he were in -the Irishman's shoes. He would then have a better chance of Dolores. As -for Tim he discoursed blandly, quite unaware of the honours being -showered on him, and when his Spanish failed, took refuge in French; -when that gave out, he supplied his wants with Italian, so that his -conversation savoured of the Tower of Babel and the confusion of -tongues. However, with Jack's assistance, he managed to get along -capitally, and gained a good deal of useful information from the Jefe -Politico. Don Miguel himself was most eloquent on the subject, and -particularly rabid against Xuarez, whom he seemed to hate as only a -Spaniard can hate. Dr. Johnson liked a good hater. He should have met -Don Miguel. - -"Don Hypolito is a dangerous man, gentlemen," he said, with cold -malignity; "he wishes to become President of the Republic." - -"And why should he not become President?" asked Tim, calmly. - -"Because he would use his position to destroy the Constitution of -Cholacaca. We have not forgotten Iturbide and Dr. Francia. Cholacaca -shall never lie at the mercy of a tyrant, as did Mexico and Paraguay. -No, gentlemen. It was not for such an end that we threw off the yoke of -Spain. Republicans we are, Republicans we remain. If Don Hypolito -succeeds, he will find Tlatonac in ruins." - -"I don't think that will stop him, Senor," said Jack, lightly. "If he -ruins the old Tlatonac, he can build up a new one." - -"Not with peons and Indians," retorted Maraquando, fiercely. "We, -Senor, are Spaniards, and will submit to the tyranny of no man, much -less this Mestizo of a Xuarez." - -"What do you propose to do, Don Miguel?" - -"The Junta has already decided that. Don Hypolito is to be arrested, -brought here for trial, and banished from the country." - -"I don't see how you are going to capture him at Acauhtzin. It is the -headquarters of his party." - -Maraquando smiled grimly, and waved his hand contemptuously. - -"Xuarez has no party. A few unimportant estancieros believe in him, -certainly; but the whole population of Tlatonac is in favour of the -Government." - -"But not the whole population of Cholacaca," said Duval, significantly. - -"That is no matter. The Government hold Tlatonac, and, therefore, has -all the power in its own hands. Acauhtzin! a mere village, whose -adherence can do Xuarez no good." - -"But if it comes to war?" - -"It will not come to war, Senor Corresponsal. The fleet have gone to -Acauhtzin to arrest Xuarez, and bring him here for trial." - -"They won't do that easily." - -Don Miguel laughed in a saturnine sort of manner, and pulled his -moustache savagely. - -"And why not, Senor?" said he slowly. "I think three war-ships, manned -by brave men, are more than sufficient to arrest one traitor." - -"That's so," replied Jack, dropping into Americanese, "if you can trust -their crews." - -"My son, Don Rafael, commands _The Pizarro_," he said, gravely. "The -Government can trust him and his crew, if no others." - -"'One swallow doesn't make a summer,' Don Miguel. That's an English -proverb." - -"And a very true one. Where did you hear that our navy was not to be -trusted, Don Juan?" - -"Here, and yonder!" said Jack, waving his hand all round the compass. -"I hear this and that, Senor, and think over things. The general -opinion, I find, is that there will be a civil war." - -"It needs no prophet to tell that. And afterwards?" - -"Senor, it is said the army will support the Junta, but the navy will -strike for Xuarez." - -"If I thought so!" growled Maraquando, savagely, under his breath. "If -I--but no, Senor, you are mistaken. My son, Don Rafael, is in the navy, -and many of the officers are his personal friends. He only consorts -with men of honour, Senor. I swear that there is no fear of the navy -revolting. In a few days, our three ships will come back with Don -Hypolito." - -Jack shrugged his shoulders. He was a youth of few words, and saw no -reason to waste breath on such obstinacy. All the same, he held to his -opinion. Don Rafael or no Don Rafael, the three war-ships and their -crews were not to be trusted. In spite of his refusal to believe in -such treachery, it seemed as though Don Miguel also had his doubts on -the subject. - -"I will see the President about this you speak of, Senor. It is as well -that all things should be guarded against." - -"There is one other thing that should be guarded against," said Jack, -gravely. "Dona Serafina and your niece are some distance from the city, -at your estancia. As there may be a war, the country will not be safe. -I suggest that you, Senor, should ride out and escort them back." - -"I am afraid I cannot leave the city at this juncture." - -"Then let me go, Senor," said Jack, eagerly. "In any event, I will have -to see the railway works; they are near your estancia, you know. Let me -ride over to-morrow, and I will bring them back with me." - -"It is too much honour, Senor," replied Maraquando politely. "Still, if -you can spare the time----" - -"Oh, that will be all right, Senor. It is settled, then, I will go -to-morrow." - -"I am your debtor, Don Juan, and accept the offer with a thousand -thanks. But your friends----" - -"Oh, we will look round Tlatonac," said Tim, putting up his -pocket-book, wherein he had been making notes; "and if you will but -introduce me to the President, Senor Maraquando, I shall take it as a -favour. It will be useful to me in my letters to Europe." - -"I am at your service, Senor Corresponsal. His Excellency will have -much pleasure in receiving you, I am sure. Bueno!" - -"That settles you, Tim," said Duval, in English "Philip can go with -you, unless he prefers to remain with Dona Eulalia. But Peter?" - -"Oh, send him after butterflies!" - -Duval thought this a good idea, and, turning to Don Miguel, explained -how anxious Peter was in pursuit of insects. Could Don Miguel send him -beyond the city in charge of some one, to hunt for beetles? Maraquando -reflected for a moment, and thought that he could do so. There was an -Indian named Cocom, who would attend to Don Pedro. Unfortunately, he -spoke no English. - -"Never mind," said Jack, easily, "when my friend is hunting the wily -butterfly, he speaks to no one. All I desire is that he should have a -guide, so that he be not lost." - -"Bueno! I will see that Cocom goes with Don Pedro to-morrow." - -Jack called Peter from his interesting conversation with Eulalia, and -explained matters. The doctor was quite agreeable, and wanted to go at -once to the yacht, in order to get his paraphernalia ashore. This -ardent desire, however, was not gratified at the moment, as they could -scarcely take leave of their courteous host in so cavalier a fashion. - -"By the way, Jack," said Philip, at this moment, "are we to stay on -board the yacht during our stay here?" - -"By no means. We will go to my house." - -"What! are you a landed proprietor, Jack?" - -"I have a rough kind of diggings, but it's big enough for the lot of -us. Don Miguel," he added, turning to their host, "I must now take my -leave, with my friends, as we want to see about our house." - -"My house is at the disposal of your friends, Senor." - -"A thousand thanks. I kiss your hands, Senor Miguel; but for the -present we will stay at my residence in the Calle Huascar." - -It not being etiquette to press the invitation, Don Miguel gravely -bowed, and wished them good-bye for the present. He had to go to a -meeting of the Junta in order to confer about the fleet which had -remained away from Tlatonac a long time. - -"And it will remain a longer time," said Jack, as they emerged on to -the street. "The navy is going to revolt to Don Hypolito." - -"I believe that's true, but the old chap doesn't think so. He'll have -his eyes open soon, or my name's not Tim. Where's Philip?" - -"Saying good-bye to Dona Eulalia," replied Jack, smiling. "Ah, by the -way, here he is! Well, Sir Philip Cassim, Baronet, I see you are -stabbed by a wench's black eye!" - -"A little harmless conversation," protested Philip, guiltily; "don't -make a mountain out of a mole-hill, Jack. I can take care of my heart; -but your charming brunette friend has fascinated Peter." - -"I don't see how that can be," said the doctor, dryly, "seeing I -couldn't understand a word she was saying." - -"The language of the eye, Peter. You must learn that. It is more -interesting than butterflies." - -"So you seem to think." - -"Jack," said Tim, suddenly, "before we go to your cabin, take us to the -telegraph-office, if there is one here." - -"Of course there is one here. You want to wire to your editor?" - -"Not yet! I want to arrange matters with the officials. There's going -to be trouble here in a week, anyhow." - -"So soon as that?" said Philip, starting. He had not heard the -conversation with Don Miguel. - -"Aye, and sooner," replied Duval, prophetically. "Gather ye rosebuds -while ye may, Philip; for, as sure as I stand here, news is now on its -way to Tlatonac of the loss of the navy." - -"In that case," said the baronet, quietly, "it was a good thing I -brought all those arms with me. You'll have to learn how to shoot, -Peter." - -"Butterflies and beetles," said Peter, absently. He was thinking of the -morrow's sport. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -CHALCHUIH TLATONAC. - - This is a country of magic; for, lo! in the heat of the noontide, - Silent and lone is the city, no footfall is heard in the highways, - Only the grasshopper shrilling, the tinkle of water clear gushing, - And rarely the sigh of the breezes, that stir the white dust on - the pavements. - Magic! no magic but custom; for this is the time of siesta; - When sinks the sun, then the city will waken to love and to - laughter; - Lightly the gay senoritas will dance in the cold-shining moonbeams, - Flirt fan, flash eyes, and beckon, to lovers who long for their - kisses, - Then will the castanets rattle, the little feet dance the bolero, - And serenades sigh at the windows, in scorning of jealous duennas. - Magic is not of the noonday; when glimmers the amorous twilight, - Then is the time of enchantment, of love, and of passionate - lovers. - - -Cocom was completely ignorant of his real age. He might have been a -hundred, and he certainly looked as though he had completed his -century. Long ago he had left off counting the flying years and -meditating on the mutability of human life. In fact, he had changed so -little that it is doubtful whether he believed in mutability at all. -Wrinkled he was, it is true, and slightly bent, but his black eyes -twinkled with the fire of youth, and he enjoyed his meals. These things -argue juvenility, and, as Cocom possessed them, he evidently knew the -secret of immortality. Perhaps he had found that fountain of youth -spoken of by Ponce de Leon. If so, it had affected his soul not his -body. He looked like Methuselah. - -Yet he was wonderfully active considering his years, and undertook to -introduce Peter to the butterflies of Central America. Arrayed in his -white cotton drawers and shirt, with his pink zarape gracefully draped -over his bent shoulders, he smoked a long black cigar, and waited the -orders of the "Americanos" in stolid silence. - -Peter was affectionately handling his butterfly-net, Tim was finishing -his breakfast, and Jack, in a smart riding-dress, was slashing his high -boots with his whip, impatient to get away. They were looking at Cocom, -who had just arrived, and waiting for Philip, who, as usual, was late -for breakfast. - -"He looks too old to be of much use," said the doctor, disconsolately; -"why couldn't Don Miguel send me a man instead of a mummy?" - -"Perhaps the mummy is well up in entomology!" - -"He ought to be that same!" cried Tim, with his mouth full; "he's had -plenty of time to learn, anyhow. Ask the old cocoanut his age, Jack." - -"Don't you take liberties with his name, Tim. Cocom was a king of -Mayapan; and this, I presume, is his descendant." - -"Royalty out at elbows!" said Peter, blandly. - -"It's a king, is it?" remarked Tim, staring at the Indian. "He looks a -mighty second-hand sort of article. I should be a king myself. Wasn't -one of my ancestors King of Cork?" - -"Good morning, gentlemen," said Philip, entering at this moment; "where -did you pick up Methuselah?" - -"This is Cocom, my guide," said the doctor, proudly introducing Cocom, -who removed his sombrero with a graceful sweep. - -"Oh, you are going to hunt the ferocious beetle, are you not? What is -he, Jack? An Aztec?" - -"No; a descendant of the Mayas." - -"A dethroned king--no less." - -"You know the country round here, Cocom?" said Philip, taking no notice -of Tim's joke. - -"Yes, Senor Americano; all! all!" replied Cocom, with grave dignity. -"Don Pedro will be safe with me." - -"You can show him butterflies?" - -"Senor, I can show him butterflies, ants, beetles, wasps; all the Senor -desires to behold." - -"That being so, Peter, you had better get away," said Jack, -impatiently. "I want to be off, and must see you started first; you -can't be trusted to run the show on your own account." - -"I'm quite ready. Good-bye, boys; I will see you this afternoon." - -"Not me," said Duval, brusquely; "I'm off to Maraquando's estancia." - -"Take care of the sun, Peter," warned Philip, kindly; "your head isn't -over strong." - -Peter indignantly repudiated this imputation on his cranium, and -forthwith followed Cocom out of the house, gleefully looking forward to -a pleasant day. His ideas of pleasure were singularly limited. - -"He's quite safe, isn't he, Jack?" said Philip anxiously. "I don't want -Peter to get into trouble." - -"Oh, Cocom will look after him. I know the old man well. He is devoted -to Don Miguel, who once saved his life. Cocom will sit on a bank and -watch Peter gasping after butterflies. The exercise will do the -doctor's liver good." - -"You are off yourself now, I suppose?" - -"Yes, I've been waiting for you. Really, Philip, you are the laziest -man I know." - -"This house that Jack built is the castle of indolence," explained -Philip, sitting down to table. "Go, my friend, and kiss Dolores for -me!" - -"I'll do nothing of the sort. I'll kiss her for my own sake! Adios -caballeros." - -"When will you return, Jack?" - -"To-morrow! Meanwhile Don Miguel will look after you both. Take care of -yourselves." - -"Con dios va usted mi amigo!" said Cassim, graciously. "Now go away, -and let me eat my breakfast." - -Jack departed, and Tim went to the window to see him ride down the -street. - -"He is a fine boy," he said, returning to the breakfast-table. "Dona -Dolores ought to be proud of having such a lover." - -"I have no doubt she is, Tim. It is to be hoped the course of true love -will run smooth with Jack; but what with Don Hypolito and the harlequin -opal I have my doubts. What are your plans, Timothy?" - -"It's writing I'll be, all day!" - -"Nonsense. Come and see Tlatonac." - -"I can't. Isn't my chief waiting a letter from me?" - -"Such industry! Tim, you make me feel ashamed of myself." - -"The devil I do. Then you write my letter, Philip and I'll flirt with -Dona Eulalia. I'm a white-headed boy with the female sex." - -"No, thank you. It's not a fair exchange." - -"Ah, she's a dark-eyed colleen, Philip. You have lost your heart -there." - -"No," said Philip, a trifle doubtfully. "I have seen too many pretty -faces to be captured at first sight by a new one. I have other things -to think of besides marriage." - -"You have, but you won't," retorted Tim, ungrammatically. "Now get away -with you, and leave me to my writing." - -"I'll be back in two hours." - -"If you are not, I'll come and look you up at the Don's. Make love to -Dona Eulalia while you can, Philip, for it's mighty little time you'll -have when the row starts. - - "Do ye hear the cannon's rattle? do ye smell the smoke av battle, - Whin the Irish bhoys are ridin' down the inimy so bould? - Do ye see the bullets flyin'? and your faithful Patrick dyin', - Wid ne'er a sowl beside him dear, to kiss his forehead cowld?" - -Tim, with that sudden transition from mirth to melancholy so -characteristic of the Celtic race, threw so much pathos into the last -two lines that Philip could not trust himself to reply, and went -hastily out of the room. He drew a long breath of relief when he found -himself in the hot sunshine, for that unexpected note of sorrow from -jovial Tim touched him more nearly than he cared to confess. In spite -of his cold demeanour and reserve, Philip was of a very emotional -nature, and that melancholy strain had reached his heart. He was by no -means prone to superstition, but at that moment a sudden question -stirred his self-complacency. Never before had he heard Tim sing so -pathetically, and the unexpectedness of the thing startled him. It -seemed to hint at future sorrows. Poor Tim! - -"Confound that Banshee song," he said, with a shiver, as he strolled -along towards the Calle Otumba; "it makes me think of death and the -grave. These Irishmen take one at a disadvantage. I won't shake off the -feeling the whole day." - -He forgot all about it, however, when he reached Maraquando's house, -for in the patio he found Eulalia, who greeted him with a brilliant -smile. The charm of her society banished the melancholy engendered by -Tim's pessimism, and, chatting gaily to this strongly vitalised being, -who restlessly flashed round the court like a humming-bird, he -recovered his usual spirits. There is more in juxtaposition than people -think. - -"And where are your friends, Don Felipe?" asked Eulalia, standing on -tip-toe to pluck a gorgeous tropical blossom. - -"Allow me to get you that flower, Senora," replied Philip, eagerly. "My -friends," he added, as he presented her with the bud, "are variously -employed. Don Pedro is out after butterflies with Cocom. Senor -Corresponsal is writing for his 'diario,' and Don Juan----" - -"I know where Don Juan is, Senor. Yes; my father told me of his -kindness. He will bring back from the estancia Dona Serafina." - -"And Dona Dolores?" - -Eulalia flung open her fan with a coquettish gesture, and raising it to -her face, looked over the top of it at Philip. - -"You know, then, Senor, what you know." - -"Assuredly," replied the baronet, tickled at this delicate way of -putting it. "I know that my friend wishes to marry your cousin." - -"Ay de mi. It can never be." - -"He is not rich enough." - -"He is not a Spaniard. My father will never consent. And then," she -dropped her voice, and looked round fearfully. "The Chalchuih -Tlatonac!" - -"I know about that also. But it has nothing to do with this marriage." - -"It has everything to do with it. The Indians look on my cousin as one -of themselves, and, if she married an Americano, she would leave the -country. Then there would be no guardian of the stone, and their god -would be angry." - -"Is your cousin, then, to marry as they please?" - -"She must marry one of her own people. An Indian or a Mestizo." - -"But suppose she does not?" - -"The Indians will carry her to their forest temple, and keep her there -in captivity." - -"Impossible! How could they seize her in Tlatonac?" - -Dona Eulalia nodded her head wisely. - -"You do not know how strong are the Indians, Senor. They are -everywhere. If they want Dolores at their temple, they will be sure to -capture her if they choose." - -"By force?" - -"No, by stratagem! They could take her away at any moment, and none of -us would see her again." - -"But what does Don Hypolito say to all this?" - -Eulalia spread out her little hands with a look of disgust. - -"Don Hypolito wants to marry Dolores because of the Chalchuih Tlatonac! -He is a Mestizo; so the Indians would not mind such a marriage. But she -hates him, and loves Don Juan. Let your friend beware, Senor." - -"Of whom! Of Don Hypolito?" - -"Yes; and of the Indians. It is much feared that Don Hypolito is no -good Catholic--that he has been to the forest temple and seen--oh," she -broke off with a shudder. "I do not know what he has seen. But he hates -Don Juan, and, if he captures him, will put him to death. Senor----" - -At this moment, before she could say more, Don Miguel entered the -patio. Whereupon Eulalia whirled away like a black-and-amber bird. -Philip looked after her for a second, thinking how graceful she was, -then turned to greet Don Miguel. That gentleman was as lean and dry and -as solemn as ever. How he ever came to be the parent of this fairy of -midnight, Philip could not quite understand. But doubtless she took -after her mother--the female side of a family generally does, in looks. - -"I was just conversing with Dona Eulalia," said Philip, responding to -Maraquando's stately greeting "Your daughter, Senor." - -"She is yours also, Senor," was Miguel's startling reply. - -"Egad! I wish she was mine," thought Cassim, who knew this Spanish -formula too well to be astonished. "By the way, Senor, my friend Don -Pedro thanks you for sending Cocom," he added politely. - -"Don Pedro is welcome a thousand times to my poor services. And where -is the Senor Corresponsal?" - -"Writing for his diario." - -"Bueno, Senor. And Don Juan?" - -"He is now on his way to your estancia." - -"I am his servant, for such kindness," said Maraquando, gravely. "Will -you take some pulque, Senor Felipe?" - -"I thank you, no," replied Philip, remembering his former experience of -the drink. "If not troubling you too much, I would like to see -Tlatonac." - -"I am at your service, Senor. Shall we depart at once?" - -Philip signified his acquiescence, though he would rather have stayed -in the cool patio, and flirted with Dona Eulalia. He knew, however, -that Spanish fathers are not the most amiable parents in the world, and -resent too much attention being paid by foreigners to their womankind; -therefore he took leave of the young lady and departed with Don Miguel. -Before