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THIRD EDITION 
 
 ALMIRANTB 
 
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ALMIRANTE 
 
^MflWW* 
 
 >.. v^.; 
 
 \v \ 
 
 I saw the sunlight flashing on the points of their spears." 
 
 PAGE 93. 
 
ALMIRANTE 
 
 A ROMANCE OF OLD-TIME CALIFORNIA, 
 
 BY 
 
 "A NATIVE. 
 
 
 S AN FRANCISCO: 
 
 W. M. HINTON & CO., PKINTEKS AND PUBLISHERS, 
 
 536 CLAY STREET, BELOW MONTGOMERY. 
 
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COPYRIGHT* 
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Or TBK 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 ALMIRANTE 
 
 A ROMANCE OF OLD-TIME CALIFORNIA 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE RESCUE. 
 
 It was the most disagreeable night I had yet 
 experienced at sea. The waves, though not par 
 ticularly high, were sufficiently so to render footing 
 uncertain, while a cold, gray haze enveloped the ship 
 like the folds of a shroud. Objects distant but the 
 width of the vessel could scarcely be distinguished, 
 and when occasionally a sailor moved silently about 
 the deck, there was something startlingly phantom-like 
 in the appearance of the shadowy form. 
 
 I was standing by the bulwarks in the fore part of 
 the ship, clinging to the rail, and suffering myself to 
 rise and fall with the vessel without motion of my 
 own, while I stared blankly out into the fog. Such a 
 night would have inclined the merriest mind to sad 
 ness, but to me, who for many long months had had 
 
 i 
 
4 ALM1RANTE 
 
 no subject for meditation save what was of the most 
 melancholy character, it brought a sense of indescrib 
 able loneliness. 
 
 It was over a year since I, a sickly, despondent, 
 almost despairing youth of twenty-one, lately orphaned 
 by the sudden death of both my parents, had em 
 barked at New Bedford on board the whaler Philip 
 for a three years cruise in the Pacific. The com 
 mander of the vessel, Captain Trueman, had been 
 my father s companion in childhood, and his shipmate 
 thereafter for many years, in fact until both became 
 masters. It was therefore a more than ordinary 
 friendship he felt for me, and when my health, natur 
 ally delicate, showed signs of giving way altogether 
 under the shock of the severest affliction my life had 
 known, he insisted upon my accompanying him to 
 sea, in the hope of rousing me from my state of 
 despondent lethargy. I gladly accepted the offer. 
 I had no near relatives. What little property my 
 parents had left was soon converted into money, and, 
 except a me derate sum reserved for my occasional 
 necessities, deposited in a Boston bank and within 
 three months we had set sail. 
 
 We had now, as I have stated, been at sea over a 
 year, and were at present in the Pacific, off the 
 Mexican province of California. The voyage had 
 been of service to me in every way. My frame had 
 
THE RESCUE 5 
 
 filled out and strengthened Mv health had become 
 perfect ; and my mind, if not cheerful, had at least 
 grown resigned. 
 
 But there was something in the night I have 
 attempted to describe which Drought back every dark 
 image of the past, and my reverie became at last so 
 intensely mournful that the sigh with which I finally 
 aroused myself was more like a groan. It was echoed 
 near at hand, and I became suddenly aware that I 
 was no longer alone. 
 
 Manuel, a dark-haired, dark-eyed youth of Span, 
 ish blood, whom we had taken on board at a South 
 American port, had crept noiselessly near, and now 
 stood beside me, clinging in a half-kneeling attitude 
 to the bulwarks. His lips were moving as if in 
 prayer, but the look in his upturned eyes, as the light 
 of a lantern shone full in his face, partook so much 
 more of horror than devotion that I involuntarily 
 interrupted him. 
 
 "Manue?, what is it?" 
 
 I spoke in Spanish, which I had learned to use 
 with considerable fluency, and he answered me in the 
 same tongue 
 
 "O, Senor ! do you not hear it? that music 
 that dreadful music?" 
 
 "Music? You are dreaming!" 
 
 "A .i, no. Listen!" 
 
6 ALMIRAMTE 
 
 Awed, in spite of myself, by his manner, I strained 
 my hearing to the utmost, and it did indeed seem 
 that, above the wash of the waves, there could be 
 distinguished a faint, weird strain of melody 
 
 " Heavens ! What is it ?* I exclaimed. 
 
 " Ah Senor, do you not know ? It is the hymn 
 for the dying, but sung by no mortal tongues. 
 Mother of God, have mercy on our souls . It is 
 meant for us." 
 
 With difficulty shaking off the dread which op 
 pressed me, I opened my lips to reply, but was 
 silenced before I had spoken a word. The other 
 noises of the night had suddenly lulled, and, in the 
 momentary interval of silence which succeeded, the 
 same wild strain of indescribably weird and mel 
 ancholy music ro?e again on the air, but now clear 
 and distinct, and apparently near at hand. 
 