Philip parted from that gentleman, he had explored the city -thoroughly, and was quite worn out. - -The Jefe Politico was a most conscientious cicerone. He took Philip to -every building of any note, and gave him a minute history of all events -connected therewith, from the earliest period to the present time. -Fortunately, Tlatonac was not very old, or he would have gone on for a -week without stopping. As it was, he took nearly all day in directing -Philip's attention to dates, Aztec idols, ruins of teocallis, sites of -palaces, to battle-fields, and many other things too numerous to -mention. This information was accurate but wearisome, and Philip felt -it to be so. Maraquando was Prescott and Bancroft rolled into one, as -regards knowledge of history, and, having found a willing listener, -took full advantage of the opportunity. Cassim was too polite to -object, but he heartily wished that Don Miguel would hold his tongue. -The most pathetic part of the whole affair was that the poor man -thought he was amusing his guest. - -Tlatonac is built partly on the seashore and partly on a hill. Within -the walls of the forts frowning over the waters are the dwellings of -the flat portion inhabited by peons and leperos, with a sprinkling of -low-caste mestizos. From thence the houses rise up to the top of the -hill, which is crowned by the cathedral in the Plaza de los Hombres -Ilustres. This is the heart of Tlatonac, the aristocratic quarter, and -commands a splendid view of the surrounding country. - -The Plaza was a very large square, fenced in on three sides by the -houses of the Cholacacan aristocracy, on the fourth by the great -cathedral. In the centre was the zocalo, a green oasis of verdure laid -out in winding walks and brilliant flower-beds. Herein the aristocracy -took their walks when the band played in the cool of the evening, using -it as a kind of alameda, wherein to meet their friends and gossip. It -was indeed a charming spot, and its green arcades afforded a grateful -shade from the hot sun which blazed down on the white stones of the -square outside. On leaving the zocalo, they entered the church -dedicated to Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion, which once gave its name -to the town now more generally known by its Indian appellation of -Tlatonac. - -"The cathedral, Senor," said Don Miguel, as they stood beneath the -glory of the great cupola, "is built on the site of a famous teocalli." - -"That dedicated to the Chalchuih Tlatonac?" - -"To the false god Huitzilopochtli, Senor," corrected the Spaniard, -gravely. "I see you know the story. Yes, it was here that the son of -Montezuma's daughter came with the shining precious stone which gives -its name to the city. He worshipped his barbaric deities after the -fashion of his mother, and built here a teocalli to the war-god, -wherein was preserved the devil stone. Many years after, when the -Conquistadores--our ancestors, Senor--arrived, the then possessor of -the opal fled with it into the impenetrable forests, and thus the jewel -was lost to the Crown of Spain. The Conquistadores pulled down the -teocalli and built thereon this church to the glory of Our Lady, at the -command of Fray Medina, who afterwards became the first Bishop of -Tlatonac. Is it not beautiful, Senor? and all for the glory of God and -the true cross." - -It was indeed a beautiful old church, mellowed into restful beauty by -the lapse of years. The floor was of marquetry, hued like a dim rainbow -owing to the different coloured woods. Slender porphyry pillars sprang -from the floor to the groined ceiling in two long rows, and at the far -end, under a firmament of sun and stars and silver moons, with -ascending saints and wide-winged angels, arose the glory of the great -altar, sparkling in the dusky atmosphere like a vast jewel. Before it -burned a silver lamp like a red star. Tapestries, richly worked, -depended between the pillars, gorgeous brocades were here, faded silken -draperies there, and everywhere faces of saint, angel, cherubim, and -seraphim. Gilt crosses, pictures of the Virgin, statues of the Virgin, -side altars laden with flowers, silver railings, steps of Puebla -marble, like alabaster, and throughout a dim religious light as the -rays of the sun pierced the painted windows. The fumes of incense -permeated the building; there was a sound of muttered prayers, and here -and there a dark figure prostrate before a shrine or kneeling at the -confessional. - -All this magnificence was toned down by time to delicate hues, which -blended the one with the other and made a harmonious whole. Dingy and -old as it was, the whole edifice was redolent of sacred associations, -and it required some imagination to conceive that where now reigned -this quiet and holy beauty once arose a heathen temple, where the -victims shrieked on the altar of a fierce deity. Religion did not seem -very flourishing in Cholacaca, for on this day in the cathedral there -were few worshippers--no priests. - -"We have few priests now, Senor," explained Don Miguel, gravely, as -they left the great building. "The Jesuits were once powerful in -Cholacaca, but they were expelled some years ago. The priests -_would_ meddle with politics, and when the Church clashes with the -Government, well, Senor--one must go to the wall." - -"So the Jesuits went?" - -"Yes. They were unwilling to go, for Cholacaca is one of the richest -mission fields. Not that I think they have done much good, for though -the Indians are outwardly converted, yet I know for certain that they -still secretly worship Huitzilopochtli and the Chalchuih Tlatonac." - -"What makes you think so, Don Miguel?" - -"Little things! The straws which show the wind's course. On the summit -of some of these ruined teocallis beyond the walls, I have often seen -fresh wreaths of flowers. Nay, in my own patio, before those statues of -Coatlicue, Quetzalcoatli, and Teoyamiqui, I have found offerings of -flowers and fruit. 'Tis also said, Senor," pursued Maraquando, dropping -his voice, "that in the hidden Temple of the Opal the Indians still -sacrifice human victims to the war-god. But this may be false." - -"Very probably! I cannot conceive such horrors," replied Philip, with a -shudder; "but, as regards priests, there are still some here, I -presume?" - -"Assuredly; but not of the Society of Jesus--save one. Yes, Padre -Ignatius is still here. He was, and is, so beloved by all that the -President had not the heart to banish him. So he yet works for the -Faith in our midst." - -"I should like to meet Father Ignatius?" - -"You shall do so, Senor. He is a great friend of mine, and the -confessor of my children. Often does he come to my poor house. But let -us walk on, Senor. There are many things to see. El Palacio Nacional, -where dwells his excellency; the Market Place, and the alameda. We are -proud of our alameda, Senor." - -Thus talked on Don Miguel, and, amused by the novelty of the scene, -Philip stared round him with great pleasure. They passed the -pulquerias, which are the public-houses of Tlatonac, saw the Palacio -Nacional, a huge stone building, above which flaunted the yellow flag -of the Republic, with its device of a white stone, darting rays of red, -yellow, green, and blue, in allusion to the opal, explored the prison, -which held a fine collection of ruffians, and ultimately arrived at the -Market Place. - -It was the prettiest sight in Tlatonac, and Philip was sorry he had not -the power to transfer the scene with all its varied hues and -picturesque figures to paper. A square, little less large than the -great Plaza, surrounded on all sides by gaily tinted houses. Reds, -greens, yellows, pinks, the Plaza was girdled by a perfect rainbow, and -under the gay awnings before these sat the dealers and their wares. -Here were tropical fruits from the tierras calientes, comprising -oranges, bananas, pineapples, melons, peaches, and an infinite variety -of others, all piled in picturesque confusion on the stalls. As to -flowers, the whole place was a mass of blossom, from gorgeous red -cactus buds to modest bunches of violets. Owing to the geography of -Mexico and Central America, the products of both temperate and tropical -zones can be found flourishing at one and the same time. Hence the -violets, which Philip had scarcely expected to see. They put him in -mind of English woods--of the day when in the Isle of Wight, Jack told -him about Dolores. - -"Yes, the Indians are fond of flowers," said Don Miguel, when Philip -expressed his surprise at the profusion of blossoms. "It is a taste -they inherit from their ancestors. The Aztecs, you know, were famous -for floriculture. We love flowers just as passionately; and, go where -you will in Tlatonac, you will find blooming gardens gay with flowers." - -"It is a graceful taste, and one which the climate enables you to -gratify to the full." - -"Without doubt, Senor. We possess three climates in which flourish -different products of Nature. Tlatonac is in the tierra calienti, or -hot country. Higher up, on the table-lands it is less tropical, and is -called the tierra templada, while the snow-clad mountain peaks, where -flourish pine trees, oaks, and hemlocks, is known by the name of the -tierra fria. Thus, you see, in our country we possess all the climates -of the world." - -"A rare advantage. Central America is a favoured country." - -"In all save its rulers," sighed Maraquando, regretfully. "Nor is its -population what it should be. I tell you, Senor, this land should be -the most powerful in the world. It is the most favoured spot on -earth--the garden of Paradise; but what with our incessant civil wars, -our incompetent governors, and, of late, the tyranny of the Church, the -whole continent is demoralised. Ah, if we but had the man who could -weld all our foolish Republics into one great nation! Then, indeed, -would we be the glory of the earth." - -"Don Hypolito Xuarez evidently looks upon himself as that man." - -"Don Hypolito!" echoed Maraquando, scornfully. "No, Senor; he has the -instincts of a tyrant. He would grind down the people as the -Conquistadores did their ancestors. Were he pure minded and noble in -his ambition, I--even I, Miguel Maraquando--would support him. I would -lay aside all prejudices to aid him to make our country great. But I -know the man, Don Felipe. He is a half-bred, a treacherous scoundrel, -who wants to be the Santa Anna of the Republic. Let him beware of -Iturbide's fate!" - -"At all events, he intends to become Emperor," persisted Philip, -calmly. - -"No! The Junta has decided that he is to be banished from Cholacaca. -Already the fleet is a Acauhtzin to arrest him, and to-morrow we send -up a special message that he is to be brought to Tlatonac at once." - -"Suppose he refuses to come?" - -"He will be brought by force." - -"Always provided the fleet do not support his cause." - -"You, too, Senor," said Maraquando, thoughtfully; "so said Don Juan -last night. It may be so, and yet I hope, for the sake of the country, -that the affair may be ended at once. I believe the navy will continue -faithful. My own son, Don Rafael, is in command of one ship; yet I -mistrust Xuarez and his oily tongue. Yes, Senor, I have thought much -since Don Juan and the Senor Corresponsal spoke to me last night. I -have conferred with His Excellency, the President. Therefore have we -decided to send up a message to-morrow, ordering the return of the -fleet with or without Xuarez. It does not do to trust him." - -"You have another man-of-war, then, to go to Acauhtzin." - -"No; we have a small steamer. But she is quick, and will go there and -return in no time." - -"That is if she is permitted to do so," thought Philip; but he did not -say this aloud, lest Don Miguel should grow angry. - -"Still, even if the fleet does revolt, we will have the torpederas," -said the Jefe, cheerfully. "They are now on their way from England. His -Excellency received a telegram yesterday." - -"If you have the torpederas, you can do a good deal," replied Philip, -lighting a cigarette: "and if there is a war, Don Miguel, my yacht is -at the service of the Government." - -"A thousand, thousand thanks, Senor!" said Miguel, smiling gratefully; -"but I hope and trust there will be no occasion for us to ask you to -make such a sacrifice. However, we shall soon know--in three days at -the most. If the fleet are true to us, they will bring back Don -Hypolito. If not, we shall know what steps to take to defend Tlatonac -from being bombarded." - -"By the way, Senor," said Cassim, thoughtfully, "you have a -telegraph-station here. In which direction do the wires run?" - -"Why do you ask, Senor?" - -"Because the Senor Corresponsal wishes constant communication with -England, should there be a war. Now, if the wires go north to -Acauhtzin, they can be cut by Don Hypolito." - -"That is true, Don Felipe. Fortunately they do _not_ run north. No; the -wires run south to Janjalla which town will certainly remain faithful -to the Government. From thence all messages can with ease be -transmitted to England." - -Philip was pleased at this, as he saw that Tim would be enabled to -transmit messages to England with the greatest ease, and thus cover -himself with glory. They conversed for a few minutes on the subject, -and then left the market for the alameda. - -It was a most delightful promenade. High trees on either side, whose -branches formed a green arcade above the heads of the promenaders. Beds -of roses in profusion--brilliant tropical plants, bronze statues, -marble statues, and plenty of pleasantly situated seats. One portion -was reserved for those who chose to walk, another for horses and their -riders. Hither came all the aristocracy of the city, when they grew -weary of the zocala of the Plaza de los Hombres Ilustres, and on this -day the alameda was crowded. - -In a gaily decorated bandstand, an excellent company of musicians -played bright music, mostly airs from comic operas, and Philip was -amused to hear Offenbachian frivolities sounding in this spot. They -seemed out of place. The musicians had no sense of the fitness of -things. They should have played boleros fandangos--the national music -of Spain--instead of which they jingled the trashy airs of minor -musicians. - -The alameda was thronged by a motley crowd, presenting more varied -features than are to be seen in any other part of the world. Indian -women squatting at the corners selling fruit and pulque, beautiful -senoritas with black mantillas and eloquent fans, gay young cavaliers -dashing along on spirited horses, in all the bravery of the national -costume, and not seldom a sour-looking duenna, jealously watching her -charge. Occasionally a priest in shovel-hat and black cassock--but -these were very rare. The army was also represented by a number of -gaily-dressed officers who smoked cigarettes, smiled at the senoritas, -and clanked their huge spurs ostentatiously together. It was a gay -scene, and Philip admired it greatly. - -"I have never seen such a mixed crowd anywhere," he said, lightly, -"save in the Strada Reale in Valetta." - -"Well!" said Maraquando, after a pause, "and what do you think of -Tlatonac?" - -"It is a terrestrial Paradise," replied Philip, "and Hypolito is the -serpent." - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -DOLORES. - - Your eyes - Are dark as midnight skies, - And bright as midnight stars, - Their glance - Is full of love's romance, - When no hate loving mars. - Oh let those eyes look down on me, - Oh let those glances wander free, - And I will take those stars to be - My guides for life, - Across the ocean of wild strife, - Dolores! - - My heart - Those looks have rent apart, - And now 'tis torn in twain; - Oh take - That broken heart, and make - With kiss it whole again; - Oh lightly from thy lattice bend, - Give but a smile, and it will mend, - Then love will love be till we end - Our life of tears, - For some sweet life in yonder spheres, - Dolores! - - -The next day Jack came back with Dolores and Dona Serafina. He was -puffed up with exceeding pride at his good fortune, for it is not every -young man in Central America who gets a chance of talking unreservedly -with 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 -at the yearly carnival. Jack never did approve of these Orientalisms, -even in his days of heart-wholeness, and now that his future hinged on -the smile of Dolores, he disapproved of such shuttings up more than -ever. - -Fortunately Don Miguel was not a Turk, and gave his womenfolk greater -freedom than was usual in Tlatonac. Dolores and her cousin were not -unused to masculine society, and Dona Serafina was the most -good-natured of duennas. Consequently they saw a good deal of 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 Dona Serafina was concerned, it did not matter. She was old enough, -and ugly enough, to be above suspicion; but Dolores--ah, ah!--the -scandal-mongers of Tlatonac opened their black eyes, and whispered -behind their black fans, when they heard of Don Miguel's folly, of the -Senor Americano's audacity. - -As a rule, Don Miguel, proud as Lucifer, would not have permitted Jack -to escort his sister and niece in this way; but the prospect of a war -had played havoc with social observances. Don Rafael was away, Don -Miguel could not leave the capital, and the ladies certainly could not -return by themselves, over bad roads infested by Indians. 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 not the most amiable -of men, so there would probably have been trouble. As it was, however, -the proud Spaniard knew nothing, not even as much as did the gossips of -Tlatonac; so Jack duly arrived with his fair charges, and was duly -thanked for his trouble by the grateful Maraquando. Fate was somewhat -ironical in dealing with the matter. - -That journey was a glimpse of Paradise to Jack, for he had Dolores all -to himself. Dona Serafina, being asleep, did not count. A peon, with a -long cigar, who was as stupid as a stone idol, drove the caleza -containing the two ladies. Dona Serafina, overcome by her own -stoutness, and the intense heat, slept heavily, and Jack, riding close -to the carriage, flirted with Dolores. There was only one inconvenience -about this arrangement--the lovers could not kiss one another. - -It was a long way from the estancia, but Jack wished it was longer, so -delightful was his conversation with Dolores. She sat in the caleza -flirting her big fan, and cooing like a dove, when her lover said -something unusually passionate. Sometimes she 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 caresses or kisses. When the journey came to an end, -they were both half glad, half sorry; the former on account of their -inability to come to close quarters, the latter, because they well knew -they would not again get such a chance of unwatched courting. - -Eulalia, who guessed all this pleasantness, received her cousin with a -significant smile, and took her off to talk over the matter in the -solitude of the bedroom they shared together. Don Miguel seized on his -sleepy sister in order to extract from her a trustworthy report as to -how things were at the estancia, and Jack departed to his own house, to -announce his arrival and that of Dolores. - -It was late in the afternoon, for the journey, commencing at dawn, had -lasted till close on four o'clock, and Jack found his three friends -enjoying their siestas. He woke them up, and began to talk Dolores. -When he had talked himself hoarse, and Peter asleep, quoth Philip-- - -"What about the railway works?" - -"I haven't been near them," said Jack, innocently; whereat Tim and -Philip laughed so heartily that they made him blush, and awoke Peter. - -"What are you talking about?" asked Peter sleepily. - -"Jack's love affairs," replied Philip, laughing. - -"And by the same token we'll soon be talking of your own," said Tim, -cruelly. "If you only knew the way he's been carrying on with the -black-eyed colleen, Jack!" - -"Nonsense," retorted Cassim, reddening; "I walked about Tlatonac with -Don Miguel yesterday." - -"You flirted with Eulalia last night, anyhow." - -"Don't be jealous, Tim. It's a low-minded vice." - -"Oh, so that is the way the wind blows, Philip," said Jack, stretching -himself. "I knew you would fall in love with Eulalia. Now, it's no use -protesting. I know the signs of love, because I've been through the -mill myself." - -"Two days' acquaintance, and you say I love the girl! Try again, Jack." - -"Not I! Time counts for naught in a love affair. I fell in love with -Dolores in two minutes!" - -"Ah, that's the way with us all," said Tim, reflectively. "When I was -in Burmah, there was a girl in Mandalay----" - -"Tim, we don't want any of your immoral stories. You'll shock -Peter--confound him, he's asleep again, like the fat boy in Pickwick. -Well, gentlemen both, I am about to follow the doctor's example. I've -been riding all day, and feel baked." - -"How long do you intend to sleep, Jack?" - -"An hour or so. Then we'll have something to eat, and go off to -Maraquando's to see the ladies. We must introduce Peter to his future -wife." - -"Begad, I may fall in love with Dona Serafina myself!" - -"It's possible, if you are an admirer of the antique," retorted Jack, -and went off to his bedroom for a few hours' sleep. Even lovers require -rest, and bucketing about on a half-broken horse for the best part of -the day under a grilling sun was calculated to knock up even so tough a -subject as Jack. - -"Faith!" remarked Tim, when Jack's long legs vanished through the -doorway, "if old Serafina smiles on Peter, and those girls flirt with -you and Jack, I'll be left out in the cold. Another injustice to -Ireland." - -"Come to the alameda to-morrow, and pick out a senorita to be your own -private property." - -"What! and get a knife in my ribs. I'm more than seven, Philip. Why, -there was once a girl in Cape Town who had a Boer for a sweetheart----" - -"And you took the girl, and the Boer didn't like it. I know that story, -Tim. It's a chestnut. You told it in that book of sketches you wrote. -Go on with your work; I'm sleepy." - -"Ow--ow!" yawned Tim, lazily. "I'd like to sleep myself, but that I -have to write up this interview with Gomez. Did I tell you about it, -Philip?" - -"Yes; you've told me three times, and given three different versions. -Keep the fourth for _The Morning Planet_." - -"But the President said----" - -"I know all about that," muttered Philip, crossly. "What you said--what -he said--what Maraquando said--and how you all lied against one -another. Do let us sleep, Tim. First Jack, then you. Upon my--upon my -word--upon--on!" and Philip went off into a deep slumber. - -"I hope the interview with Gomez won't have the same effect on my -readers," said Tim, blankly to himself, "or it's the sack I'll be -getting. Come on with ye! 'There will be no war', said the President. -That's a lie, anyhow; but he said it, so down it goes. Oh, my immortal -soul, it's a liar I am." - -Then he began scratching the paper with a bad pen, and there was peace -in the land. - -That night they duly arrived at Maraquando's house in order to ask how -politics were progressing. This was the excuse given by three of them; -but it was false, as Tim well knew. He alone took an interest in -politics. Even Peter had ceased to care about Don Hypolito, and the -opal stone, and the possible war. He--under orders from Jack and -Philip, who wanted the girls to themselves--made himself agreeable to -Dona Serafina. Unaccustomed, by reason of her plain looks, to such -attentions, she enjoyed the novelty of the thing, and thought this fat -little Americano delightful. It is true that their conversation was -mostly pantomimic; but as the doctor knew a few words of Spanish, and -Serafina had learnt a trifle of English from Jack, filtered through -Dolores, they managed between them to come to a hazy understanding as -to what they were talking about. - -Never till that moment did Philip feel the infinite charm of that -languorous Creole life, so full of dreams and idleness. Sitting beside -Eulalia in the warm gloom, he listened to her sparkling conversation, -and stared vaguely at the beauty of the scene around him. In the patio -all was moonlight and midnight--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 welling into the shadow even to -the little feet of Eulalia. The court wore that unfamiliar look, so -mysterious, so weird, which only comes with the night and the pale -moon. And then--surely that was music--the trembling note of a guitar -sounding from the shadowy corner in which Jack and Dolores were -ensconced. - -In the glimmering light Philip could see the grotesque gestures of -Serafina and the doctor, as they pantomimed to one another on the -azotea, and the red tip of Miguel's cigar, as 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 was in Spanish, and that noble tongue sounded rich -and full over the sweeping music of the guitar. As translated -afterwards by Philip (who dabbled in poetry), the words ran thus: - - In Spain! ah, yes, in Spain! - When day was fading, - I heard you serenading, - While shed the moon her silver rain, - The nightingale your song was aiding, - My tresses dark I then was braiding, - When to my chamber upward springing - There came the burden of your singing, - Nor was that singing vain - In Spain--dear Spain. - - From Spain! yes, far from Spain, - We two now wander; - And here as yonder - A hopeless love for me you feign. - Alas! of others thou art fonder, - And I, forsaken, sit and ponder. - Yet once again your voice is ringing, - I hear the burden of that singing. - Alas! I fled in vain - From Spain--dear Spain. - -They applauded the song and the singer, Jack looking across to Philip -as much as to say, "Isn't she an angel?" If Philip thought so, he did -not say so, being busy with Eulalia. They were talking Chinese -metaphysics, a pleasant subject to discuss with a pretty girl well up -in the intricacies thereof. As to Jack and his angel! - -"Querida!" murmured Dolores, slipping her hand into that of her lover's -under cover of the darkness; "how lonely has my heart been without -thee." - -"Angelito," replied Jack, who was an adept at saying pretty things in -Spanish; "I left behind my heart when I departed, and it has drawn me -back to your side." - -"Alas! How long will we be together, Juan? I am afraid of this war; -should Don Hypolito conquer!" Here she paused and slightly shuddered. - -"He shall not conquer, cara. What can he do with a few adherents -against the power of the Government?" - -"Still, the Indians----" - -"You are afraid they will join with him. To what end? Xuarez cannot -restore the worship of the Chalchuih Tlatonac." - -"Juan!" said Dolores, anxiously, "it is not of Xuarez I am so much -afraid as of the Indians. If there is a war, they may carry me off." - -"Carry you off!" repeated Jack, in a puzzled tone of voice. "Why, how -could they do that? and for what reason?" - -"They could do it easily by some subtle device; bolts and bars and -walled towns are nothing to them when they set their hearts on -anything. And they would carry me away because I am the guardian of the -Chalchuih Tlatonac." - -"Who told you all this?" - -"Cocom." - -"But he does not worship the opal or the old gods. He is a devout -Catholic." - -"So says Padre Ignatius; but I think he is one of those who go to the -forest sanctuary. He knows much." - -"And says nothing. It is death for him to betray the secrets of that -Aztec worship." - -"Listen, Juan, alma de mi alma. The life of Cocom was saved by my uncle -Miguel, and with him gratitude is more powerful than religion. He told -me while you were away, that the 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 in -the war as soon as the revolt takes place, the Indians will carry me -for safety into the heart of the country--into those trackless forest -depths more profound than the sea." - -"They shall never do so while I am at hand," said Jack, fiercely; "but -I don't believe this story of Cocom's. You cannot be in such danger." - -"I am afraid it is true; besides, that is not the only danger--Don -Hypolito!" - -"What of him?" - -"He wishes to marry me, Juan." - -Duval laughed softly, and pressed the little hand, that lay within his -own. - -"You talk ancient history, querida; I thought we settled that I was to -be the favoured one." - -"It is true! ah, yes, thee alone do I love," whispered Dolores, -tenderly; "but when you departed, Juan, he came to me, this Don -Hypolito, and spoke of love." - -"Confound his impudence!" muttered Jack, in English. - -"What say you, Juan? Oh, it was terrible! He said, if I became not his -wife, that he would plunge the country into war. I did not believe that -he could do so or would dare to do so. I refused. Then he spoke of my -love for you, and swore to kill you." - -"He'll have to catch me first, Dolores." - -"'There will be war,' said this terrible one, 'and I will tear down the -walls of Tlatonac to seize you. This Americano will I slay and give his -body to the dogs.'" - -"All idle talk, mi cara," said Duval, scornfully; "I can protect myself -and you. What more did he say?" - -"Little more; but it was the same kind of talk. When he departed, I -spoke to my uncle; but Don Hypolito had by that time gone to -Acauhtzin." - -"Was Don Miguel angry?" - -"Very angry! But he could do nothing. Don Hypolito was far away on the -waters." - -"And will return with fire and blood," said Jack, gloomily; "but never -fear, Dolores. My friends and myself will protect you from this -insolent one. If we are conquered, we shall fly to my own land in the -vessel of Don Felipe!" - -"But what of Eulalia?" - -"Ah!" replied her lover, waggishly; "I think you can trust Don Felipe -to look after Eulalia." - -"Do you think there will be a war, Juan?" - -"It looks like it. However, we shall know for certain when the -messenger comes back from Acauhtzin." - -"Yes; my uncle told me the boat had gone up to-day to bid the fleet -return." - -"A wild-goose chase only," thought Jack, but held his peace, lest he -should alarm Dolores. - -Fearful of attracting her uncle's attention by speaking too much to -Jack, the Spanish beauty crossed over to where Philip and Eulalia were -sitting. - -"Senor Felipe!" said Dolores, gaily, "wherefore do you laugh?" - -"It is at Don Pedro and my good aunt," replied Eulalia, before Philip -could speak. "Behold them, Dolores, making signs like wooden puppets." - -Dolores turned her eyes towards the couple leaning over the azotea -railing, and began to laugh also. Then Jack came over and demanded to -be informed 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. Indeed the affair was sufficiently grotesque. It was -like a game of dumb crambo, as Peter acted a word, and the old lady -tried to guess his meaning. - -For instance, wishing to tell her how he captured butterflies, Peter -wagged his hands in the air to indicate the flight of insects, then -struck at a phantom beetle with an imaginary net. - -"Pajaros!" guessed Dona Serafina, wrongly. Peter did not know this was -the Spanish for 'birds,' and thought she had caught his meaning. The -lady thought so too, and was delighted with her own perspicuity. - -"Bueno, Senor! You catch birds! To eat?" - -She imitated eating, whereon Peter shook his head though he was not -quite sure if the Cholacacans did not eat beetles. Foreigners had so -many queer customs. - -Seeing Peter misunderstood, Dona Serafina skipped lightly across the -azotea, flapping her arms, and singing. Then she turned towards the -doctor, and nodded encouragingly. - -"Birds!" she said, confidently. "You eat them?" - -Now Peter knew that 'comida' meant eating; but quite certain that Dona -Serafina did not devour beetles, set himself to work to show her what -he really meant. He ran after imaginary butterflies round the azotea, -and, in his ardour, bumped up against Tim. - -"What the devil are you after?" said Tim, displeased at his -conversation with Maraquando being interrupted. "Why can't you behave -yourself, you ill-conducted little person." - -"Do they eat beetles, here?" asked Tim, eagerly. - -"Beetles! they'd be thin, if they did," said Tim, drily. "I don't know. -Do you eat beetles, Senor?" he added, turning to Don Miguel. - -The Spaniard made a gesture of disgust, and looked inquiringly at his -sister. - -"Los pajaros," explained Dona Serafina, smiling. - -"Oh, 'tis birds she's talking about!" - -"Birds!" replied the doctor, blankly. "I thought I showed her -butterflies. This way," and he began hovering round again. - -Tim roared. - -"They'll think you have gone out of what little mind you possess, -Peter!" - -"Ah, pobrecito," said Serafina, when the meaning of the pantomime was -explained, "I thought he was playing at a flying bird." - -"You'll never make your salt as an actor, Peter," jeered Tim, as they -all laughed over the mistake. "I'd better call up Philip and Jack to -keep you straight. Jack, come up here, and bring Philip with you." - -"All right," replied Jack, from the depths below, where they had been -watching the performance with much amusement; "we are coming." - -The quartette soon made their appearance in the azotea, where Peter's -mistake was explained. - -"Do it again, Peter," entreated Philip, laughing; "you have no idea how -funny you look flopping about!" - -"I shan't," growled the doctor, ruffled. "Why can't they talk English?" - -"Dona Dolores can talk a little," said Jack, proudly "Senorita talk to -my friend in his own tongue." - -"It is a nice day," repeated Dona Dolores, slowly; "'ow do you do?" - -"Quite well, thank you," replied Peter, politely; whereat his friends -laughed again in the most unfeeling manner. - -"Oh, you can laugh," said Peter, indignantly; "but if I was in love -with a girl, I would teach her some better words than about the -weather, and how do you do!" - -"I have done so," replied Jack, quietly; "but those words are for -private use." - -At this moment Dolores, laughing behind her fan, was speaking to Dona -Serafina, who thereupon advanced towards Peter. - -"I can speak to the Americano," she announced to the company; then, -fixing Peter with her eye, said, with a tremendous effort, "Darling!" - -"Oh!" said the modest Peter, taken aback, "she said, 'darling'!" - -"Darling!" repeated Serafina, who was evidently quite ignorant of the -meaning. - -"That's one of the words for private use, eh, Jack?" laughed Philip, -quite exhausted with merriment. "A very good word. I must teach it to -Dona Eulalia." - -"It's too bad of you, Dona Dolores," said Jack, reproachfully; whereat -Dolores laughed again at the success of her jest. - -"Did the Senor have good sport with Cocom," asked Don Miguel, somewhat -bewildered at all this laughter, the cause of which, ignorant as he was -of English, he could not understand. - -"Did you have a good time, Peter," translated Tim, fluently, "with the -beetles." - -"Oh, splendid! tell him splendid. I captured some Papilionidae! and a -beautiful little glow-worm. One of the Elateridae species, and----" - -"I can't translate all that jargon, you fat little humming-bird! He had -good sport, Senor," he added, suddenly turning to Don Miguel. - -"Bueno!" replied the Spaniard, gravely, "it is well." - -It was no use trying to carry on a common conversation, as the party -invariably split up into pairs. Dolores and Eulalia were already -chatting confidentially to their admirers. Dona Serafina began to make -more signs to Peter, with the further addition of a parrot-cry of -"Darling," and Tim found himself once more alone with Don Miguel. - -"I have written out my interview with the President," he said slowly; -"and it goes to England to-morrow. Would you like to see it first, -Senor?" - -"If it so pleases you, Senor Corresponsal." - -"Good! then I shall bring it with me to-morrow morning. Has that -steamer gone to Acauhtzin yet?" - -"This afternoon it departed, Senor. It will return in two days with the -fleet." - -"I hope so, Don Miguel, but I am not very certain," replied Tim, -significantly. "His Excellency Gomez does not seem very sure of the -fleet's fidelity either." - -"There are many rumours in Tlatonac," said Maraquando, impatiently. -"All lies spread by the Opposidores--by Xuarez and his gang. I fear the -people are becoming alarmed. The army, too, talk of war. Therefore, to -set all these matters at rest, to-morrow evening his Excellency the -President will address the Tlatonacians at the alameda." - -"Why at the alameda?" - -"Because most of them will be assembled there at the twilight hour, -Senor. It is to be a public speech to inspire our people with -confidence in the Government, else would the meeting be held in the -great hall of the Palacio Nacional." - -"I would like to hear Don Franciso Gomez speak, so I and my friends -will be at the alameda." - -"You will come with me, Senor Corresponsal," said Miguel, politely; "my -daughter, niece, and sister are also coming." - -"The more the merrier! It will be quite a party, Senor." - -"It is a serious position we are in," said Maraquando, gravely; "and I -trust the word of his Excellency will show the Tlatonacians that there -is nothing to be feared from Don Hypolito." - -At this moment Dona Serafina, who had swooped down on her charges, -appeared to say good night. Both Dolores and Eulalia were unwilling to -retire so early, but their aunt was adamant, and they knew that nothing -could change her resolution, particularly as she had grown weary of -fraternising with Peter. - -"Bueno noche tenga, Vm," said Dona Serafina, politely, and her -salutation was echoed by the young ladies in her wake. - -"Con dios va usted, Senora," replied Tim, kissing the old lady's -extended hand, after which they withdrew. Dolores managed to flash a -tender glance at Jack as they descended into the patio, and Philip, -leaning over the balustrade of the azotea caught a significant wave of -Eulalia's fan, which meant a good deal. Cassim knew all those minute -but eloquent signs of love. - -Shortly afterwards they also took their leave after refusing -Maraquando's hospitable offer of pulque. - -"No, sir," said Tim, as they went off to their own mansion; "not while -there is good whisky to be had." - -"But pulque isn't bad," protested Jack, more for the sake of saying -something than because he thought so. - -"Well, drink it yourself, Jack, and leave us the crather!" - -"Talking about 'crathers,'" said Philip, mimicking Tim's brogue, "what -do you think of Dona Serafina, Peter?" - -"A nice old lady, but not beautiful. I would rather be with Dona -Eulalia." - -"Would you, indeed?" retorted Cassim, indignantly. "As if she would -understand those idiotic signs you make." - -"They are quite intelligible to----" - -"Be quiet, boys!" said Tim, as they stopped at the door of Jack's -house, "you'll get plenty of fighting without starting it now. There's -going to be a Home Rule meeting to-morrow." - -"Where, Tim?" - -"In the alameda, no less. His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant is to -speak to the crowd." - -"He'll tell a lot of lies, I expect," said Jack, sagely. "Well, he can -say what he jolly well pleases. I'll lay any odds that before the -week's out war will be proclaimed." - -He was a truer prophet than he thought. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -VIVA EL REPUBLICA. - - No king have we with golden crown, - To tread the sovereign people down; - All men are equal in our sight-- - The ruler ranks but with the clown. - - Our symbol is the opal bright, - Which darts its rays of rainbow light, - Prophetic of all coming things, - Of blessing, war, disaster, blight. - - Red glow abroad the opal flings, - To us the curse of war it brings; - And evil days there soon shall be, - Beneath the war-god's dreaded wings. - - Yet knowing what we soon shall see, - We'll boldly face this misery, - And fight, though dark our fortunes frown, - For life, and home, and liberty. - - -Padre Ignatius always said that his flock were true and devout -Catholics, who believed in what they ought to believe. Strictly -speaking, the flock of Padre Ignatius was limited to the congregation -of a little adobe church on the outskirts of the town, but his large -heart included the whole population of Tlatonac in that ecclesiastical -appellation. Everyone knew the Padre and everyone loved him, Jesuit -though he was. For fifty years had he laboured in the vineyard of -Tlatonac, but when his fellow-labourers were banished, the Government -had not the heart to bid him go. So he stayed on, the only -representative of his order in all Cholacaca, and prayed and preached -and did charitable works, as had been his custom these many years past. -With his thin, worn face, rusty cassock, slouch hat, and kindly smile, -Padre Ignatius, wonderfully straight considering his seventy years, -attended to the spiritual wants of his people, and said they were -devout Catholics. He always over-estimated human nature, did the Padre. - -So far as the Padre saw, this might have been the case, and nobody -having the heart to undeceive him, he grew to believe that these -half-civilised savages were Christians to the bone; but there was no -doubt that nine out of every ten in his flock were very black sheep -indeed. They would kneel before the gaudy shrine of the adobe chapel, -and say an Ave for every bead of the rosary, but at one time or another -every worshipper was missing, each in his or her turn. They had been to -the forest for this thing, for that thing; they had been working on the -railway fifty miles inland, or fishing some distance up the coast. Such -were the excuses they gave, and Padre Ignatius, simple-hearted soul, -believed them, never dreaming that they had been assisting in the -worship of the Chalchuih Tlatonac in the hidden temple of -Huitzilopochtli. - -The belief in the devil stone was universal throughout Cholacaca. Not -only did the immediate flock of Padre Ignatius revere it as a symbol of -the war-god, but every person in the Republic who had Indian blood in -his or her veins firmly believed that the shining precious stone -exercised a power over the lives and fortunes of all. Nor was such -veneration to be wondered at, considering how closely the history of -the great gem was interwoven with that of the country. The shrine of -the opal had stood where now arose the cathedral; the Indian -appellation of the jewel had given its name to the town; and the -picture representation of the gem itself was displayed on the yellow -standard of the Republic. Hardly any event since the foundation of the -city could be mentioned with which the harlequin opal was not connected -in some way. It was still adored in the forest temple by thousands of -worshippers, and, unknown as it was to the padres, there were few -peons, leperos, or mestizos who had not seen the gem flash on the altar -of the god. Cholacacans of pure Spanish blood, alone refrained from -actual worship of the devil stone, and even these were more or less -tinctured with the superstition. It is impossible to escape the -influence of an all-prevailing idea, particularly in a country not -quite veneered by civilisation. - -On this special evening, when President Gomez was to address the -populace, and assure them that there would be no war, the alameda -presented an unusually lively appearance. It had been duly notified -that His Excellency would make a speech on the forthcoming crisis, -hence the alameda was crowded with people anxious to hear the official -opinion of the affair. The worst of it was, had Gomez