 For a moment there was not a breath drawn on 
 the ship, for, unknown to me, the entire crew had 
 come on deck; then a deep, strong voice exclaimed: 
 
 "Wake up, lads, and look alive ! It s some vessel 
 in distress. The fog conceals her." 
 
 It was Captain Trueman who spoke, and so entirely 
 did he possess the confidence of his crew that not a 
 man hesitated for an instant to accept his explanation 
 of what had the moment before seemed so appalling 
 
THE RESCUE 7 
 
 a mystery. Moved by a common and simultaneous 
 impulse, all shouted aioud: 
 
 "Ship ahoy!" 
 
 But the wind had risen again and there was no 
 reply, though we still heard the chant, but faintly. 
 
 11 Poor devils !" said the Captain. "They re too 
 much taken up with their own noise to heed ours. 
 Fire a gun." 
 
 It was done immediately, and as the deep, dull 
 boom thundered out on the night the music suddenly 
 ceased. An instant later there was a wild, confused 
 cry, followed a moment after by a loud report. 
 Another and another succeeded, and we were now 
 fortunately enabled to distinguish the direction from 
 which the sounds proceeded. The Philip was im 
 mediately allowed to fall away until she sailed in a 
 direction almost at right angles to her former course. 
 Our progress was now much more rapid, and, guided 
 by the continuous shouting of the distressed crew, we 
 swiftly neared their vessel, and her glimmering lights 
 were soon visible through the fog. As we drew nearer 
 we could dimly diicern what appeared to be a craft 
 of small size, lying very low in the water and ap 
 parently foundering. The roughness of the sea 
 rendering it unadvisable to run alongside, Captain 
 Trueman hailed, in Spanish : 
 
 Man your boats and come on board." 
 
8 ALM1KANTE 
 
 An answer came bark, partly lost in the confusion 
 of other sounds, but \ve were able to distinguish 
 " Boats lost have none." 
 
 " Then wait and we ll come to you," shouted the 
 Captain, adding energetically to his crew : " Be lively, 
 boys. The first three boats. There s not an instant 
 to lose." 
 
 The boats were lowered almost in an instant, their 
 crews sprang into them, and in an incredibly short 
 space of time the three shell- like crafts were dancing 
 against the side cf the sinking vessel. As each boat 
 had its full crew of able and skillful men, the Captain 
 had not accepted my offer to go in one of them, and 
 I was, therefore, for the time relegated to the position 
 of spectator. draining my eyes in the endeavor to 
 pierce through the mist, I could dimly see our sailors 
 helping the forlorn strangers into the boats, and soon 
 the words "All right ! give way back to the ship !" 
 told me that all was ready for the return. A moment 
 later they came alongside, rescued and rescuers were 
 helped on board, the boats were hoisted in, -and all 
 preparations made to stand en in our former course 
 once more. Then from the midst of the strangers 
 who, something over a score in all, stood grouped 
 about a tall, stern-faced individual of Spanish aspect, 
 broke an old man who seemed a servai.t, exclaiming 
 wiiuiy : 
 
THE RESCUE 9 
 
 "Carlos, Carlos! Mother of God! where is he? 
 Don Ramon Estrada, speak ! Where is my master s 
 son ?" 
 
 The man called Estrada started at the question, 
 which from its tone seemed almost an accusation, and 
 answered hastily : 
 
 "Carlos! Is he not here with us? Surely he 
 came in the boats ?" 
 
 The old man beat his breast in anguish. " O mi 
 Dios ! he is lost. He lay beside us on the deck, 
 weak and fainting from exhaustion. He has been 
 forgotten he is dead 1 O, Don Ramon! surely you, 
 his kinsman " 
 
 A cry of horror from one of our own sailors 
 interrupted him, and attracted the attention of all. 
 He was standing beside the bulwarks, pointing astern. 
 The fog seemed to have grown less dense, and a 
 dreadful sight met our gaze. The wreck was appar 
 ently in the very act of disappearing beneath the 
 waves, and upon the deck stood a slender form with 
 long, streaming hair, and arms extended towards us 
 in despairing appeal. Even as we looked he flung 
 himself into the sea. 
 
 The sailors sprang to a boat without waiting for 
 orders. 
 
 tf Lower away lower away!" screamed the Cnp- 
 taln. "For Goa s sake, be quick 1 But they will never 
 
 OF THK 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
io ALMIRANTE 
 
 reach him in time," he added, sadly and in an 
 undertone, to me. 
 