but known it, -that the public mind was already made up. There was to be war, and that -speedily, for a rumour had gone forth from the sanctuary of the opal -that the gem was burning redly as a beacon fire. Everyone believed that -this foreboded war, and Gomez, hoping to assure the Tlatonacians of -peace, might as well have held his tongue. They would not believe him -as the opal stone had prophesied a contrary opinion. But beyond an idle -whisper or so, Gomez did not know this thing, therefore he came to the -alameda and spoke encouragingly to the people. - -From all quarters of the town came the inhabitants to the alameda, and -the vast promenade presented a singularly gay appearance. The national -costumes of Spanish America were wonderfully picturesque, and what with -the background of green trees, sparkling fountains, brilliant -flower-beds, and, over all, the violet tints of the twilight, Philip -found the scene sufficiently charming. He was walking beside Jack, in -default of Eulalia, who, in company with Dolores, marched demurely -beside Dona Serafina. This was a public place, the eyes of Tlatonac -gossips were sharp, their tongues were bitter, so it behoved discreet -young ladies, as these, to keep their admirers at a distance. In the -patio it was quite different. - -Tim had gone off with Don Miguel, to attach himself to the personal -staff of the President, and take shorthand notes of the speech. It had -been the intention of Peter to follow his Irish friend, but, -unfortunately, he lost him in the crowd, and therefore returned to the -side of Philip, who caught sight of him at once. - -"Where's Tim?" asked the baronet, quickly; "gone off with Don Miguel?" - -"Yes; to the Palacio Nacional." - -"I thought you were going?" - -"I lost sight of them." - -"An excuse, Peter," interposed Jack, with a twinkle in his eye. "You -remained behind to look at the Senoritas." - -Peter indignantly repudiated the idea. - -"His heart is true to his Poll," said Philip, soothingly; "thereby -meaning Dona Serafina. Darling!" - -Philip mimicked the old lady's pronunciation of the word, and Jack -laughed; not so Peter. - -"How you do go on about Dona Serafina?" he said fretfully. "After all, -she is not so very ugly, though she may not have the thirty points of -perfection." - -"Eh, Peter, I didn't know you were learned in such gallantries; and -what are the thirty points of perfection?" - -The doctor was about to reply, when Cocom, wrapped in his zarape, -passed slowly by, and took off his sombrero to the party. - -"A dios, Senores," said Cocom, gravely. - -"Our Indian friend," remarked Jack, with a smile. "Ven aca Cocom! Have -you come to hear the assurance of peace." - -"There will be no peace, Senor Juan. I am old--very old, and I can see -into the future. It is war I see--the war of Acauhtzin." - -"Ah! Is that your own prophecy or that of the Chalchuih Tlatonac." - -"I know nothing of the Chalchuih Tlatonac, Don Juan," replied Cocom, -who always assumed the role of a devout Catholic; "but I hear many -things. Ah, yes, I hear that the Chalchuih Tlatonac is glowing as a red -star." - -"And that means war!" - -"It means war, Senor, and war there will be. The Chalchuih Tlatonac -never deceives. Con dios va usted Senor." - -"Humph!" said Jack, thoughtfully, as Cocom walked slowly away; "so that -is the temper of the people, is it? The opal says war. In that case it -is no use Gomez saying peace, for they will not believe him." - -During this conversation with the Indian, Philip had gone on with -Peter, so as to keep the ladies in sight. Jack pushed his way through -the crowd and found them seated near the bandstand, from whence the -President was to deliver his speech. As yet, His Excellency had not -arrived, and the band were playing music of a lively description, -principally national airs, as Gomez wished to arouse the patriotism of -the Tlatonacians. - -The throng of people round the bandstand was increasing every moment. -It was composed of all sorts and conditions of men and women, from -delicate senoritas, draped in lace mantillas, to brown-faced Indian -women, with fat babies on their backs; gay young hidalgos, in -silver-buttoned buckskin breeches, white ruffled shirts, and short -jackets, and smart military men in the picturesque green uniform of the -Republic. All the men had cigarettes, all the women fans, and there was -an incessant chatter of voices as both sexes engaged in animated -conversation on the burning subject of the hour. Here and there moved -the neveros with their stock of ice-creams, grateful to thirsty people -on that sultry night, the serenos keeping order among the Indians with -their short staves, and many water-carriers with their leather clothes -and crocks. Above the murmur of conversation arose the cries of these -perambulating traders. "Tortillas de cuajuda," "Bocadillo de Coco," and -all the thousand and one calls announcing the quality of their goods. - -Many of the ladies were driving in carriages, and beside them rode -caballeros, mounted on spirited horses, exchanging glances with those -whom they loved. The air of the alameda was full of intrigue and subtle -understandings. The wave of a fan, the glance of a dark eye, the -dropping of a handkerchief, the removal of a sombrero, all the mute -signs which pass between lovers who dare not speak, and everywhere the -jealous watching of husbands, the keen eyes of vigilant duennas. - -"It is very like the Puerta del Sol in Madrid," said Philip in a low -whisper, as he stood beside Eulalia; "the same crowd, the same -brilliance, the same hot night and tropic sky. Upon my word, there is -but little difference between the Old Spain and the New." - -"Ah!" sighed Eulalia, adjusting her mantilla; "how delightful it must -be in Madrid!" - -"Not more delightful than here, Senorita. At least, I think so--now." - -Eulalia cast an anxious glance at her duenna, and made a covert sign -behind her fan for him to be silent. - -"Speak to my aunt, Don Felipe!" - -"I would rather speak to you," hinted Philip, with a grimace. - -"Can young ladies speak to whom they please in your country?" - -"I should rather think so. In my country the ladies are quite as -independent as the gentlemen, if not more so." - -"Oh, oh! El viento que corre es algo fresquito." - -"The wind which blows is a little fresh," translated Philip to himself; -"I suppose that is the Spanish for 'I don't believe you.' But it is -true, Senorita," he added quickly, in her own tongue; "you will see it -for yourself some day." - -"I fear not. There is no chance of my leaving Tlatonac." - -"Who knows?" replied Philip, with a meaning glance. - -Eulalia cast down her eyes in pretty confusion. Decidedly this -Americano was delightful, and remarkably handsome; but then he said -such dreadful things. If Dona Serafina heard them--Eulalia turned cold -at the idea of what that vigorous lady would say. - -"Bueno!" chattered the duenna at this moment; "they are playing the -'Fandango of the Opal!'" - -This was a local piece of music much in favour with the Tlatonacians, -and was supposed to represent the Indian sacred dance before the shrine -of the gem. As the first note struck their ears, the crowd applauded -loudly; for it was, so to speak, the National Anthem of Cholacaca. -Before the band-stand was a clear space of ground, and, inspired by the -music, two Mestizos, man and woman, sprang into the open, and began to -dance the fandango. The onlookers were delighted, and applauded -vehemently. - -They were both handsome young people, dressed in the national costume, -the girl looking especially picturesque with her amber-coloured short -skirt, her gracefully draped mantilla, and enormous black fan. The -young fellow had castanets, which clicked sharply to the rhythm of the -music, as they whirled round one another like Bacchantes. The adoration -of the opal, the reading of the omen, the foretelling of successful -love, all were represented marvellously in wonderful pantomime. Then -the dancers flung themselves wildly about, with waving arms and mad -gestures, wrought up to a frenzy by the inspiriting music. Indeed, the -audience caught the contagion, and began to sing the words of the opal -song-- - - Breathe not a word while the future divining, - True speaks the stone as the star seers above, - Green as the ocean the opal is shining, - Green is prophetic of hope and of love. - - Kneel at the shrine while the future discerning, - See how the crimson ray strengthens and glows; - Red as the sunset the opal is burning, - Red is prophetic of death to our foes. - -At this moment, the carriage of the President, escorted by a troop of -cavalry, arrived at the band-stand. The soldiers, in light green -uniforms, with high buff boots, scarlet waistbands, and brown -sombreros, looked particularly picturesque, but the short figure of the -President, arrayed in plain evening dress, appeared rather out of place -amid all this military finery. The only token of his Excellency's rank -was a broad yellow silk ribbon, embroidered with the opal, which he -wore across his breast. Miguel Maraquando and Tim were in the carriage -with the President, and the Irishman recognised his friends with a wave -of his hand. - -"Tim is in high society," said Peter, with a grin. "We will have to -call him Don Tim after this." - -"We'll call you 'Donkey' after this, if you make such idiotic remarks," -replied Jack, severely. "Be quiet, doctor, and listen to the -speechifying." - -The President was received with acclamation by those in the alameda, -which showed that Tlatonac was well disposed towards the established -Government. It is true that one or two friends of Xuarez attempted to -get up a counter demonstration; but the moment they began hissing and -shouting for Don Hypolito, the serenos pounced down and marched them -off in disgrace. His Excellency, attended by Don Miguel and several -other members of the Junta, came forward, hat in hand, to the front of -the band-stand, and, after the musicians had stopped playing the -"Fandango," began to speak. Gomez was a fat little man, of no very -striking looks; but when he commenced speaking, his face glowed with -enthusiasm, and his rich, powerful voice reached everyone clearly. The -man was a born orator, and, as the noble tongue of Castille rolled -sonorously from his mouth, he held his mixed audience spell-bound. The -listeners did not believe in his assurances, but they were fascinated -by his oratory. - -It was a sight not easily forgotten. The warm twilight, the brilliant -equatorial vegetation, the equally brilliant and picturesque crowd, -swaying restlessly to and fro; far beyond, through a gap in the trees, -in the violet atmosphere, the snow-clad summit of Xicotencatl, the -largest of Cholacacan volcanoes, and everywhere the vague languor of -the tropics. Gomez, a black figure against the glittering background of -uniforms, spoke long and eloquently. He assured them that there would -be no war. Don Hypolito Xuarez had no supporters; the Junta was about -to banish him from the country; the prosperity of Cholacaca was fully -assured; it was to be a great nation; he said many other pleasant -things, which flattered, but deceived not the Tlatonacians. - -"Yes, senores," thundered the President, smiting his breast, "I, who -stand here--even, I, Francisco Gomez, the representative of the -Republic of Cholacaca--tell you that our land still rests, and shall -rest under the olive tree of Peace. We banish Don Hypolito Xuarez--we -banish all traitors who would crush the sovereign people. The rulers of -Cholacaca, elected by the nation, are strong and wise. They have -foreseen this tempest, and by them it will be averted. Believe not, my -fellow-countrymen, the lying rumours of the streets! I tell you the -future is fair. There will be no war!" - -At this moment he paused to wipe his brow, and then, as if to give the -lie to his assertion, in the dead silence which followed, was heard the -distant boom of a cannon. Astonished at the unfamiliar sound, the -Tlatonacians looked at one another in horror. Gomez paused, -handkerchief in hand, with a look of wonderment on his face. No one -spoke, no one moved, it was as though the whole of that assemblage had -been stricken into stone by some powerful spell. - -In the distance sounded a second boom, dull and menacing, there was a -faint roar far away as of many voices. It came nearer and nearer, and -those in the alameda began to add their voices to the din. Was the city -being shelled by the revolting war-ships; had Don Hypolito surprised -the inland walls with an army of Indians. Terror was on the faces of -all--the clamour in the distance came nearer, waxed louder. A cloud of -dust at the bend of the avenue, and down the central walk, spurring his -horse to its full speed, dashed a dishevelled rider. The horse stopped -dead in front of the band-stand, scattering the people hither and -thither like wind-driven chaff; a young man in naval uniform flung -himself to the ground, and ran up to the astonished President. - -"Your Excellency, the fleet have revolted to Don Hypolito Xuarez! He is -entrenched in the rebel town of Acauhtzin. I alone have escaped, and -bring you news that he has proclaimed war against the Republic!" - -A roar of rage went up to the sky. - -"The opal! The prophecy of the Chalchuih Tlatonac!" cried the -multitude. "Viva el Republica! Death to the traitor Xuarez!" - -Gomez was listening to the messenger, who talked volubly. Then the -President turned towards the people, and, by a gesture of his hand, -enjoined silence. The roar at once sank to a low murmur. - -"What Don Rafael Maraquando says is true," said Gomez, loudly. "This -traitor, Xuarez, has seduced the allegiance of the fleet--of Acauhtzin. -The Republic must prepare for war----" - -He could speak no further, for his voice was drowned in the savage -roaring of the multitude. Everyone seemed to have gone mad. The crowd -of people heaved round the band-stand like a stormy sea. A thousand -voices cursed the traitor Xuarez, lauded the Republic, and repeated the -prophecy of the harlequin opal. The whole throng was demoralised by the -news. - -"War! War! To Acauhtzin!" roared the throats of the mob. "Death to -Xuarez! Viva el Republica! Viva libertad!" - -Gomez made a sign to the band, which at once burst out into the -Fandango of the Opal. A thousand voices began singing the words, a -thousand people began to dance wildly. Ladies waved their -handkerchiefs, men shouted and embraced one another, and amid the roar -of the mob and the blare of the band, Don Francisco Gomez entered his -carriage and drove away escorted by the cavalry. - -Tim fought his way through the crowd down from the band-stand, and -reached the Maraquando part, where he found the three ladies, more -excited than frightened, standing for safety in the circle formed by -the five men. Two of the men were embracing--Don Miguel and his son. - -"It's a great day for Cholacaca," cried Tim, excitedly. "I wouldn't -have missed it for a fortune. Viva el Republica! Ah, Peter, my boy, -this is better than the butterflies." - -"My son! my son, how did you escape?" said Don Miguel, throwing his -arms round Rafael's neck. - -"I will tell you all at the house, my father," replied the young man. -"Let us go now with the ladies to our home. Senores," he added, turning -to the Englishmen, "you will come, too, I trust?" - -It was no easy matter to get through the crowd, but ultimately the five -men managed to push a path to a caleza for the ladies, placed them -therein, and when it drove off, hastened themselves to the Casa -Maraquando. - -The whole city was in commotion. In the Plaza de los Hombres Ilustres a -crowd had collected to salute the great yellow standard of the -Republic, which streamed from the tower of the Palacio Nacional. - -"The opal! the opal! The prophecy of the Tlatonac Chalchuih," roared -the crowd, stamping and yelling. - -"They will believe in that stone more than ever now," whispered Philip -to Jack, as they entered the zaguan of Maraquando's house. "What do you -think of it, Jack?" - -"Oh, it's easy to prophesy when you know," retorted Jack, scornfully. -"Of course, Xuarez told the Indians he was going to revolt, and the -priests of the temple have used the information to advertise the stone. -Of course it grew red, and prophesied war under the circumstances. That -is all the magic about the affair." - -In the patio the ladies were waiting for them in a state of great -excitement, and welcomed Don Rafael as one returned from the dead. He -embraced his sister, cousin, and aunt; which privilege was rather -envied by the four friends, as regards the first two, and was then -formally introduced to the Englishmen. His eye flashed as he saluted -Tim and heard his vocation. - -"You will have plenty to write about, Senor Corresponsal," he said, -fiercely; "there will be a war, and a bitter war too. I have barely -escaped with my life from Acauhtzin." - -"Tell me all about it, Senor," said Tim, taking out his pocket-book; -"and the news will go off to London to-night." - -"A thousand regrets, Senor Corresponsal, that I cannot give you a -detailed account at present, but I am worn out. I have not slept for -days!" - -"Pobrecito," cried the ladies, in a commiserating tone. - -"I will, at all events, tell you shortly," resumed Rafael, without -taking any notice of the interruption. "I commanded _The Pizarro_, -and went up to Acauhtzin to arrest Xuarez, according to the order of -the Government. As he refused to surrender, and as the town had -declared in his favour, I thought we would have to bombard it. But -think, Senores, think. When I came back to my ship, I was arrested by -my own crew, by my own officers. Seduced by the oily tongue of Xuarez, -they had revolted. In vain I implored! I entreated! I threatened! I -commanded! They refused to obey any other than the traitor Xuarez. The -other ships behaved in the same way. All the officers who, like myself, -were known to be true to the Government, were arrested and thrown into -prison, I among the number." - -"Ay de mi," cried Serafina, in tears, "what an indignity!" - -Don Rafael was choking with rage, and forgot his manners. - -"Carambo!" he swore roundly, "behold me, gentlemen. Look at my uniform! -Thus was it insulted by the rebels of Acauhtzin, whose houses, I hope, -with the blessing of God, to burn over their heads. I swear it!" - -He wrenched a crucifix from his breast, and kissed it passionately. It -was a striking scene: the dim light, the worn-out young fellow in the -ragged uniform, and his figure black against the lights in the patio, -passionately kissing the symbol of his faith. - -"How did you escape, my son," said Maraquando, whose eyes were flashing -with hatred and wrath. - -"There was a man--one of my sailors, to whom I had shown favour--he was -made one of the prison guards, and, out of kindness, assisted me to -escape; but he was too fearful to help any of the others. In the -darkness of night, I cut through my prison bars with a file he had -given me. I climbed down the wall by a rope, and, when on the ground, -found him, waiting me. He hurried me down to the water's edge, and -placed me in a boat with food for a few days. I rowed out in the -darkness, past the ships, and luckily managed to escape their -vigilance. Then I hoisted the sail, and, as there was a fair wind, by -dawn I was far down the coast. I need not tell you all my adventures, -how I suffered, how I starved, how I thirsted--cursed, cursed, Xuarez!" - -He stamped with rage up and down the patio while the ladies exclaimed -indignantly at the treatment to which he had been subjected. Then he -resumed his story hurriedly, evidently wishing to get it over-- - -"This morning, I fortunately fell in with the steamer sent up by the -Government, which picked me up. I told the captain all, and he returned -at once with the news, arriving at Tlatonac some time ago. I ordered -him to fire those guns announcing my arrival, and hearing his -Excellency was addressing a meeting at the alameda, jumped on a horse -and rode here. The rest you know." - -"Good!" said Tim, who had been busily taking notes, "I'm off to the -telegraph-office, Senores. Good night." - -Tim went off, and the others were not long in following his example. -Overcome by fatigue, Don Rafael had fallen, half-fainting, in a chair, -and the ladies were attending to him; so, seeing they were rather in -the way, Jack and his friends, saying good night, left the house. - -The city was still heaving with excitement. Bands of men went past -dancing and singing. The bells clashed loudly from every tower, and -every now and then a rocket scattered crimson fire in the sky. War was -proclaimed! the whole of Tlatonac was in a state of frenzy, and there -would be no sleep for anyone that night. - -"We're in for it now," said Jack, jubilantly, "hear the war-song!" - -A band of young men with torches tramped steadily towards the Square, -singing the National Anthem of Tlatonac. Philip caught the last two -lines roared triumphantly as they disappeared in the distance: - - Red as the sunset the opal is burning, - Red is prophetic of death to our foes. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -THE CALL TO ARMS. - - Ta ra ra! Ta ra ra! - The trumpets are blowing, - And thrice hath their brazen notes pealed. - To battle! to battle the soldiers are going, - To conquer or die on the field. - On, soldiers! brave soldiers, who venture your lives - You fight for your country and sweethearts and wives. - - Ta ra ra! Ta ra ra! - The drums roll like thunder, - And women's tears falling like rain. - For lovers! for lovers are parted asunder, - Till victory crowns the campaign. - On, soldiers! brave soldiers go forth to the fray, - And close with the foe in their battle array. - - Ta ra ra! Ta ra ra! - The banners are flying, - And horses prance proudly along, - For women! for women are bitterly crying, - As passes the red-coated throng. - On, soldiers! brave soldiers! soon homeward you'll ride, - Encircled with bay leaves and greeted with pride. - - -At this eventful moment of its history, Cholacaca woke from its slumber -of years, as did the Sleeping Beauty from her century sleep. No more -the lethargic life, the indolent enjoyments, the languorous dreamings -in an enchanted city. A sharp breath of war from the north swept away -the sedative atmosphere; the thunder of the cannon roused Tlatonac to -unexampled excitement. Rebellion and preparation for invasion at -Acauhtzin, indignation and preparation for defence, for punishment in -the capital of the Republic. In these days of alarm and danger, the -city resembled one vast camp, and the descendants of the -Conquistadores, the posterity of the Mayas, proved themselves to be not -unworthy of their glorious traditions, both Spanish and Indian. It was -a turning-point in the history of the Republic. - -The two persons most desirous for the speedy commencement of this -fratricidal war were Tim and Don Rafael: the former as he wished -information for his journal, the latter because he was burning to -revenge the insults and indignities to which he had been subjected by -the rebels at Acauhtzin. Jack was rather dismayed at the near prospect -of hostilities, fearing lest harm should result therefrom to Dolores at -the hands of Don Hypolito, or those of the Forest Indians. For their -part, Philip and Peter assumed a neutral position, the one from -indolence, the other because he was entomologically engaged. What was -the hunting of men compared with the hunting of butterflies, the -capture of rebels with the capture of rare beetles? No, Peter preferred -science to war. - -The loss of the fleet was a great blow to the strength of the -Government, as it, comparatively speaking, placed the capital at the -mercy of the rebel, Xuarez. Communication between the two places was -only possible by water, owing to the roughness and savagery of the -interior, so the Government were unable to march their troops to -Acauhtzin, and nip the rebellion in the bud. On the other hand, as soon -as Xuarez had completed his plans, he would doubtless come south with -his ships and bombard Tlatonac from the sea. Most of the city being -built on the hill, topped by the vast fabric of the cathedral, offered -considerable advantages to the besiegers, and as their vessels would -keep well out of the range of the forts, it would be difficult to -silence their guns. - -From this point of view the outlook was certainly not encouraging, but -the Junta did its best by every possible means to guard against -possible contingencies. The army was drawn up in the Plaza de San Jago, -and reviewed by the President in person. He made a brilliant speech, -reminded the troops of their glorious predecessors, who had thrown off -the yoke of Spain, implored them not to disgrace the Flag of the Opal, -and promised them a speedy victory over these audacious rebels if they -would but be true to their leaders. The troops received this patriotic -oration with acclamation, cheered the brave little man at the -conclusion of his address, uncovered to salute the flag of Cholacaca, -and swore, one and all, to leave no rebel alive in Acauhtzin or -elsewhere. It was a scene of tremendous excitement, and patriotism was -at fever-heat in Tlatonac the whole of the day. - -The great banner of the Republic, only seen on special feast-days, was -on this occasion brought forth from the Treasury by order of Gomez and -displayed to the troops. It was truly a gorgeous flag. Composed of -yellow silk, covered with featherwork, after the manner of the Aztecs, -it glittered in the sunlight like a vast jewel. The sacred stone in the -centre was represented by a cluster of real opals from Queretaro, and -the red, green, blue, and yellow rays therefrom were composed of ruby, -emerald, turquoise and topaz stones. It was the sacred ensign of -Cholacaca, the palladium of the Republic, and in the estimation of the -inhabitants was held to be as sacred as the holy standard of the -Osmanli. When its splendours streamed in the warm air, with flash of -feather and glitter of jewel, a shout arose from soldiers and civilians -alike which might have been heard at Acauhtzin. With that flag waving -over them the Tlatonacians could not think of anything but victory. - -"It is like the standard of Harold at the Battle of Hastings," said -Philip, looking at the splendid flag. "It is to be hoped it will not -bring Gomez such bad luck." - -"Not a bit of it, my boy," replied Tim, who was busy with his -inevitable note-book. "We're going to be the death and glory lads this -time, anyhow." - -"You quite identify yourself with the Government, I see, Tim," remarked -Peter, who was standing by the caleza of Dona Serafina. - -"What!" shouted Tim, playfully, "have we a traitor here? Away with ye, -Peter, or I'll stick a pin in you, like one of those butterflies you're -so fond of impaling. Don't I come of a fighting family myself." - -"Is the Senor Corresponsal angry?" asked Dolores of Jack, in alarm. - -"No, Senorita; he is patriotic. His nation always make a noise when -they grow patriotic. Sing the 'Wearing of the Green,' Tim," he added, -in English. - -"By St. Patrick! 'tis the 'Opal Fandango' I'll have to learn, sir. Be -quiet, Jack. The troops are marching past the saluting-point." - -The great standard was waving over the heads of the Presidential staff, -near which were the Maraquando party and their friends. Don Miguel -himself was with His Excellency, mounted on a fiery steed, which he -managed with the consummate ease of a practised rider. The band was -playing the "March of Zuloaga," in allusion to the hero who had founded -the Republic. To its stirring strains the troops marched past, saluting -Gomez and his officers as each regiment came abreast of the flag. - -The Plaza de San Jago, a vast clear space used for the parade-ground of -the Cholacacan army, was quite filled with the troops, as there could -not have been less than two thousand present. This was not the full -power of the army, for Janjalla, Chichimec, Puebla de los Naranjos, and -many of the inland towns, were garrisoned with troops. Already messages -had been sent to the commandants of these outlying garrisons to march -with their full strength of men to the capital, but as yet they had not -arrived, and the two thousand soldiers present in the great plaza -represented all the men at the immediate disposal of the Government. - -It was a splendid sight to see these soldiers marching past the -saluting-point, as, with few exceptions, they were a fine body of men. -The uniforms were gaudy, and somewhat fantastical, and each regiment -had its special flag and appellation. There was the Regimiento de los -Pajaros, whose banner, like that of the Republic, was composed of -humming-bird's feathers; the Regimiento de Zuloaga, who marched under -the pictured face of the founder of Cholacaca; the Regimiento de Fray -Medina, bearing the pennant of the Church, embroidered with the -cathedral of which that monk was the builder; and many others, all -looking ready and fit for work in the field. The eyes of the President -flashed with enthusiasm as file after file of men ranged past and the -inspiriting music of the "Zuloaga March" added not a little to the -patriotism of his feelings. - -"Xuarez is already conquered," he said to Maraquando, who rode beside -him. "He can oppose no troops to ours." - -"With the exception of the Regimiento de Huitzilopochtli, which is at -present at Acauhtzin and has doubtless embraced his cause." - -"True, Senor, and he also will stir up the Indians!" - -"I do not care for the Indians," replied Maraquando, quietly, "they -cannot stand against troops armed as ours. If he attacks Tlatonac by -land he will be beaten, but Xuarez is too crafty to venture so rashly. -He has the fleet, and will blockade the city." - -"Let him do so," retorted Gomez, in a fiery tone; "we do not depend on -foreign countries for our food. He cannot starve us out." - -"True enough; but while he has the fleet he can prolong the war to an -indefinite period. Unless we can march our troops to Acauhtzin, and -crush him at his head-quarters, there is no way of bringing the -rebellion to a conclusion." - -"And we have no ships! Carambo! It is unfortunate. But no matter. The -Republic is rich; she has money! We will send for ships of war, for -guns, for engineers, and sooner or later will invest Acauhtzin. Then -Xuarez will meet with the fate he deserves." - -At this moment the crack cavalry regiment of Cholacaca passed proudly -by, with waving plumes and prancing horses. Deprived of his ship by -Xuarez, Don Rafael had asked for and obtained a commission in this -corps, and was now riding at the head of his men with his brother -officers. Accustomed from childhood, like all American Spaniards, to -horses, he had no difficulty in exchanging the deck for the saddle, and -looked a gallant figure as he dashed past on his fiery mustang. - -"Egad, Jack, we must enlist also, like Don Rafael," said Philip, gaily, -as they saw the young man gallop past. "Dona Dolores," he added, -turning to her, "we are going to become soldiers." - -"In the Regimiento de las Senoritas!" exclaimed Dona Eulalia, clapping -her hands. - -"What, senorita! A regiment of women?" - -"Oh no!" interposed Dona Serafina, with a fascinating smile; "it is a -corps raised in the last war by the ladies of Tlatonac. See! here come -the valiant ones." - -"Foot soldiers!" said Jack, in disgust, as the regiment filed past; -"no, Dona Serafina. Nothing less than a cavalry corps will suit us." - -"But can Don Pedro ride, Senor?" - -"What's that about me?" asked Peter, overhearing his name. - -"Dona Serafina wants you to enlist," explained Philip, maliciously. - -"No," replied Peter, firmly; "I will physic the soldiers, and cut off -their legs and arms; but I am a man of peace, and I will not enlist." - -"You little duffer!" said Tim, reverting to his school-boy phraseology, -"we'll make you doctor of the regiment. I'd like to enlist myself, but -the editor would never hear of such a thing. It's my walking ticket I'd -be getting if I did." - -"Well, Philip and myself shall enlist," observed Jack, brightly. "You, -Peter, shall attend to us when we are wounded, and Tim shall cover us -with glory in the columns of _The Morning Planet_. He shall be the bard -to celebrate our deeds." - -This scheme was explained to the ladies and found much favour in their -sight. In fact, the whole female population of Tlatonac was seized with -a violent attack of "scarlet fever," and no one who was not a soldier -found any favour in their eyes. - -"You will be as valiant as the Cid," said Dolores, looking tenderly at -Jack from behind her black fan. - -"With you to smile on me, I can scarcely be a coward," he replied, in a -low tone so as not to reach the vigilant ears of the duenna. "I will -ask His Excellency for a commission in your cousin's regiment." - -"And you also, Don Felipe," said Eulalia, vivaciously. "El Regimiento -del Caballeros is the finest in the army. You would look so well in the -uniform." She flashed a bewitching look at Philip, which sent that -young man's blood spinning through his veins. He had quite given up -fighting against his fate, and was fathoms deep in love. Dona Eulalia -could use her eyes with great effect, and Philip had now surrendered at -discretion. It is only fair to say that the victress took no undue -advantage of her conquest. Indeed, Philip did not know yet if she -returned his love. Eulalia was a born coquette, and he was terribly -afraid lest she should be only amusing herself. This enlistment in the -army might clinch the matter, and induce her to smile on his suit. - -"For your sake, I will play the bear," he whispered, alluding to a -foolish custom of the Cholacacans whereby a young man walks up and -down in front of the window of his beloved like a bear. - -"No; I do not care for you to play the bear, Senor. Fight in the -regiment of my brother, and when you return victorious--well, who -knows?" - -Philip looked, Eulalia smiled significantly. They thoroughly understood -one another, in spite of Dona Serafina and the restrictions of -Cholacacan courtship. Eyes can speak as eloquently as can tongues, and -are quite as intelligible--to the initiated. - -"Kismet!" muttered Philip, as he went off the parade-ground with the -ladies and his friends; "it is, written." - -"What is written?" asked Peter, who was always overhearing what was not -meant for his ears. - -"Your marriage to Dona Serafina," laughed Philip, promptly; whereat the -doctor shook his head. - -"A man can't marry his grandmother." - -Philip said no more; but returned to the side of Dona Eulalia, who had -placed herself as far away from her duenna as was possible. This -precaution was scarcely needed, as Dona Serafina had eyes for no one -but Peter. She had not yet given up all hope of marriage, even at the -mature age of five and forty. Peter was young and innocent; therefore -Dona Serafina selected him as her victim, and under the guise of -teaching him Spanish, strove to entangle him in her elderly meshes. Her -eyes were still brilliant, and long experience had taught her how to -use them. It was so much waste time as regards Peter. He was so -impossible. - -On leaving the Plaza de San Jago, the troops marched to their several -quarters in the forts, and his Excellency the President went to inspect -the defences of the city. Tlatonac was completely girdled by strong -stone walls, and defended by heavy metal cannon, so that in the event -of a sortie, particularly by a horde of naked Indians such as Xuarez's -force would be, there was but little doubt that the invaders could be -easily repulsed with great slaughter. As regards a land attack from the -interior, this was well enough, but if Xuarez bombarded the town there -was no doubt that he could speedily reduce Tlatonac to a heap of ruins. -Gomez trusted to the impassable forests between the capital and -Acauhtzin to protect him from an inland invasion, and as the sea-forts -were defended by heavy guns, hoped to cripple the ships of the enemy -before they could do much harm. - -The forts defending the coast were therefore the most important in his -eyes, and, after examining the interior defences, he rode down to the -sea front to inspect the preparations for keeping the ships of Xuarez -beyond bombarding distance of the town. Thanks to English engineers, -and a lavish outlay of money, the forts were superb pieces of -workmanship; and their lofty walls frowning over the bay, with the -muzzles of guns protruding from their embrasures, promised a difficult -task to the invaders. - -Between the two principal forts was the gate of the town, which opened -into a low stretch of land covered with fishing-huts, through which a -road ran down to the wharf. _The Bohemian_ was lying close under the -guns of the city, so that in the event of their being discharged, she -would sustain no damage; and as His Excellency rode out of the city -gate, his eyes rested admiringly on the beautiful little craft. - -Only momentarily, however, for at that instant a cry burst from the -lips of his aide-de-camp; and Gomez looked seaward. - -"_The Pizarro!_" he cried in surprise. - -It was indeed the old ship of Don Rafael, which was steaming slowly -southward, a white flag fluttering at her mainmast head. Rafael uttered -an ejaculation of rage, and Gomez turned his horse to ride back into -the city, not knowing with what intentions the war-ship had come. - -"One moment, Senor," said Tim, catching the President's horse by the -bridle; "the vessel has a white flag, so she has come with a message -from Acauhtzin." - -"Por Dios, we do not treat with rebels, Senor Corresponsal." - -"Do not be rash, Excelencia. It is as well to know all these dogs have -to say. See! they are lowering a boat." - -This was indeed the case. A quarter of a mile from the shore, _The -Pizarro_ cast anchor, fired three guns with blank cartridge, and -then the boat already lowered was seen pulling straight for the wharf. - -"Bueno! Senor Corresponsal," said Gormez, sorely against his will; "let -it be as you say. We will wait here for their leader. But I am sorely -tempted to order the forts to open fire on that boat." - -"A mistake, Excelencia," interposed Maraquando at this moment; "we are -civilised people, and must observe the rules of war. Besides," he added -significantly, letting his eyes rest on Tim, "have we not here the -Corresponsal? and all we do he will write off to England." - -"Bueno!" said the President again; "we will wait." - -The thunder of the cannon had brought a tremendous crowd to the walls, -and down on to the beach. From the Presidential staff up to the gate, -was one black mass of people, heaving with excitement. All kinds of -rumours were flying from lip to lip. _The Pizarro_ had come to bombard -the town, and her consorts were now on their way for the same purpose. -The vessel had returned to its allegiance, and had brought Xuarez to -Tlatonac for punishment. All were disturbed, startled, puzzled, and -watched with lynx eyes the little boat with the white flag at its stern -now drawing steadily near to the wharf. - -"What's up now, Tim?" asked Philip, pushing his way through the crowd. - -"A message from Don Hypolito, no less," replied Fletcher, without -turning round. "See! he is standing up in the boat. Be Jove! it's a -priest." - -"It must be Padre Ignatius," cried Jack, who had a remarkably keen -sight. "He went up to Acauhtzin, on some Church business, a week or so -ago. Shovel-hat, white hair! Carambo! It _is_ Padre Ignatius!" - -The name of the priest speedily became known, and the crowd cheered, -for the Padre was well known in Tlatonac. Gomez swore. - -"Carrajo! He sends the Padre to make terms!" - -"Terms with those dogs!" cried Don Rafael, stamping his foot. -"Excelencia, I would hang them all." - -"Como, no!" muttered the President, his fingers closing viciously on -the bridle-rein; "but we will hear what the Padre has to say." - -By this time the boat had reached the wharf, and Padre Ignatius, nimble -as a young man, sprang up the wooden steps leading from the water. The -moment he was out of the boat it turned seaward again, and before the -onlookers could recover from their surprise, the oars were flashing in -and out of the waves as it sped back to the war-ship. A roar of rage -burst from the lips of all. - -"Por Dios!" swore Maraquando, livid with wrath, "they have only landed -the Padre, and now take themselves out of danger. Order the forts to -open fire, Excelencia!" - -Gomez had only to throw up his hand and the cannon would vomit fire. -Knowing this, Jack stepped up impulsively to the President. - -"Be not hasty, Senor, I beg of you. See, the Padre carries a white -flag! He brings a message from Xuarez! First hear what it is, and then -decide." - -His Excellency moved uneasily in his saddle, and bit his nether lip. He -would dearly have liked to have pounded the rebel war-ship into -matchwood for her insolent daring in thus defying the Government of -Cholacaca, but he could not but see that such an extreme measure would -be impolitic. Therefore he restrained his rage, and waited the approach -of the Padre, who was now near at hand. Gomez, a true son of the -Church, uncovered as the priest paused before him. The Padre raised his -hand in token of benediction, and the staff also uncovered. With the -atheistical opinions now prevalent in Cholacaca they would not have -done this for any priest save Padre Ignatius, who was much beloved by -rich and poor. As for Tim, he had his note-book out, and a greedy -little pencil, ready to take down every word of the forthcoming -conversation. - -"Vaya usted con Dios Excelencia!" said the Padre, gravely. "I come from -Acauhtzin--from Don Hypolito Xuarez, with a message to the Junta." - -"A message to the Junta from rebels, Reverend Father?" - -"It is my duty to prevent this fratricidal war, if possible," replied -Ignatius, mildly. "I have spoken with Xuarez, and have persuaded him to -send me hither with a message of peace." - -"And that message?" - -"Cannot be spoken here, my son. Let us go to the Palacio Nacional!" - -"By all means, my father. Will you not ride thither. One of my officers -will give you his horse." - -Three or four of the officers at once dismounted, and begged Padre -Ignatius to mount; but he refused their offers gently with a wave of -his hand. - -"No, my children. I will walk thither. Ride on, Excelencia I will be -with you soon." - -"But _The Pizarro_, Padre!" - -"Will lie off there till my message is delivered and the answer given. -If the terms are accepted, one gun will be the sign; if refused, two -guns, and the war-ship will return to the north." - -"Ah!" said Gomez, with a meaning smile, as he turned his horse's head -towards the gate, "they are afraid to trust themselves in the lion's -mouth." - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -PADRE IGNATIUS. - - With cross in hand, the pious father goes - From camp to camp on Heaven's errand bent; - Soothing the wretched, overborne with woes, - And to the weary bringing sweet content. - - Oh, gentle soul, too kind for this rude earth, - What virtues doth thy being comprehend; - Thou shouldst have lived in times of peaceful mirth, - When war was not, and man ne'er lacked a friend. - - Of what avail those peaceful words of thine, - When for the battle armies are arrayed; - What use thy mission of good will divine, - When to the foe war's standard is