 A sudden resolve awoke within me, and in an 
 instant casting off my heavy jacket and low, slipper- 
 like shoes, I plunged headlong overboard and struck 
 out for the spot where I knew the youth to be strug 
 gling. I had in the last year become an expert 
 swimmer, and, having a long start of the boat, I did 
 not despair of being in time. Nor was I disappointed 
 in my expectations. I reached the stranger, but only as 
 he was sinking. His long hair floated on the surface, 
 and winding one hand in this, I swam for the ship. 
 In a moment my arm was seized, both my charge and 
 myself were lifted into the boat, and but a brief 
 interval elapsed before we were handed on board the 
 Philip. As in a dream I stood upon the deck and 
 saw the sailors crowd around me, cheering madly, 
 while Captain Trueman stepped forward and seized 
 my hand, warmly exclaiming : 
 
 " Well done, my boy. You have saved him !" 
 
 Then the Mexican, Don Ramon, who had been 
 kneeling beside the youth, as he lay, weak and help 
 less, before us, rose to his feet, saying in tones which 
 even at that moment impressed me as fraught with 
 no gratitude " Yes, you have saved him. * 
 
 He stood erect now, exactly opposite me, and a 
 lantern held by a sailor illuminated both our faces. 
 
THE RESCUE u 
 
 " Jesu Maria !" exclaimed Don Ramon, turning 
 ashy pale. Then as he stepped suddenly back, his 
 lips moved again, and did I or did I not hear him. 
 mutter, half under his breath, in a tone of mingled 
 rage and horror: " Alfred Rivers !" 
 
12 ALMIRANTE 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 TREACHERY. 
 
 Whether it was that the words were not heard by 
 others, I do not know, but at the time no one else 
 seemed to notice the singularity of this evident recog 
 nition, and in a moment the Mexican, recovering 
 himself, seized my hand, exclaiming with what 
 seemed to me a somewhat forced enthusiasm: 
 
 " Senor, you have done a deed which for bravery 
 can never be surpassed. Accept the thanks, the 
 fervent gratitude, of a man who holds far dearer than 
 his own the life of this loved young kinsman I" 
 
 Without giving me time to reply, he turned to 
 Captain Trueman and continued : 
 
 "To you also, Senor Capitan, our gratitude is due, 
 since, but for the prompt and daring aid of yourself 
 and your galhint crew, not a soul of us would now be 
 alive. We are all of the province of California, but 
 are now seven weeks out from Manilla, whither we 
 have been to meet and bring home my young kins 
 man, Carlos, who has of late years been receiving 
 instruction in Spain. That vessel was his father s, 
 her mariners were his servants. For four days we 
 have been slowly sinking. We could find no leak > 
 
TREACHERY 13, 
 
 and, in spite of all our efforts, the water gained on us 
 steadily. To-night we gave up in despair, and r 
 assembling upon the deck, commended our souls to 
 God. But the Virgin sent you to our aid, and in the 
 midst of our devotions the sound of your gun told us 
 of the succor the mist prevented our seeing. For 
 the present I can only repeat my thanks. Before 
 long, to those who will receive it, I hope to render 
 more substantial token of my gratitude/ 
 
 Captain Trueman made some deprecating reply,, 
 and busied himself with the care of our unexpected 
 guests. There was plenty of room about the vessel, 
 as we had not yet taken in any quantity of oil, and 
 after those who were wet had been supplied with dry 
 clothing, all were stowed away very comfortably to 
 seek the rest they so much needed. The Captain, 
 however, had first ascertained that their destination. 
 was the port of San Francisco, and, as it did not 
 materially interfere with his plans to cruise in that 
 direction, he at once gave the necessary orders. 
 
 The next day dawned bright and lovelv, and our 
 vessel, with all sails set, glided over the rippling sea 
 with a gentleness of movement delightful to experi 
 ence. The rescued Mexicans enjoyed it greatly. 
 They were nearly all on deck, and in the reaction 
 from the exhaustion and despair of the previous night 
 were inclined to be somewhat uproarious in their 
 
14 A LM IRAN IE 
 
 good humor. Two, however, of a different station 
 
 than the rest, were more self-contained Don Ramon 
 
 and his kinsman, Carlos. To the latter I took an 
 
 immediate liking. He was not yet twenty years of 
 
 age, dark-eyed and with a face of almost girlish 
 
 beauty, framed in wavy masses of raven hair. Quiet 
 
 and reserved in his manner, there was, nevertheless, 
 
 something in the few faltering words with which he 
 
 thanked me that morning for my services of the 
 
 night before which impressed me as volumes of his 
 
 cousin s ready eloquence could not have done. It 
 
 was evident he fully reciprocated my regard, and I 
 
 promised myself many pleasant hours in his company 
 
 when he should be able to come on deck. At present 
 
 he was confined to his berth, and in a state of 
 
 extreme weakness the result, as we understood, of 
 
 violent and long continued exposure at the pumps of 
 
 the lost vessel. Captain Trueman, who was the 
 
 surgeon as well as the master of the Philip, prescribed 
 
 absolute rest and quiet for the boy, so, beyond a few 
 
 words of greeting and inquiry on my part that 
 
 morning, and the feeble but feeling expression of 
 
 thanks to which I have already alluded, we had no 
 
 conversation at all. But I looked in upon him often, 
 
 never failing, when he was awake, to be greeted by a 
 
 winning smile and a glance from his dark eyes which 
 
 was eloquent of gratitude. 
 
TREACHERY 15 
 
 Don Ramon remained a source of bewilderment 
 to me. Suave and courteous to a degree, he speedily 
 won the regard of every one on the ship every one 
 save myself. I could scarcely analyze my own feelings 
 regarding him. Distrust predominated. In every 
 smiling look and courteous word I fancied I could 
 detect hypocrisy. Once or twice, moreover, I found 
 him covertly glancing at me, with an expression 
 which I could not but believe savored of malignant 
 hatred. I attempted to dismiss the idea as absurd, 
 but without success. The remembrance of what I 
 had deemed his unmistakable recognition of me 
 lingered uneasily in my mind in spite of the unsatis 
 factory explanation he had afforded me regarding the 
 circumstance. I had naturally taken the earliest 
 opportunity to inquire concerning it, receiving a 
 reply, delivered without the slightest appearance of 
 hesitation, to the effect that the surprise he had 
 manifested was entirely owing to his discovering that 
 I, whom, from the skill and hardihood I had evinced, 
 he had fancied some rough, storm-beaten old sailor, 
 was hardly more than a boy. As to his having uttered 
 my name, that was but a fancy of my own imagina 
 tion He even seemed amused at the suggestion. 
 
 ;> I have never in my life," he said, smilingly, 
 "been in New England. You tell me that until 
 this voyage you have been nowhere else. It is 
 
16 ALMIRANTE 
 
 scarcely likely, then, is it, that I could have had the 
 honor of Seiior Rivers acquaintance before?" 
 
 Trie air of perfect frankness with which the explan 
 ation was offered went far to render it plausible. 
 Nevertheless, I hoped that before we should reach 
 port an opportunity might occur to enable me to 
 learn something further and more satisfactory. 
 
 The opportunity came that very night, much 
 sooner than I had expected, and the attendant cir 
 cumstances were as wholly unlooked-for. 
 
 I had never been attached to any regular watch 
 on board the P. iilip, and was, consequently, not 
 obliged to come on deck at night nevertheless, I 
 often chose to do so. Upon this occasion, feeling 
 restless and disinclined to sleep, I did not go to my 
 berth at all, and one o clock found me standing by 
 the bulwarks very near the spot I had occupied the 
 previous night, and under almost the same circum 
 stances, for the weather had changed agiin and grown 
 thick and foggy, though the sea was not rough. The 
 members of the watch were lounging idly about, there 
 being no occasion for any special alertness, since the 
 vessel was sailing on an even keel with a breeze both 
 gentle and steady. Nona of the sailors were in my 
 immediate vicinity, and he who at length interrupted 
 my meditations was the Mexican, Don Ramon. 
 His step was so noiseless that he was at my side 
 
TREACHERY 17 
 
 "before I was aware of his approach, and, in the 
 murky obscurity of the Anight, it was only by his voice 
 that I recognized him. 
 
 " Senor Rivers?" he said, inquiringly. 
 
 " Yes, Senor," I answered, and he continued, in 
 Spanish : 
 
 " Pardon me that I disturb your reflections, for 
 you seem in a musing mood." 
 
 " I am sometimes liable to fall into such, Senor," 
 said I. 
 
 "As are we all, - he answered. "And you. Senor 
 Rivers, have this night a special subject for medi 
 tation." 
 
 I started and gazed earnestly toward him, but his 
 features were indistinguishable, and in a perfectly 
 calm and unmoved voice he went on : 
 
 " You are thinking of the explanation I offered 
 you this morning. It was unsatisfactory, and you 
 feel it to be so. Am I not right ?" 
 
 (t Senor, I cannot deny it." 
 
 / Then again," he continued, in the same cool, 
 even tone, "you fancy I have some secret reason for 
 disliking you. Do 1 still interpret your thoughts?" 
 
 "You do." 
 
 "Alfred Rivers, you are right in this at least. I do 
 dislike you I hate you ! You did me one bad ser- 
 
i8 ALMIRANTE 
 
 vice last night, but, more thnn that, your very 
 existence is a wrong to me Now-JoseT 
 
 His voice had grown lower and lower, and the last 
 words were but a whisper. As it was uttered I heard 
 a movement behind me, but before I could turn or 
 utter a sound a heavy blow descended with crushing 
 force upon my head. Blinded, stunned and half par 
 alyzed, unable to defend myself or call for aid, I sank 
 helplessly against the bulwarks, and an instant later 
 felt myself lifted in some one s arms and flung over 
 the side. Even in falling, and in spite of the burning 
 pain and deathly sickness that oppressed me, I heard 
 the cry 1 Man overboard!" uttered in Spanish, and 
 in the voice of that black-hearted fiend who had so 
 foully sought my life. Then the blackness of death 
 seemed to close around me, and, like one already 
 bereft of life, I sank into the sea. 
 