displayed. - - The drums are beaten, trumpets shrill resound, - Two gifts alone thou canst bestow on all; - Salute with smiles all those with honour crowned, - And for the dead a single tear let fall. - - -Tim was ubiquitous. He seemed neither to eat nor sleep, but, note-book -in hand, followed the President about everywhere, with the idea of -gathering material for his letters to _The Morning Planet_. From the -Plaza de San Jago he had gone down to the sea gate of Tlatonac, where -the meeting with Padre Ignatius took place, and from thence returned to -the Palacio Nacional, at the heels of Gomez. In view of the message -from Xuarez, the Junta had been hastily convened, and now the great -hall of the palace was crowded with deputies waiting to hear the words -of the Padre. - -Owing to the influence of Don Miguel, which was supreme in Tlatonac, -Jack and Philip were admitted to the meeting, and they, in company with -Tim, who was present by virtue of his office, watched the scene with -great interest. It is not every day that one has the chance of seeing -the naked machinery of the Government. In this vast chamber was the -motive force which kept the machine going. Now, the Governmental -machine was out of order, and Padre Ignatius, as a moral engineer, was -trying to put it right again. He advocated delicate handling of the -suasive kind. Gomez, rough work, in the manner of blows, and brute -strength. As to Xuarez--well, he was the wheel which had put the engine -out of gear; and, until that wheel was forced back into its proper -position, or taken out of the Cholacacan machine altogether, there was -but little chance of the reversion to the old smooth running. This is a -parable to illustrate the importance of that hastily convened meeting. -Tim was the only one of the four friends who understood the matter -thoroughly. - -Don Francisco Gomez took his place in the Presidential chair, which -stood beneath a gorgeous yellow satin canopy of anything but Republican -simplicity. The opal arms of Cholacaca were above this drapery, the -seat of power below; and therein sat President Gomez, with a fierce -light in his eyes, and an ominous tightening of his lips. He was in a -critical position, and he knew it. The ship of the Republic was among -the breakers, and he, as helmsman, had to steer her into open sea -again. With a disorderly crew, this was no easy task. - -The members of the Junta took their seats in silence. They were like a -class of schoolboys before their master, and, as Gomez cast his eyes -over their ranks, he could pick out here and there the men whom he knew -would be troublesome. To understand his difficulty, it is necessary to -explain the exact position of politics in Cholacaca. Tim was doing this -in a low, rapid voice to Philip, pending the appearance of Padre -Ignatius. Jack listened to the explanation with interest, and every now -and then threw in a word of enlightenment. - -"As in England," said Tim, speaking in Philip's ear, "there are two -political parties, broadly speaking. The Liberals and Conservatives. -These, again, are sub-divided into smaller parties. On the Conservative -side, there is the party now in power, the aristocratic party, who -believe in electing one of their own order as President, and think the -common people should have nothing to do with politics." - -"That is the party of Don Miguel and the President?" - -"Yes; their political programme is to govern on oligarchical -principles. Cholacaca and its loaves and fishes, for the aristocrats -only. That is one party. The other is the clericales, who would govern -through the Church, and place the supreme power of the Republic in the -hands of priests. Since the expulsion of the Jesuits, however, this -party is defunct, and a good thing, too. I'm a true son of the Church," -added Tim, relapsing into his brogue; "but I don't believe in the -priests meddling with politics." - -"Then there is a third party," said, Jack, taking up the explanation; -"what we may term the Liberal-Conservative party, if such a thing be -possible. They believe in aristocratic government, with the consent of -the people. That is, the people can elect as President one of the -aristocrats, but not one of themselves." - -"And what about the Liberals?" asked Philip, deeply interested. - -"Oh, one party of the Liberals want democracy--pure unadulterated -Republicanism. A second party desire military rule, which would be -nothing more or less than despotism, supported by a standing army under -the thumbs of a few martinets in power. Then there is a Free Lance -party, where each individual desires the loaves and fishes for -himself." - -"Then the party of Don Xuarez?" - -"Is not here," said Tim, waving his hand towards some empty seats; -"they have all gone to Acauhtzin, and are now regarded as rebels by the -Government. They desire a kind of civil despotism as opposed to the -military party--a dictator with supreme power, who can act as he damn -well please." - -"Seven political parties!" observed Cassim, derisively. "If too many -cooks spoil the broth, too many political parties will certainly spoil -Cholacaca. But they all seem to be afraid of one another. Don Xuarez -has at least the courage of his opinions." - -"That is because his party is now strong enough to show fight. The -others are all split up into small bodies, who quarrel among themselves -and disagree with the President." - -"I presume they will all oppose Don Hypolito." - -"Naturally. They are dogs in the manger; they can't get the supreme -power of Cholacaca themselves, and won't let Xuarez have it. I wonder -what proposition the Padre brings from Acauhtzin." - -"Hush! here he is." - -Padre Ignatius, in his rusty black cassock, advanced, holding his -shovel-hat clasped to his breast. Pausing in front of the President, -where he could command the attention of all, he cast up his eyes to -heaven, as if seeking for strength to sustain him in his difficult task -of reconciling the factions which threatened to involve Cholacaca in -civil war. With his pale, refined face, his silver locks, and tall, -slender figure, he looked a remarkably striking personage, and put -Philip in mind of a picture he had once seen of Las Casas, the great -Indian missionary. - -When he paused and thus sought inspiration in silent prayer, Gomez -struck a silver bell on the desk before him. Instantly there was a dead -silence, the murmur of voices was stilled, and every eye was turned -towards the gentle priest. - -"My children," said Padre Ignatius, in a weak voice, which gathered -strength as he proceeded, "some weeks ago I went to Acauhtzin on the -business of our Holy Church. There I found Don Hypolito Xuarez, who was -not then in arms against the Junta. I knew, however, that he was a -restless spirit, and, observing signs of dissatisfaction in the town, -dreaded lest he should fan these embers of discontent into the flame of -civil war. To Don Hypolito did I speak, but he disclaimed any intention -of doing aught to break the peace of the Republic. In this, my -children, he spoke falsely." - -A sullen murmur ran through the chamber. - -"Noting these signs of discontent, I did not return to Tlatonac, but -waited to see if aught should occur. Nothing took place till the -arrival of the fleet to arrest Xuarez. Ah, my children, that was a -fatal mistake. It roused him from discontented quietness into a state -of open rebellion. He convened a meeting in the market-place of -Acauhtzin, he told the populace he was to be arrested as a traitor, and -called on them to stand by him in his peril. What promises he made use -of I can hardly tell you, they were many and false; but those of the -town believed him, and swore to assist his cause. The officers and -crews of the fleet had already been tampered with by Xuarez before he -left Tlatonac, and to a man they all went over on his side on hearing -that Acauhtzin had done so." - -"Not all! Not all, my father," cried Don Rafael, springing up from -where he sat by Maraquando; "there are many who still remain faithful -to the Junta--I among the number. We were cast into prison, and, by a -miracle, I escaped, to bring the news to Tlatonac. I am free; but my -friends--my faithful friends--are in the prison of Acauhtzin." - -Padre Ignatius looked sadly at the young man. - -"They were faithful when you escaped," he said, gently. "They were in -prison my son; but now they are free, and have joined the rebels!" - -"Carrajo!" swore Don Rafael, stamping with rage. "The traitors! the -dogs! Canalla! I spit on them." - -"I call the Senor to order!" cried Gomez, for the sake of formality, -though his sympathies were with those of the young man. - -"I ask the pardon of His Excellency, and that of this Honourable -Assembly," replied Rafael, sitting down; "but my friends to be -traitors! Por Dios! if I meet with them, I will show no mercy." - -"Reverend Father," said the President, when the young man had resumed -his seat, "all that you have said is the way in which Xuarez has -revolted. Tell us of his message!" - -"I went to Don Hypolito, when I heard these things," said the Padre, -slowly. "I went to him, Senores, and prayed him not to plunge the -country into civil war. At first he refused to listen to me, saying he -was strong enough to crush the Republic to the dust!" - -"Carambo! Carrajo! Canalla!" cried a hundred voices, and many of the -members sprang to their feet to speak. A Babel of voices ensued; but at -length, by repeated ringing of his bell, the President secured silence -for a few minutes, and Padre Ignatius went on with his speech. - -"Don Hypolito said he had the aid of Acauhtzin; of the Regimiento de -Huitzilopochtli, of the fleet, and, if needs be, could secure the help -of the forest Indians!" - -"The opal! The Chalchuih Tlatonac!" - -"Yes!" cried the priest, emphatically; "by making use of that unholy -stone! Xuarez is no true son of the Church, my children. He is a -heretic, an idolater! He told me plainly that he worshipped and -believed in the opal of Huitzilopochtli, and would make use of the -superstition it engendered among the Indians, to further his own ends." - -Another roar of wrath arose from the assemblage which the President was -quite unable to quiet. Padre Ignatius lifted his thin hand in token of -entreaty, and the tumult ceased. - -"I need not say what he said to me, what I said to him; but I forced -him to make an offer to the Junta, which, if accepted, will suspend all -hostility. I implore you, Senores, to accept this offer, and avert this -fratricidal war!" - -"The offer! the message!" - -"As you know, Senores, the Presidency is held for four years, and that -he who has been our ruler cannot be re-elected! His Excellency, Don -Francisco Gomez, has now held this honourable office for three years -and a half. In six months it becomes vacant, and Don Hypolito Xuarez -offers, if you make him President of Cholacaca, to return to his -allegiance." - -"Never!" cried Maraquando, springing to his feet, amid a deafening -cheering. "What! elect Xuarez for our President--place the supreme -power in his hands? Give to ourselves a Dictator who will rob us of our -liberties! Never! Never! Never!" - -"No, Francia! No Iturbide! No, Santa Anna!" yelled the excited members. -Gomez called the assemblage to order. - -"Are these the only terms on which Xuarez will return to his -allegiance?" he asked the priest. - -"The only terms. If they are accepted, fire one gun, and _The Pizarro_ -will steam to Acauhtzin to tell Xuarez that the war will not take -place. Two guns, and then, oh, my children, the vessel will go -northward to bring desolation upon us. There will be war--red war; -brother will be arrayed against brother; our towns will be laid in -ashes; our peaceful community will struggle in deadly strife. I urge -you, implore you, to accept this offer and avert disaster!" - -"There will be war!" sang out some man in the crowd. "The opal is red!" - -"The opal is red! the opal is red!" - -"Are you Catholics?" cried Padre Ignatius, his voice ringing forth like -a trumpet. "Are you sons of the Church or children of the devil? That -stone is the work of Satan! Obey it, and you will bring ruin on -yourselves, on your families, on your country. In the name of this -sacred symbol," he thundered, holding up the cross, "I command you to -put this evil from your hearts. The devil stone speaks war the holy -cross commands peace. Obey it at the peril of your souls--of your -salvation. I say Peace! Peace! Peace! In the name of the Church--Peace! -At your peril--War!" - -The whole man was transfigured as he stood intrepidly facing the -furious assemblage with the uplifted cross. There was no fear in his -eyes, there was no trembling of the hand which upheld the symbol of -Christianity. He was no longer Padre Ignatius, the gentle priest whom -they knew. It was a priest, the representative of the awful power of -Rome, with the thunders of the Vatican at his back, with salvation in -this world, and in the next at his will, holding their souls in the -hollow of his hand. - -"Richelieu," murmured Philip, softly. - -For a moment the assemblage was awed. Many were atheists who believed -in nothing; some idolaters, who trusted in the devil stone, all were -superstitious, and they quailed before that frail old man who faced -them so dauntlessly. Suddenly, as it were, the influence passed away, -the devil-stone conquered the cross. - -"War! War!" yelled the deputies, springing to their feet. "No priests! -no Jesuits! To the vote! to the vote!" - -Gomez arose to his feet. - -"Senores," he cried, loudly, "I respect the Padre for his effort to -avert the war. His mission is to bring peace, and he has striven to do -so. But it cannot be. The Cholacacan Republic cannot yield to the -insolent demands of Xuarez. We choose our rulers freely, without -coercion. In six months I surrender my office and will you permit Don -Hypolito Xuarez, traitor and scoundrel, to profane this chair? No, -Senores; a thousand times no! We know the nature of this man who -aspires to play the part of a tyrant. Place him in this seat of power, -and he will break every law of our glorious constitution. Will that -liberty which was won by the blood of our fathers, by the heroism of -Zuloaga, be trodden under foot at the bidding of this man? He comes, -not to implore you to elect him supreme magistrate of the Republic. He -comes with an army at his back, and commands you--I say commands -you--to make him Dictator!" - -"War! War! Down with Xuarez!" - -"Who is this traitor, to dare our power? He has the fleet, it is -true--traitors that they are!--but we have the army. We have money. We -can buy a new fleet. Our soldiers shall break up his power. Let us hurl -back in his face this insolent defiance, and sweep away Xuarez and his -partisans in torrents of blood!" - -"War! War! The opal burns red." - -"Yes, the opal burns red. And our hearts burn with indignation at the -insolence of this man. I swear," cried the President, drawing his -sword. "I swear, by my sword, by the Chalchuih Tlatonac, that I shall -not sheath this weapon till it has exterminated these traitors, and -purified the Republic. Hear me, God!" - -"Hear us, God!" And a myriad swords flashed in the air. - -"Will I put the offer of the traitor Xuarez to the vote?" - -"No, no! War! war!" - -Ignatius tried to speak, but he saw that the Junta was unanimous in -proclaiming war. His cross fell from his nerveless hands; his head sunk -on his breast. - -"Holy Mary, have mercy on these misguided men." - -He passed out of the hall in dejected silence, and after him swept a -whirlwind of men, headed by the President. Outside the Palacio -Nacional, a crowd of people were waiting to hear the decision of the -Junta. Standing on the marble steps of the palace, Don Francisco caused -the standard of the Republic to be unfurled, and waved his bare sword -in the air. - -"In the name of the Junta! In the name of the free people of the great -Republic of Cholacaca, I proclaim war against the traitor Xuarez!" - -"War! war! war!" yelled the mob, frantically. "The opal burns red! War! -war!" - -Then, with one accord, the rabble dashed down to the sea-gate of the -city. - -"What are they going there for, Tim?" asked Philip, as they were borne -along by the living torrent. - -"To hear the cannon answer Xuarez, if I mistake not. Holy Virgin! what -devils these are when their blood is up!" - -From the Plaza de los Hombres Ilustres the crowd rolled down the steep -of the Calle Otumba, passed into the Calle Mayor, and in a few minutes -the city was vomiting hundreds of infuriated men out of her gates on to -the beach and wharf. - -Far away on the azure sea lay the vast bulk of _The Pizarro_, with -the flag of the Republic floating at her main-mast, in conjunction with -the white pennant of peace. The crowd held their breath, and throughout -the vast assemblage there was not a sound. The waves lapping on the -beach could alone be heard, and each man in that mighty congregation -held his breath. - -"One gun for 'yes!' Two guns for 'no!'" muttered Jack, in Tim's ear. - -At that instant a puff of smoke broke from an embrasure of the rear -fort, and a gun thundered out its defiance to Xuarez. In another -minute, before the echo of the first died away, a second gun from the -other fort roared out in the still air, and there was an answering roar -from the crowd below. - -The flag of peace! the flag of the opal were suddenly lowered from the -mast of _The Pizarro_, and up went a fierce red banner, foretelling war -and disaster. The mob yelled with rage, the guns of _The Pizarro_ sent -forth an insolent defiance, and in a few minutes, with the smoke -pouring black and thick from her funnels, the great vessel stood out to -sea. - -The War of Cholacaca had commenced. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -THE DRAMA OF LITTLE THINGS. - - Many things happen! - They are the daily events of our lives, we note them with - idle indifference. - The lover kisses his dear one, she sighs on his throbbing - bosom, - He springs on his waiting horse, and waving his hand at - parting, - Thinks that the morrow for certain, will bring her again - to his kisses, - Alas! he knows not that Fate is capricious! - That never again will the dear one respond to his welcome - caresses! - "Good-bye for an hour!" ah, sorrow. That good-bye means - "farewell for ever." - And yet they know not this future, and so, parting happy, - Go east and west gladly, to anguish apart till they perish. - - -"Quiere a fumar, Juan," said Dolores, holding out a small case to Jack, -with a coquettish smile. - -"Campeacheanos!" replied her lover, selecting one carefully, "these are -for men only. I hope you don't smoke these, mi cara." - -"No! I but use cigarros de papel. This case belongs to my cousin, Don -Rafael. Now it is yours." - -"What will Don Rafael say?" - -"Say! Why, nothing, of course. He made me a present of the -campeacheanos." - -"Oh, did he?" exclaimed Jack, suspiciously. "You seem to be fond of -your cousin, Dolores!" - -"Naturally! It is my duty," replied Dolores, demurely, and dropped her -eyes. - -"Oh!" said Duval, briefly, and busied himself in lighting a cigarette. - -It was late in the afternoon, and they were on the azotea of -Maraquando's house alone, save for the presence of Dona Serafina; but -she was asleep, and, therefore, did not trouble them. As before stated, -the Casa Maraquando was on the summit of the hill, and from the roof -they could look down into the valley below. Ring after ring of houses -encompassed the rise, and on the flat, trending towards the sea, -street, and house, and plaza, and wall, were laid out as in a map. To -the left, the vast space of the parade-ground; to the right, the -crowded quarter of the peons, a mass of huddled huts, red-roofed, -white-walled, and between the two the broad street leading from the -foot of the hill down to the sea-gate. - -On the parade-ground companies of soldiers were manoeuvring. Here and -there the bright colours of uniforms could be seen in the streets. -Sometimes a distant trumpet rang out shrilly, or the muffled thunder of -drums came faintly to their ears. Within the walls of the city all was -bustle and military pomp, the place was one vast camp. Beyond, the -white line of the walls and the infinite stretch of azure sea -glittering in the sunshine. - -Peter, in company with Cocom, had gone outside the inland walls for a -final butterfly hunt before the outbreak of war, when, in view of the -suburbs being deserted, he would have to abandon his favourite pursuit. -Down in the Plaza de San Jago, Sir Philip Cassim was assisting Don -Rafael to drill his men, and Tim was, as usual, haunting the -telegraph-office and the Palacio Nacional. He spent all his time -between these two places, collecting news, and despatching messages. -Only Jack was idle; Jack, who, decked out in the gaudy uniform of the -Regimient de los Caballeros, set on the azotea flirting with Dolores -and smoking innumerable cigarettes. With masculine vanity, he had come -there especially to show himself to the lady of his heart, in his new -uniform, and, finding Dona Serafina asleep, had waited to speak to -Dolores for a few minutes before joining Philip in the plaza below. The -few minutes had, by this time, lengthened into half-an-hour. - -Without doubt Jack looked remarkably handsome in his uniform, and -Dolores acknowledged this to herself as she glanced at him from behind -the safe shelter of her fan. He was as fine as a humming-bird, and -tinted like a rainbow. The Mexican dress became him admirably, and in -that brilliant climate the bright colours did not look too pronounced. - -The uniform consisted of calzoneros of dark green velvet split from the -thigh downward, slashed with braid, set with