SAVED 19 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 SAVED. 
 
 A blank, black interval of utter darkness and in 
 sensibility, though whether long or short I have no 
 means of knowing. A dim and gradual awakening 
 to a consciousness of pain. Then a faint sense of 
 motion of being lifted and let fall alternately. An 
 undefined idea of chilliness undefined at first, but 
 gradually becoming clear. At last a full and horrible 
 awakening. 
 
 I found myself floating in the sea, supported by a 
 small piece of broken spar, around which my arms 
 were fast locked. Subsequent reflection convinced 
 me that it was the very weapon with which I had been 
 so treacherously struck down, and which my assailants 
 had doubtless flung overboard to hide the traces of 
 their crime. It had proved the immediate means of 
 my preservation, though at the time I was far from 
 comprehending this. Flinging my arms about the 
 spar had doubtless been my last mechanical and 
 instinctive act as I lost consciousness, and my body, 
 naturally buoyant to an unusual degree, had needed 
 no other support. 
 
20 ALMIRANTE 
 
 But my situation was desperate in the extreme, 
 and as the full realization of its horror gradually 
 worked itself into my mind, a feeling of utter despair 
 overcame me. The ship was nowhere in sight, 
 though had she been within fifty yards it would have 
 been impossible to discover her, such was the dark 
 ness of the night and the thickness of the fog. I 
 called aloud repeatedly, but received no answer, and 
 since the vessel was out of hearing she was as remote, 
 so far as aiding me was concerned, as if at the anti 
 podes. To add to the hopelessness of my situation, 
 the waves appeared to be rising, and occasionally one 
 with a slight curling crest broke against my face, 
 almost strangling me, and awakening horrible 
 thoughts as to how long it would be until the billows 
 should become sufficiently high to roll over and 
 engulf me. My head pained dreadfully, and more 
 than once, when sickening spasms of deathly faint- 
 ness would at times oppress me, I was tempted to let 
 myself sink, and end life and pain together. But 
 worthier impulses prevailed. 
 
 After a time, I must have once more relapsed into 
 insensibility, or, if under the circumstances such a 
 thing were possible, have fallen asleep, for my next 
 recollection is of opening my eyes with a sudden 
 start, to find that it was broad day, the sun well up in 
 a cloudless sky, and the fog which had enveloped 
 
SAVED 21 
 
 ^everything the night before lying in a long, low, thick 
 bank far to one side. What might be concealed 
 behind that veil I of course could not tell, but in no 
 other direction was there either land or ship in sight. 
 A new torment now assailed me. The sun, as it 
 rose higher, shone down with tropical fierceness upon 
 my uncovered head, and the pain of my wound 
 increased four-fold, while a burning thirst tortured 
 me, though as yet I felt no hunger. In vain I 
 plunged my head again and again into the sea. It 
 appeared to give no relief, and the pain grew intoler 
 able. Delirium gradually overcame me. I have dim 
 and confused recollections of screaming and shrieking 
 wildly ; of turning my mad and burning eyes toward 
 the fog-bank, and longing for its cool shelter. 1 
 remember frantic and insane struggles to swim to it, 
 though it was miles away ; then periods of silent 
 torpor and despairing inaction from which I would 
 suddenly arouse to curse and scream in agony, or 
 burst into shrieks of mad laughter. At last came 
 merciful unconsciousness. 
 
 A large, flat surface, an irregular square in shape, 
 inclosed by a low, notched parapet of masonry, and 
 floored with what appeared to be cement. A vast 
 array of flowering shrubs, growing in all manner of 
 
22 ALMIRANTE 
 
 rude but strongly made receptacles for earth. A 
 dark-haired girl of lovely face and slender figure^ 
 seated upon a low ottoman, and leaning in a pensive 
 attitude against the parapet, while her eyes appeared 
 to be turned to where, far in the distance and beyond 
 the intervening hills, could be discerned the blue 
 and sun-lit surface of the sea. This was the scene 
 upon which I next turned conscious eyes. 
 
 I found myself reclining upon a low couch, a num 
 ber of cushions and pillows about my head and 
 shoulders propping me up in such a position that my 
 face was turned toward the sea. All my surroundings 
 were unfamiliar, as was the strange and fancifully 
 cut clothing which I wore, and my sensations upon 
 opening my eyes were as of awakening from an 
 unusually long and sound sleep. That some of its 
 phantasma yet lingered before my sight was my first 
 thought, as my amazed eyes swept slowly around me, 
 to become fixed and riveted upon her who, in her 
 wonderful loveliness, seemed much more likely to be 
 a creature of the imagination than of reality. She 
 seemed entirely unaware of the close attention with 
 which I was regarding her, and sat motionless as if 
 sunk in an absorbing reverie. Her head was turned 
 partly away, which did not prevent my observing the 
 perfect contour of her features nor the exquisite fair 
 ness of her complexion. Her lustrous brown hair 
 
SAVED 
 
 was drawn back from her forehead, and allowed to 
 flow loosely over her neck and shoulders, falling even 
 below her waist. Her eyes I could not see, and 
 while I lay there, drinking in, so to speak, the details 
 of her beauty, I felt an impatient longing to have her 
 turn her gaze toward me. 
 
 Nor was my desire long ungratified, for, apparently 
 becoming aware that I was watching her, she turned 
 suddenly and fixed two large, soft brown eyes full 
 upon my own. For a moment no word was spoken ; 
 then, feeling the silence becoming embarrassing, I 
 said : 
 
 "Pardon me, Senorita, but may I ask " 
 
 She interrupted me, springing suddenly up and 
 exclaiming, with clasped hands and upturned eyes : 
 
 "Holy Mother of God! thou hast saved him. 
 Blessings on thy name !" 
 
 Then, coming swiftly to my side, she spoke 
 again in tones of the kindliest inquiry : 
 
 "Oh, Senor, and has the cruel delirium at last 
 left you ? Are you truly recovering from this sad 
 illness ? 
 
 " Delirium illness ! Have I then been ill ?" 
 
 " 111 ! Ah, Santa Maria ! if you knew how ill! For 
 days we despaired of your life, and it is only since 
 yesterday that we have dared to hope for your recov 
 ery, but now, thanks to heaven, you are sa"e, and will 
 
24 ALM1KANTE 
 
 soon be well. But I must not talk thus to you, for 
 you are too weak to listen. Padre Francisco will be 
 angry." 
 
 " Padre Francisco ? Who is he ?" 
 
 " Our chaplain and my friend the best I have on 
 earth except my father and my brother. He has been 
 your doctor, and you owe your life to him. But I 
 will go and call him now, for if I talk to you longer 
 you will be ill again." 
 
 She was moving away, but I made a weak attempt 
 to arise, exclaiming : 
 
 "Stay, Senorita, I beg of you, but a moment. 
 Your talking cannot do me harm, but suspense and 
 bewilderment may. Tell me, I pray, before you go, 
 where I am and how I came here." 
 
 "You are at the hacienda of my father, Don 
 Hernando Almirante. It is two weeks since you 
 were found senseless and almost without life upon the 
 beach, yonder where you see the sea. Our peons 
 brought you here, and we have done what we could 
 to restore you to health." 
 
 "But how do I happen to be lying here upon the 
 roof for this is the roof, is is not?" 
 
 "Ah, that seemed the saddest of all, but I will tell 
 you. For three days after you were brought herei 
 you lay in a kind of stupor, saying nothing and taking 
 no heed of any one. You would eat nothing except 
 
SAVED a$ 
 
 it were placed in your mouth, and then but the least 
 particle. At last you began to talk, and raved wildly 
 in English, which Padre Francisco understands, 
 about your old home in New England, and how you 
 could look upon the sea from your father s door. 
 It was always in your thoughts, and you seemed to 
 long to gaze upon it. At last, as you grew worse, 
 Padre Francisco said the sight of the ocean might 
 possibly calm your delirium. So they carried you up 
 here, and then ah, Senor, how sad it seemed ! as 
 you saw the sun shining upon the waves, you clasped 
 your hands over your eyes, cursing the sunlight, and 
 calling for the mist to come and shelter you from the 
 heat that was killing you. But when they brought 
 you to your chamber again, you called for the sea ; 
 and thus it has been, day after day never contented 
 away from it, but moaning at the sight of it; It was 
 pitiful." 
 
 Her voice faltered, and the soft luster of her eyes 
 was for a moment dimmed. Then she continued : 
 
 "Yesterday you were calmer, and to-day what we 
 had been hoping for came to pass you fell into a 
 sound sleep. Heretofore, you have slept but for the 
 briefest periods, and it has seemed more the stupor 
 of exhaustion. From this slumber the Padre hoped 
 you would awake in your right mind, and, as it 
 promised to be long, he left me to watch, and went to 
 
26 ALMIRANTE 
 
 seek the rest he himself greatly needs. The servants 
 I did not allow to remain, lest their awkwardness 
 should disturb you. Now, Senor, I have told you 
 all, and I must go for Padre Francisco." 
 
 "Stay, Senorita," said I again, detaining her, " do 
 not disturb the good father, since, as you say, he should 
 have rest. I do not at present need his kind ministra 
 tions, and my thanks for his faithful services can be 
 given him when he awakens. But meanwhile let me 
 thank you you to whom, though you have said 
 nothing to indicate it, I yet dare believe I owe an 
 equal if not greater debt of gratitude." 
 