rows of silver buttons, -and filled with the calzoncillos of white muslin. A short, -tight-fitting jacket of yellow cloth embroidered with gold, over a full -white shirt, puffing out at the hips, open sleeves, a scarlet-silk sash -round the waist sustaining a brace of pistols and a Spanish knife. -Finally, boots of tanned leather with heavy spurs hanging with little -bells. Over all his finery, Jack wore a picturesque zarape of dark -blue, and a sombrero of the same colour encircled with a broad band of -gold. In this picturesque costume, his fine figure was seen to its best -advantage; but Jack was already regretting his plain English -riding-suit of unadorned grey. - -At present, however, he was not thinking of his fine feathers, or of -the two men waiting for him in the Plaza de San Jago, but of the last -remark of Dolores. - -Jack had no reason to be jealous of Don Rafael, as he, to all -appearances, cared more for war than for women; yet, because Dolores -admitted that she liked her cousin, this foolish young man began to -sulk. The girl watched him with great amusement for a few minutes, and -then made a malicious remark in reference to his uniform. - -"Pajaro precoso!" - -"Oh, I am a precious bird, am I?" said Jack, ungraciously; "but not -precious to you, Dolores. Don Rafael----" - -"Is my cousin--nothing more." - -"I don't like cousins," muttered Duval, obstinately, keeping his eyes -away from her face, whereat Dolores rapped him smartly on the fingers -with her closed fan. - -"I will eat all the cousins of your killing, Juan. Turn your face to -me, child that you are. Santissima! What a cross face! Senor Caballero, -you are jealous!" - -"Yes," admitted Jack, reluctantly. - -Dolores glanced at her aunt, to make sure that she was asleep, then -bending towards this foolish lover, kissed him on the cheek. - -"Are you jealous now, querido?" - -"No," answered Jack, returning the kiss with interest; "I am a fool not -to trust you thoroughly." - -"You are! Hush! Enough! My aunt may awake." - -"Not she! So you love me only, Dolores? And Don Rafael----" - -"Is betrothed to a lady of Acauhtzin." - -"Oh, Dolores!" sighed Jack, much relieved, and kissed her again. In -fact, he would have saluted her several times, had not Dolores spread -her fan between their two faces as a shield. - -"No, no! Dona Serafina may awaken, and then--'Dios de mi alma,' what -would my uncle say?" - -"He must know sooner or later." - -"Wait till the war is over, querido. Till Don Hypolito is slain, and -you return covered with glory. Then my uncle can refuse you nothing." - -"Bueno! I will wait. And, after all, Dolores, I am not quite a -foreigner. I have dwelt so long in Mexico that I know all your manners -and customs. Now I have even assumed the dress of Cholacaca, so I am -quite one of your own people." - -"And a heretic!" - -"Ah! Padre Ignatius has been talking to you?" - -"No, querido; my aunt----" - -"Oh, never mind your aunt. If I mistake not, she admires a heretic -herself." - -"El hombrecillo!" - -"If by the little man you mean Don Pedro, yes. But oh, my soul, do not -let such things as this separate us. You love me, Dolores? You will be -true to me?" - -"I swear it!" cried the girl, throwing herself on his breast; "I swear -it--by the opal!" - -"No, no! not that. You surely don't believe in the devil stone?" - -"Am I a child to believe?" laughed Dolores, scornfully. "No; I am a -true daughter of the Church; but I believe this opal to be mine, and if -I can get it I will do so." - -"We will both try and obtain it, though I am afraid there is but little -chance of doing so. We know not where is the temple." - -"Cocom knows." - -"Yes; but Cocom will not tell. But enough of the opal. We will talk of -it again. Meanwhile, tell me to whom is Rafael engaged? He has told me -nothing about it." - -"No; he has told no one save me, lest it should reach the ears of my -uncle, and thus anger him. The lady my cousin loves is Dona Carmencita -de Tejada----" - -"What!" ejaculated Jack, in surprise. "The daughter of Xuarez's -right-hand man?" - -"Yes, the daughter of Don Jose de Tejada, the rebel. So, you see, he -does not let his father know of his love, for Don Miguel would never -consent to his son becoming the husband of a traitor's child." - -"True, true. Poor Rafael! The course of his love does not seem likely -to run smooth. Still, when the war is over, he may be more fortunate." - -"Ah! the war," said Dona Dolores, sadly. "This terrible war. How I -tremble to think of what is before us. Should Don Hypolito conquer----" -She covered her face with her hands, shuddering violently. - -"Don Hypolito will not conquer," replied Jack, soothingly taking her to -his breast. "We will humble him to the dust before three months are -ended. Besides, if the worst comes, we can fly to Europe." - -"Ay, de mi. May it not come to that." - -"Amen!" said Duval, solemnly; and they remained clasped in each others -arms, with hearts too full for speech. - -Suddenly they heard the sound of a prolonged yawn, and had just time to -separate before Dona Serafina caught them in that close embrace. -Fortunately, they had been hidden by an angle of the azotea wall, so -the good lady, who had just awakened, and was still bemused with sleep, -saw nothing. When she was thoroughly awake, however, she espied Jack in -all the bravery of his uniform, and came forward with a light step and -an exclamation of delight. - -"El Regimiento de los Caballeros!" she exclaimed, admiringly. -"Santissima! how the uniform does become you, Don Juan. I do so admire -handsome Americanos," added the lady, languidly. Dolores laughed at -this naive confession, but Jack, modest Jack, blushed through the tan -of his skin. - -"Really, Dona Serafina, I am much obliged, I kiss your hands," he -answered, confusedly. "I have just arrived"--he had been there half an -hour--"just arrived, Senora, and I had not the heart to disturb you." - -"Has the child spoken?" said Dona Serafina, waving her fan towards -Dolores, who stood with downcast eyes, inwardly convulsed, outwardly -demure. - -"Oh yes; a little. She has not the brilliant tongue of her aunt," -replied Jack, artfully. - -"Pobrecita! She is young; she is a kitten. She will yet improve. I was -the same at her age." - -"The deuce you were," thought Jack, with secret apprehension, surveying -her portly form. "I hope Dolores won't be the same at your age." - -"And Don Pedro?" asked the duenna, languidly. - -"Will lay his heart at your feet this evening, Senora." - -"It is his Don Juan," responded the lady, graciously. It was a mere -figure of speech; but Jack was secretly amused to think how alarmed -Peter would be hearing of such an offer. - -"Oh, this war, Senor Americano; this terrible war! How I fear it." - -"Do not be afraid, Senora. We will protect you." - -"Oh yes; I am sure of that. But my nephew, Senor? Don Rafael! He is -much angered." - -"At the war?" - -"Santissima, no! At his ship, which still sails up and down in front of -Tlatonac. What does it mean, Senor?" - -Jack turned in the direction indicated by her fan, and saw a large ship -far out on the wrinkled sea. - -"Is that _The Pizarro_? I did not know," he said in some perplexity. "I -understood she had departed to Acauhtzin." - -"My cousin says it is _The Pizarro_," interposed Dolores at this -moment; "and we know not why she stays." - -"I notice she keeps well out of the range of the fort guns," muttered -Jack, anxiously. "Hum! it is curious. Perhaps she is sent by Don -Hypolito to carry off Dona Dolores." - -The old lady made a gesture to avert the evil eye. - -"Say not such things, Senor. That terrible man! He might carry me off -even here." - -"So he might, Senora," replied Jack, trying to be serious. "I would -advise yourself and the young ladies to keep within doors." - -"If Don Hypolito can carry us off from the middle of Tlatonac, he is -cleverer than I think," said Dolores, contemptuously; "but what can be -the reason of _The Pizarro_ thus guarding the town?" - -"I have it!" cried Jack, suddenly enlightened. "She is watching for the -arrival of the torpedo-boats. Yes, that is her game. She wishes to meet -them before they know of the revolt, and thus seduce them to the cause -of Xuarez!" - -"Impossible, Senor!" exclaimed both ladies at once. - -"It is true! I am sure of it," responded Jack, hurriedly. "I must speak -to Don Rafael about this. 'Adios, senoritas! Con Dios vayan ustedes.'" - -The young engineer kissed the hands of both ladies, and clattered down -the steps on his way to the patio. Just as he was passing through the -zaguan, he heard a light foot hasten after him, and before he reached -the door, Dolores was in his arms. - -"I left my aunt on the azotea," she said, breathlessly. "One kiss, -querido, before you go! There;--and there! Oh, my soul! Be careful of -yourself. I go, at vespers, to pray for you at the shrine of our Lady." - -"Angel! Such prayers will be my safeguard in all dangers!" - -"Padre Ignatius has promised me a sacred relic which preserves the -wearer from harm. He gives it to me this evening. I will bring it to -you. To-night you will be here?" - -"Yes, at the eighth hour. Adios, angelito!" - -They embraced hurriedly, and Dolores returned to the azotea to explain -her sudden absence to Dona Serafina as best she could; while Jack, -filled with joy at these proofs of her love, gaily danced down the -street on his way to the Plaza de San Jago, where Philip waited him. - -Everywhere soldiers, everywhere the beating of drums, the shrilling of -trumpets, the waving of flags, and oftentimes the martial strains of -the "Opal Fandango." The city of Tlatonac had awakened from its sleep -of years, and in every street, in every house, activity prevailed. It -was not a city; it was a camp. The inhabitants, almost to a man, had -become soldiers, and flattered by the women, dressed in gaudy uniforms, -excited by frequent draughts of aguardiente, they fancied themselves -invincible. Every evening fireworks were let off in the principal -squares, bands of soldiers marched nightly through the streets, singing -the national song of the opal; and at times the enthusiasm arose to -such a pitch that the whole city was convulsed with a delirium of joy. -In the opinion of Tlatonac, the rebel Xuarez was already conquered. - -"I hope this enthusiasm is not born of Dutch courage," said Jack to -himself, as he elbowed his way through an excited throng; "but it seems -too violent to last. These howling wretches see Xuarez in chains, -pleading for his life; but they don't see the events which are bound to -occur before such a thing takes place." - -"Abajo los Oposidores! Viva el Republica! Mueran a Xuarez!" - -"Shout away, mis amigos," muttered Duval, grimly; "we'll see if you'll -shout as loudly when the bombs are cracking over the city. If _The -Pizarro_ sent one now, I guess you'd not be so lively." - -In the Plaza de San Jago, soldiers were being drilled. A fine body of -men was El Regimient de los Caballeros, and a gallant show they made as -they wheeled their horses into line. Philip, arrayed in the same style -as Jack, was reining his steed beside Colonel Garibay, the commander of -the troop, and on the other side of him rode Don Rafael, late a captain -in the navy, now a captain on land. Don Rafael, a handsome, dark-eyed -young man, full of fiery earnestness, and not unlike his sister in -appearance, though lacking her softer feminine grace, had taken a great -fancy to Philip, with whom he had become very intimate. Jack Duval he -knew of old, and liked immensely; but Cassim's character was more in -accordance with his own, therefore they were comrades by the rule of -like drawing to like. - -Colonel Garibay was greatly gratified that these two young Americanos -had joined his troop as volunteers, and made things as pleasant for -them as he possibly could. He commanded one of the crack regiments of -the Cholacacan army, and was determined that it should not belie its -reputation in the coming war. Hitherto it had but reaped laurels in -frontier wars against the Indians; but now it was for the first time to -combat with a civilised foe, and would have a good opportunity of -showing to the world of what stuff its men were made. - -The regiment deployed into thin lines, massed into compact columns, -charged at the gallop, retired in good order, and proved themselves in -all the complicated evolutions of a cavalry corps to be thoroughly -disciplined soldiers. In the burning sun, with the grey dust whirling -up in clouds from the restless feet of the horses, the columns expanded -and contracted like the glittering lengths of a snake, and at every -sound of the bugle the lines changed their position with the utmost -military precision. For three hours Garibay kept his troop hard at -work. At length even his insatiable soul was satisfied at their state -of efficiency, and to the stirring strains of the "Zuloaga March" the -men filed off the ground. - -In other parts of the plaza infantry regiments were drilling and, after -a time, these also dispersed, so that by the hour of sundown the great -square was almost deserted, save for scattered groups of soldiers -discussing the coming war. Jack, in company with Philip and the -Colonel, went off to the quarters of the latter in the sea-fort, and -there they proceeded to make themselves comfortable. - -"I am pleased with my children, Senores," said Garibay, thoughtfully; -"but I would I commanded foot instead of horse." - -"Wherefore so, Don Rodrigo?" - -"For this reason, Senor Felipe. Our country is so mountainous that, -save on the plains, there is but little use for cavalry. The seat of -the war will be at Acauhtzin, and there the land is all mountains. -Consequently the infantry will be of most service up yonder. If, -however, the enemy come south to Tlatonac and Janjalla, our cavalry can -meet them in the open plains surrounding these towns." - -"Don Hypolito will certainly come south," said Jack, sagely. "He will -not wait for the Republic to send troops up to Acauhtzin, but embark -his troops on the war-ships, and try his fortunes down in this -direction. Besides, Xuarez knows that the Republic has no transports -for the troops." - -"No war-ships, Senor," replied the Colonel, gravely, "that is true. But -by order of his Excellency, all merchant-vessels of a certain tonnage -have been seized in the port of Tlatonac, and requisitioned for the -service of transporting troops to Acauhtzin." - -"The deuce! And what say the owners to such high-handed proceedings?" - -"The owners have been paid. So, you see, we can embark our men on these -ships, and sail north to----" - -"To be knocked to pieces by the war-ships," finished Philip, coolly. - -"Senor, you forget the torpederas will be here soon." - -"That is if _The Pizarro_ will let them pass her," said Duval, -meaningly. "I see she is cruising constantly up and down." - -"Do you think, Don Juan, she is waiting for the arrival of the -torpederas?" asked the Colonel, anxiously. - -"I am sure of it, Colonel. Don Miguel informed me that the -torpedo-boats had started from England. Xuarez, who has his spies in -England, also knows this, and sent _The Pizarro_ south with a twofold -object: to dictate terms to the Republic, and intercept the torpederas." - -"He failed in the first, however," observed Philip, hopefully. - -"True! but he may not fail in the second." - -"One moment, Senores," said the Colonel, earnestly, "_The Pizarro_ -dare not stop the torpedo-boats--they could sink her in no time. She -has no defence against them--no nets, for those were left at Tlatonac -when the fleet went north." - -"All the more reason that Xuarez should capture the torpedo-boats," -retorted Jack, hotly. "_The Pizarro_ will not try force, mi Colonel! -No; the torpederas left England before war was proclaimed; therefore, -those in charge know nothing of the disaffection of the fleet, of the -rebellion of Xuarez. If they meet _The Pizarro_, they will stop when -she signals; their commanders will go on board in blissful ignorance, -and be either seduced to the cause of Xuarez, or retained as prisoners -of war. In either case, the torpederas, taken by surprise, will be -captured, and accompany _The Pizarro_ to the north." - -"True! What you say is true, Senor! Santissima! What ill-fortune!" - -"The torpederas must be warned!" exclaimed Philip, quickly. "I will -speak to His Excellency, and offer the services of my yacht to the -Republic. If my offer is accepted, I will get steam up on _The -Bohemian_, and stand out to sea at once. Cruise up and down till I -see the torpederas, and then warn them of their danger." - -"Yes, and be chased all the time by _The Pizarro_." - -"She can't catch _The Bohemian_. I'd back my boat against the combined -speed of the whole rebel navy. It is the only chance of saving the -torpedo-boats from the clutches of Xuarez." - -"What a pity my railway is not finished," said Jack, regretfully; "then -we could have ran up the whole army to Acauhtzin without trouble. As it -is, the only passage is by sea, and I am afraid the war-ships render -that impossible." - -"How far have you got with the line, Jack?" - -"Only fifty miles. It stops in the centre of a dense forest, so it is -worse than useless--to Xuarez as to ourselves." - -At this moment Don Rafael entered, in a state of great excitement. - -"Ola, Senores," he said, gaily; "I have just come from the presence of -His Excellency and my father; it is the intention of the Junta to send -an embassy to Acauhtzin." - -"To treat with Xuarez?" - -"Carajo! no!" retorted the young man fiercely; "to promise freedom to -the rebels, if they lay down their arms and deliver up Xuarez for -punishment." - -Colonel Garibay shook his head. - -"They won't do that, mi amigo! if I know anything of Don Hypolito." - -"It is true that he has great influence over them," said Rafael, -thoughtfully; "but the power of the Opposidores is as nothing before -that of the Junta; if they are wise, they will lay down their arms." - -"They are not wise, however," said Jack, dryly; "and they won't lay -down their arms. And how does the embassy propose to get to Acauhtzin?" - -"It is said that Senor Felipe has offered his ship to the Junta," said -Rafael, bowing courteously to the baronet; "and the Junta have decided -to accept that grand offer with a thousand thanks." - -"Bueno!" cried Philip, heartily. "I am glad _The Bohemian_ will be -of some service. Yes, Don Rafael, my yacht is at the disposal of the -Government. But tell me, Senor, who goes north with the embassy?" - -"Yourself, Senor Felipe, if you will come; my father and myself, with a -company of soldiers." - -"Why yourself, Don Rafael?" - -The young hidalgo blushed, and rolled a cigarette with pretended -indifference. - -"I! Oh, I wish to hurl defiance in the teeth of Xuarez." - -Philip had received a hint of Don Rafael's passion and as Jack was -busily talking with Garibay, approached the captain with a smile. - -"Is that all?" he whispered, smiling. - -Don Rafael looked at him steadily, and then caught his hand with a -sudden passion of friendship. - -"No, mi amigo. I wish to see Dona Carmencita, and, if possible, carry -her south." - -"Will she come, Rafael?" - -"Yes, she loves me; her father is cruel to her; she will come, if you -will permit it." - -"Senor, my ship and all I have is at your disposal." - -"A thousand thanks, Don Felipe," said Rafael, cordially pressing his -friend's hand; "I will take advantage of your kindness. Not a word to -my father, Senor. He knows nothing as yet; I will tell him all at -Acauhtzin." - -"I will be silent." - -"Gracias mi amigo. I will give you my help in the like case." - -"It will certainly be needed some day," replied Philip, significantly. - -"But not as yet. Ah, Senor, you do not then know what it is to love." - -"Don't I?" thought Philip, and saw before him, as in a dream, the fair -face of Dona Eulalia. - -It was now late, so, after they had dined with Garibay, the two -Englishmen, at the invitation of Don Rafael, went to the Casa -Maraquando. - -When they arrived, to their surprise, all was in confusion. The -servants were running aimlessly about, Dona Serafina and Eulalia were -in tears, and Don Miguel was cursing loud and deep. - -"What is the matter?" asked the young men in alarm. - -"Dolores is lost!" - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE. - - Shepherds kind! my love hath left me, - Therefore am I filled with woe; - Of my heart hath she bereft me; - Thievish nymph! why didst thou so? - Ah, well-a-day! True love is a jewel! - Why hence away? Oh, my Chloe cruel. - - Tell the damsel, should ye meet her, - That, alas! no heart have I, - For her love I would entreat her; - Fickle maid, why didst thou fly? - Ah, well-a-day! True love is a jewel! - Why hence away? Oh, my Chloe cruel. - - Prythee shepherds, her discover, - I her face again would see; - Still am I her longing lover; - Sweet coquette, return to me! - Ah, well-a-day! True love is a jewel! - Why hence away? Oh, my Chloe cruel. - - -Dolores lost! Jack's thoughts immediately became busy with Don -Hypolito, and the Forest Indians. Could it be that she had been carried -off by one of these, and if so, by which of the two? It was now nine -o'clock, and Jack had left her on the roof of the azotea at four. It -seemed impossible that in so short a period the girl could have utterly -disappeared. At the same time, by the strict social observances of -Tlatonac, Dolores should have returned from her visit to the cathedral -before dark, and as she had not done so, there seemed to be reasonable -ground for apprehension. - -Such excitement reigned in the house that it was some time before -either Jack or Philip could extract the reasons for such belief from -the alarmed inmates. As poor Duval was terribly