 I would have said more, but she laid her hand 
 lightly on my arm, saying in her pure and gentle 
 tones : 
 
 "When I was a little child, before my mother 
 died" her voice faltered "she used to tell me 
 something the holy Jesus said to his disciples Do 
 ye unto others as ye would have them do to you. " 
 
 I took her hand in mine and pressed it to my lips. 
 She blushed slightly, and, gently withdrawing it, 
 walked noiselessly away. 
 
MYS1EKY 27 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 MYSTERY. 
 
 I attempted to follow her with my eyes as she 
 depaited, but before I could turn my head she was 
 out of sight, and I had not done wondering by what 
 means she had descended from the roof, since from 
 where I lay there was no staircase visible, when I heard 
 a footstep behind me, and an old, gray-bearded man, 
 venerable and benevolent in aspect, and habited in a 
 long, gray cassock, came to my side and greeted me 
 with a kindly smile. 
 
 I immediately addressed him in Spanish. 
 
 " Padre Francisco, is it not to whom I owe so 
 much ? " 
 
 "Not to me, young man," he answered, gravely. 
 Render not your thanks to me, nor yet to her whose 
 gentle and unremitting care has done more for you 
 than all my feeble skill; give your praise and gratitude 
 to Him without whose aid all our efforts had been 
 fruitless." 
 
 " I do thank God, father, with all my heart ana 
 soul ; but yourself and that young lady have been his 
 worthy instruments, and as such you must accept the 
 assurance of my gratitude/ 
 
28 ALMIRANTE 
 
 " That is well said, my son, and now let us not 
 neglect what may still be advisable to restore you more 
 completely to health. How do you feel now ? " 
 
 " Not at all unwell, but very weak." 
 
 " That is but natural, since you have eaten nothing 
 for days. Have you an appetite now ? " 
 
 " I am as hungry as a wolf," I answered, smiling, 
 
 He smiled also and rubbed his hands in satisfac 
 tion. 
 
 " Ah, that is well, indeed. You must have some 
 food immediately. Ina, my child, will you attend to 
 this?" 
 
 I glanced around and to my surprise saw that the 
 young girl was but a few feet distant. She did not 
 look at me, however, but answering " Yes, father " 
 turned to leave the spot, but the priest detained her 
 a moment, saying : 
 
 "On second thoughts, daughter, have our own 
 simple repast brought here also. It is near the hour 
 and our guest will feel more at home if we share his 
 meal." 
 
 I looked my gratitude fo{ the suggestion and 
 Donna Ina, bowing in acquiescence, disappeared. 
 While she was gone the priest remained silent, regard 
 ing me with what seemed an intense, yet puzzled 
 scrutiny, under which, with the nervousness of an in- 
 
MYSTERY *$. 
 
 valid, I at length grew uncomfortable and writhed 
 uneasily. He noticed it and said: 
 
 "Pardon me, my son, but it is wonderful what a 
 change the recovery of your reason has made in the 
 expression of your features. I see in them now some 
 thing I never saw before something which seems to 
 recall a dim and indistinct memory which but let it 
 pass. Here is Ina." 
 
 The young lady was accompanied by an Indian 
 girl, bearing a tray, upon which was a plentiful supply 
 of simple and wholesome food. A small table was 
 placed beside my couch, and upon this the repast was 
 spread, to which, after Padre Francisco had said a 
 short grace, I at least did ample justice, in spite of the 
 priest s singular words. When we had finished he 
 arose, saying : 
 
 "My daughter, for a time I must leave you to 
 attend to the wants of our guest. Entertain him, but 
 do not let him talk too much. Speak yourself, or 
 better still, sing to him, I will send some one up with 
 your instrument." 
 
 " Stay, father," said I. " Before I trespass further 
 on your hospitality you must hear me state, now that 
 I am able, who I am and the circumstances which led 
 to my falling into your kind care." 
 
 He waved his hand deprecatingly. v 
 
30 ALMIRANTE 
 
 " My son, you have heard me say that you must 
 not talk at present. As for the information you wish 
 to give us all in good time. We have none of the 
 world s idle curiosity, and can wait. Farewell." 
 
 With a slight but courteous bow, and another 
 strange, intent look at me, he left us and descended 
 the stairway, which I had now succeeded in discover 
 ing, the mass of shrubbery which surrounded the 
 landing having heretofore prevented me. A moment 
 afterwards the Indian girl who had brought the lunch 
 re-appeared, carrying a guitar. Placing it in Donna 
 Ina s hands she took up the tray and once more 
 retired. Her young mistress remained silent for some 
 moments after her departure, idly fingering the strings 
 of the instrument, and I at length broke the stillness 
 myself. 
 