upset at the thought -that Dolores was lost, Philip took affairs into his own hands with -great promptitude, and proceeded to cross-examine the maid who had last -seen her. This damsel, by name Marina, was of pure Indian extraction, -and cunning past all knowing. At the present time, however, owing to -the reproaches of Dona Serafina, and the scoldings of Don Miguel, she -was reduced to a kind of moral pulp, not having even sufficient energy -to lie according to custom. - -Philip spoke to Don Miguel as to the advisability of extracting -information from this girl; and at once Marina was brought before him. -She was terribly afraid of the Senor Americano, who looked so stern and -evidently thought Philip was about to order her immediate execution. - -"Marina!" asked Philip, slowly, in Spanish, "where did you last see the -Senorita?" - -"Santissima! Senor Americano!" replied the frightened poblana, clasping -her hands, "it was in the great church. The Senorita was kneeling at -the shrine of Our Lady, and--and----" - -"Go on," said Philip, seeing she hesitated. - -"Por Dios, Senor, I thought no harm; but I saw Pepe at the door of the -church, and he beckoned to me." - -"Who is Pepe?" - -"Hechicera!" broke in Dona Serafina, wildly, "that good-for-nothing -Pepe is your lover. And you went to him, ladroncilla? Eh, yes! You left -the Senorita. Oh, wicked one! Oh, child of Satan!" - -"But for a moment, I swear! Por todos santos! it was not long. When I -returned to the shrine, Dona Dolores was gone. I thought she had -departed to see Padre Ignatius, and I waited. A long time I waited, -Senor Americano, but she came not. Then I believed she had returned to -the casa, and I was afraid of being punished, so I did not come back -here till late! She is not here! ay de mi! and I know not where is the -poor angel! Madre de Dios! what misfortune!" - -There was nothing more to be got out of the terrified girl, as she but -repeated this story over and over again. She had gone with Dolores to -the cathedral, had spoken to Pepe, and then lost sight of her mistress. -Inquiries were made for Pepe, who was a zambo, that is, the offspring -of an Indian and an African. To all accounts, he inherited the worst -vices of both races, and was an idle, drunken vagabond, who had been -frequently punished by Don Miguel for thieving. It was possible that, -out of revenge, the zambo might have decoyed Dolores beyond the walls, -and there surrendered her to the Indians. Maraquando thought that this -might be the case. - -"No!" said Jack, when this explanation was suggested, "Dolores was -afraid of the Indians, and would not believe any message brought by -such a man. But she told me to-day that she wished to see Padre -Ignatius. Perhaps he was not in the cathedral, and she went to his -chapel beyond the walls. Once there, and all things are possible." - -"It might be so," cried Don Miguel, sadly. "I have sent out men to ride -everywhere beyond the walls, and try to discover traces. They will -certainly go to the chapel, and ask the Padre if my poor child has been -there!" - -"Ay di mi! what sorrow," cried Eulalia, whose pretty face was -disfigured by tears; "if Dolores is with the Indians, they will -sacrifice her to the Chalchuih Tlatonac." - -"Not so, hermanita!" cried Rafael, hastily, "she is the guardian of the -opal! They would not dare to do this! If she is with the Indians, her -life is safe. But Don Hypolito!" - -"Carrai!" exclaimed his father, fiercely, "what of that false one?" - -"He swore to carry off Dolores, and make her his wife. This demonio of -a Pepe was once in the household of Xuarez. He may be in his pay now, -and have decoyed my cousin down to the sea-beach, beyond the gate." - -"But how could he take her from thence?" asked Philip, in perplexity. - -"Carrambo, Senor! do you forget that _The Pizarro_ has been cruising -before Tlatonac for days past. It was not to watch the torpederas -coming, as we thought. By San Jago, it was to capture and carry off -Dolores." - -"That cannot be!" said Jack, in despair. "_The Pizarro_ would not dare -to come under the guns of the fort!" - -"She could do so in the darkness." - -"But the search lights." - -"They are at present useless," cried Don Miguel striking his breast -with his hand; "the electric apparatus is out of repair, and the -engineers are now attending to it. What misfortune! Dios! It may be as -Rafael says. Pepe decoyed Dolores to the beach, and from thence she -could be taken to the war-ship." - -Jack was horrified at this possibility. It was not very probable that -such a thing had happened; still, it might have taken place. If it were -so, Dolores would be now on board _The Pizarro_, steaming north to -Acauhtzin--to Xuarez, whom she hated and feared. He was about to speak -his mind on the subject when Tim, in a great flurry, arrived with -Peter. - -"What is all this about?" cried Tim, rushing up to Jack. "Is Dona -Dolores missing?" - -Philip drew him away from Jack, who was too overwhelmed to answer -questions, and hurriedly explained all that had occurred. The Irishman -scratched his head, but could suggest nothing save that they should -search the country. A sudden idea struck Philip. - -"Peter!" he said quickly, turning towards the doctor, "what time did -you return from your beetle hunting?" - -"About sunset." - -"And Cocom?" - -"Left me as soon as we entered the town, in order to pray at the -cathedral. He has done the same thing regularly every time we have -returned to Tlatonac." - -"Cocom!" cried Jack, jumping to his feet at the mention of the name, -"why, Philip, do you think he decoyed Dolores away?" - -"Who knows! She is either with the Indians or with Xuarez. Cocom or -Pepe, as emissaries of Don Hypolito, may have carried her off." - -The foregoing had been spoken in English, and, ignorant of the -language, Rafael could only understand the names. He glanced eagerly -from one to the other, and spoke quickly. - -"Cocom! Pepe! What is this, Senor Felipe?" - -Whereat Philip began to explain, but was interrupted by the entrance of -Padre Ignatius. The good priest looked much disturbed, and raised his -hand to bless those in the room. Dona Serafina and Eulalia flung -themselves at his feet, and were so overwhelmed with grief that they -had to be taken away. When they had gone, Padre Ignatius turned to the -men. - -"My sons, I hear evil news. Is it true that Dona Dolores is missing?" - -"Yes; do you know where she is?" asked Jack, imploringly, laying his -hand on the rusty sleeve of the priest. - -"Alas! no," replied the Padre, shaking his head; "all the afternoon did -I wait for her in the cathedral, but she came not!" - -"She did not go to your own church, my father?" questioned Rafael, -eagerly. - -"No, my son. I though she might have done so, and repaired thither. But -the sacristan tells me no one has been to the shrine this day. The -messengers you sent out to seek for the poor lady came to the chapel to -ask me if I had seen her, and it was then that I first heard of your -great loss." - -"Think you the Indians have her?" asked Philip, anxiously. - -"Alas! who knows, Senor? The idolaters have been worshipping the devil -stone greatly of late, and it may be that they have carried off Dona -Dolores to assist in the ceremonies." - -"Not to sacrifice her?" - -"Santissima Virgen! no, Senor," rejoined the Padre, hastily. "The -idolaters look on her as the guardian of the stone, as one under the -protection of the god himself. If they have carried her off," added the -priest, emphatically, "her life is safe, and her honour. But my son, -Don Hypolito?" - -"Do you think----?" - -"I know nothing, my son. But there is one Pepe." - -"The zambo? Yes, Padre." - -"He hired a boat this afternoon from one of the fishers, saying he was -about to go up the coast to see his mother. I heard of that by chance, -my children. When it was told to me that Pepe had been seen hanging -about the doors of the cathedral, I went from my chapel to the sea-port -at once, and there I find that the boat and Pepe are both gone." - -"Carajo!" swore Rafael, giving voice to the general opinion, "he has -carried Dolores off to _The Pizarro_. Ladron!" - -"It may not be so," said Philip, thoughtfully; "Cocom is also missing. -Dona Dolores may have gone with him." - -"I don't believe it," said Peter, angrily. "Cocom is a good fellow, and -devoted to Dona Dolores. He would not harm a hair of her head." - -"It's a queer business," cried Tim, in perplexity; "'tis either Cocom -or Pepe. I am certain it is the last of them. _The Pizarro_ wasn't -cruising up and down for nothing." - -"The torpedo-boats----" - -"To the devil with them! Hasn't Xuarez his spies in England as well as -the Junta? He knows the torpedo-boats are not due here for at least a -fortnight, so why should he waste time in searching for them now? By -all the saints," shouted Tim, raising his enormous fist, and crashing -it down on the table, "'tis Don Hypolito who has the poor girl." - -There was nothing more to be said in the matter as the opinions of -everyone were divided. Don Rafael, Philip, and Peter believed that -Dolores had been carried off by Don Hypolito, as also did Padre -Ignatius; while Don Miguel, Tim, and Jack were equally confident that -she was in the power of the forest Indians. The Englishmen went back to -their house, and, as nothing could be done till morning, Philip spent -most of the night trying to comfort Jack, who refused to go to bed, and -walked up and down the sitting-room till close on dawn. At last the -baronet persuaded him to lie down and have some rest, but he only slept -fitfully. At dawn he was on his feet again, and away to the house of -Maraquando, to hear if any news had arrived concerning Dolores. - -"My poor Jack, you will kill yourself," said Philip anxiously looking -at the young man's haggard face. - -"No I won't," retorted Jack, grimly, "I'll hold out until I find -Dolores. And find her I will, whether she is in that d--d temple, or -with the cursed Don Hypolito." - -"If she is with Don Hypolito," said Philip, as he hurried along beside -his friend, "we can go up to Acauhtzin in my yacht, and demand her to -be given up; but if the Indians have her, I am afraid we shall never -see her. No one knows where the temple is." - -"I don't care if it is in the moon," cried Duval, doggedly. "I'll hunt -those infernal Indians out and make them pay for this. Of two evils I -choose the least, and I trust and believe she is with those opal-stone -fanatics rather than at Acauhtzin." - -"Don Hypolito----" - -"He is a devil!" rejoined Jack, fiercely. "If she is with him, God help -her! And God help him!" added the young man, in a low voice of -concentrated hatred, "if I get my fingers on his throat." - -Philip heartily endorsed this opinion; but, afraid of adding to Jack's -worry, kept his thoughts to himself. They speedily arrived at Casa -Maraquando, and found Rafael on the azotea, looking seaward with a -marine telescope. He turned round sharply as he heard their footsteps, -and pointed due east. - -"She is gone," he said, with a gesture of despair. - -"Dolores?" said Jack, whose brain only held one idea. - -"Yes; and _The Pizarro_!" - -"In that case, I am afraid Dona Dolores has been carried off by Don -Hypolito," observed Philip, taking the glass from Rafael. "No doubt -that cursed zambo induced her to go down to the sea-gate on some -pretext, and then took her off to the war-ship, which stood in to land -under cover of darkness." - -"Have you heard anything?" asked Jack, paying no attention to this -speech, but turning to Don Rafael. - -"Of Dolores, nothing. All the messengers sent out have returned without -tidings. It is stated that the Chalchuih Tlatonac is burning red, and -thus proclaiming war. To propitiate the god, some great feast is to -take place; but whether Dolores has been seized by the Indians and -carried to their temple to assist at the ceremony I do not know. Not a -single trace of her can be found." - -"And Cocom?" - -"Cocom has disappeared--so has Pepe and Marina?" - -"Marina?" cried Jack, starting. - -"Yes; but that is not the worst. My father, as a member of the Junta, -had plans of the fortifications to Tlatonac. These have been -stolen----" - -"Stolen?" interrupted Philip, who had been vainly sweeping the horizon -in search of _The Pizarro_; "and by Marina." - -"So my father thinks. My belief of last night is true, Senores. That -ladron Pepe is a spy in the service of Hypolito. He seduced Marina into -stealing the plans from my father's room, and now they have gone off -together in that boat to _The Pizarro_." - -"Impossible, Rafael," replied Cassim, decisively. "Dona Dolores was -missing while Marina was in this house. She was still here when Padre -Ignatius came with the news that Pepe and the boat were gone. Doubtless -she has stolen the plans; but she could not have escaped as you say." - -"That is a mere detail," said Jack, hastily. "Marina is an Indian, and -knows the whole country round for miles. After stealing the plans, she -doubtless slipped out of the country gate and travelled up the coast. -There a boat from _The Pizarro_ could pick her up." - -"Where is Don Miguel?" - -"My father was summoned before dawn to a special meeting of the Junta. -I believe the assemblage has been sitting all night to deliberate on -what is to be done." - -"Oh, my poor Dolores," groaned Jack, covering his face with his hands; -"where are you now?" - -"She is on board _The Pizarro_, I doubt not, Don Juan," said Rafael, -approaching the young English-man, "I feel sure this is the case. But -courage, mi amigo, we will save your dear one yet." - -"My dear one!" stammered Duval, in some perplexity. - -Don Rafael slipped his arm within that of Jack's, and smiled kindly. -"Oh, I know all, Juan. Dolores told me of your love when I returned -from Acauhtzin." - -"And you are not angry?" - -"Eh! mi amigo! Why should I be angry? It is true you are an -Americano--a heretic! but do I not know what love is myself? This makes -me kind to you, and when the war is over, I will do all in my power to -aid you with my father." - -"Gracias Rafael!" rejoined Duval, wringing his friend's hand with -intense gratitude; "but first we must rescue Dolores from the Indians." - -"I tell you she is not with the Indians, Jack," said Philip, who had -been at the other end of the terrace and just returned within earshot; -"she is on board _The Pizarro_." - -"I think so also, Juan. If so, we will chase the war-ship in the vessel -of Don Felipe." - -"But I have given her to the Junta, for political, purposes." - -"Bueno! that is so. But when my father returns from the Palacio -Nacional, I am certain he will request you, in the name of the -Republic, to start for Acauhtzin before noon." - -"In order to demand the surrender of Xuarez," said Jack, clenching his -fist; "those rebels will not do that; but if Dolores is there, I will -save them the trouble of answering, by man-handling Don Hypolito till -he'll be fit for nothing but his bed." - -"Dos pajaros al un golpe," replied Rafael, significantly. "Dolores and -Xuarez being the birds, you, mi amigo, the stone. Ah!" he added, as the -bell in the cathedral tower chimed the hour, "there is eight o'clock. I -think it will be as well, Senores, to have something to eat." - -"I couldn't eat a thing," said Jack, abruptly, as they descended the -staircase to the patio. - -"That is wrong, Juan. You will need all your strength to regain -Dolores." - -"Where are the ladies?" asked Philip, anxious to see Dona Eulalia. - -"They are not yet up, Don Felipe! Nor do I wish to disturb them, for -they are worn out with sorrow." - -On hearing this, Philip agreed that it would be better to let them -rest, and accepting Rafael's invitation, they sat down to a hastily -spread meal. In the middle of it, Don Miguel, followed closely by the -ubiquitous Tim, entered the patio. - -"Buenos Dias, Senores," said Maraquando, as the young men arose from -their meal. "I have news." - -"Of Dona Dolores, Senor?" - -"Yes, Don Felipe. Sad news! Alas! there is no doubt of it. She is on -board _The Pizarro_." - -"How is this, my father?" asked Rafael, as Jack resumed his seat with a -visage of despair. - -"A fishing-boat came into the port late last night, and the men -reported that they had passed a skiff containing a man and a veiled -woman, making for _The Pizarro_." - -"Dolores!" sighed Jack, sadly; "but then, Senor Maraquando," he added, -with reviving hope, "it might have been Marina." - -"No, Senor. Marina was here when Padre Ignatius told us the boat was -taken. I fear it is true. My poor niece has been decoyed away by that -accursed zambo, and carried to the war-ship. Now she is on her way to -Acauhtzin--to the rebel Xuarez." - -"Cheer up, old fellow!" cried Tim, thumping Jack on the shoulder, with -a heavy but kindly fist. "We'll have the colleen back soon. We're all -going to fight the rebels this day." - -"What's that, Tim? _The Bohemian_----" - -"Hold on, Jack! Don Miguel is speaking; he'll tell you all!" - -"Senor Felipe," said Maraquando, removing his sombrero with suave -courtesy; "in the name of the Republic of Cholacaca, I have to thank -you for the offer of your ship, and to inform you that the Junta gladly -accepts your aid with a thousand thousand thanks." - -"The pleasure is mine, Senor," said Philip, courteously. - -"The Junta, Don Felipe," resumed Don Miguel gravely, "desire to know if -you can leave Tlatonac by noon." - -"Certainly, Senor. By noon _The Bohemian_ will steam northward. Are you -to be of the party, Senor?" - -"I regret to say I am not, Senor. His Excellency is pleased to consider -that I will be more useful by his side. The message to Xuarez will be -delivered by Don Alonzo Cebrian, the Intendante of the province of -Xicotencatl. He will be accompanied by Colonel Garibay, my son Don -Rafael, Captain Velez and about twenty soldiers. Can your vessel hold -such a company, Senor." - -"Oh yes. If they don't mind a little discomfort, Don Miguel. _The -Bohemian_ is rather small for such a number." - -"Fortunately, the voyage will not take long," added Jack, thankfully. -"With myself and you, Philip, the number tots up to twenty-six -passengers." - -"Twenty-seven, Jack," interposed Tim, quickly "I'm not going to miss -the fun." - -"But your business, Tim," remonstrated Philip, in alarm, afraid lest -Fletcher's fighting propensities should cause trouble at Acauhtzin. - -"Well, isn't this my business, sir? Interview with the rebel leader! -It's a fine article I'll get out of that same, Philip." - -"Right you are, Tim. I'll be glad of your company. But Peter?" - -"We'll leave him behind, to look after the ladies." - -"Don Miguel," said Jack, who had been thinking deeply, "is the boat of -Senor Felipe to sail under the English or the Cholacacan flag?" - -"Under the flag of the opal, Senor." - -"In that case, Senor, a few shots will send her to the bottom, as she -approaches Tlatonac. Don Hypolito will suspect treachery and fire on -the ship." - -"He dare not fire on the opal banner, Senor." - -"I wouldn't trust him. He's a scoundrel," retorted Jack, savagely. -"Besides, war is proclaimed, and Xuarez won't want any messages of -peace." - -"Senor Maraquando," said Philip, gravely, "I think it will be best to -approach Acauhtzin under the English flag. When Don Alonzo delivers the -message of the Junta, we can hoist the opal banner." - -"I will speak to his Excellency on the subject, Don Felipe," replied -Maraquando, a trifle haughtily, feeling rather nettled at the implied -hint of the opal banner being treated with disrespect. "Meanwhile, you -will be ready to start at noon." - -"Yes, Senor; at noon precisely." - -"Bueno! His Excellency and the Junta will be at the sea-gate to see you -depart." - -After this, the three Englishmen bowed, and departed to get themselves -ready for the journey to Acauhtzin. - -"I say, Philip! You rather put the old gentleman's back up!" - -"Oh, confound it. I don't want _The Bohemian_ split up into matchwood. -Xuarez will fire on the opal flag; but he'll think twice before he -insults the Union Jack." - -"Let him try," said Tim, grimly; "and if I'm not kicking my heels at -the bottom of the sea, I'll wire to London about the insult, and bring -the British navy like hornets about his ears. Come, John, my boy! Wake -up! We're going to bring back your darling." - -"That is if we can get her from Xuarez," said Jack gloomily; "but I'm -terribly afraid. If any harm has happened to her, I'll kill him. By -gad, I'll choke the life out of him." - -"I'll help you, Jack," said Philip, earnestly, for his blood boiled at -the thought of Dolores in the grasp of Xuarez; "but I think you'll find -Dolores can look after herself. Besides, Xuarez will be too much afraid -of his allies, the Indians, to harm her." - -"You must change those fine feathers, boys," said Tim, suddenly. - -"And why?" - -"Because it will never do to let Don Hypolito know you're in this -shindy. Afterwards it doesn't matter; but, with the Union Jack flying, -you can't dress as Cholacacan soldiers." - -"Tim is right," said Jack, after a pause; "we will change our clothes." - -"But not our intentions, Jack," said Philip, anxious to keep up his -friends' spirits. "Dolores or war!" - -"No," cried Duval, with intense earnestness; "with me it is 'Dolores or -death!'" - - -END OF VOL. I. - - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Harlequin Opal, Vol. 1 (of 3), by Fergus Hume - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HARLEQUIN OPAL, VOL. 1 (OF 3) *** - -***** This file should be named 43187.txt or 43187.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/1/8/43187/ - -Produced by Suzanne Shell and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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