 " Pardon me, Senorita," I said, "but may I beg 
 you to depart from the good father s directions inso 
 much as to talk to me rather than sing ? There is no 
 music I should like better." 
 
 She flashed a sudden look upon me, and I feared 
 for a moment I had offended her, but it was not so, 
 for a slight smile came over her face, and casting down 
 Tier eyes, she asked : 
 
 " What shall I speak of, Senor? " 
 
 "Anything everything! Tell me about your 
 self, your home your friends." 
 
MYSTERY 31 
 
 "Ah, what is there to tell? I am Ina Almirante. 
 I live here in this wilderness with Padre Francisco 
 and my father, brother, and and a kinsman. Other 
 relatives I have none. Even these that I have are 
 at present absent, though soon expected to return. 
 My brother has been gone three years, my cousin five 
 months, and my father three weeks. They will all 
 meet and return together." 
 
 "You speak of a kinsman," said I with could it 
 be possible ? something very like a feeling of jealousy 
 stirring within me. 
 
 "Yes, my father s cousin. He has always made 
 his home with us, for his own rancho, which is far 
 ther back from the coast, is a wild and savage place, 
 and open to attack from the Indians. No one lives 
 there but some of my kinsman s peons, who are, I 
 sometimes think, more wild than the savages." 
 
 "You say, Sefiorita, that your kinsman s residence 
 is farther in the interior. Then whose is that large, 
 white building I see far away toward the ocean ?" 
 
 She started, exclaiming : 
 
 "Ah, that I do not know!" 
 
 "You do not know," I repeated In amazement. 
 
 Donna Ina hesitated, colored, and at length an 
 swered, confusedly : 
 
 " I my father there is some mystery about it." 
 
3 ALMIRANTE 
 
 "Then do not let me pry into it, Senorita. Par 
 don me for mentioning it." 
 
 "But now that I have excited your curiosity, 
 Sefior, you shall know all I do. That is only this : 
 I have never been allowed to go there, nor do I know 
 to whom it belongs. My father, when I ask him, 
 only replies that it is waiting for an owner who will 
 come some day. Whom he means I cannot tell. 
 That he could possess it himself if he wished, I know; 
 for once my cousin " 
 
 She suddenly stopped. 
 
 " Your cousin, Senorita " 
 
 "Pardon me, Seftor, but this I cannot tell." 
 
 She cast down her eyes and said no more, and 
 there was a moment of embarrassing silence. Then, 
 turning to me once more, she said, anxiously: 
 
 "Senor, you are flushed and nervous. I should 
 not have talked to you as I have. I have tired you !" 
 
 " No indeed. How should it tire me to listen to 
 you ?" 
 
 " Perhaps not, were I to speak in your own 
 tongue, but to endeavor to listen to one speaking 
 a language which, however well you many understand 
 it, is nevertheless not your own, must necessarily be 
 trying to one just recovering from brain fever. Why 
 did I never learn to speak English ! 
 
 "Thanks, Senorita," I answered, smiling, "but 
 
MYSTERY 33 
 
 that could not but be difficult, I imagine, if you have 
 always lived apart from English-speaking people and 
 their literature/ 
 
 "Literature! Indeed, yes. We have but one 
 English book in the house, and how that came into 
 our possession I do not know." 
 
 "An English book? What is its subject, 
 Senorita ?" 
 
 "Ah, that I do not know. But I will bring it to 
 you in one instant." 
 
 " No, no; do not trouble yourself, I beg." 
 
 But she was already gone, and while I was yet 
 regretting the interruption she returned, carrying in 
 her hand a well-worn, leather-bound book, which, 
 upon opening, I ascertained to be an odd volume of 
 Shakspere. But when I turned to the fly-leaf to see 
 if there was an inscription of any kind, the book fell 
 from my hand, and I fell helplessly back upon the 
 couch, in my weak state almost fainting with surprise, 
 for upon the page was written, in a bold, old- 
 fashioned hand 
 
 Alfred (Rivers, 
 
 JJew (Bedford, 
 
 Massachusetts. 
 
34 ALM1RANTE 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 A MEETING. 
 
 Donna Ina hurried to my side. 
 
 "What is it, Senor, what is it?" she asked 
 anxiously. " Let me call Padre Francisco." 
 
 11 No, no, it is not necessary/ I answered, with 
 what calmness I could muster. "A sudden iamtness, 
 that is all." 
 
 What induced me to answer thus evasively, and to 
 conceal the cause of my agitation, I hardly knew 
 certainly no distrust of the beautiful girl upon whose 
 truth and faith I felt even then I would be willing to 
 peril my life. Nevertheless, the impulse arose and 
 on the spur of the moment was acted upon. My 
 own name, and the name of the place where I was 
 born and where I had lived almost all my life ! 
 What could it mean ? A score of strange and im 
 probable thoughts and fancies stirred in my mind at 
 the same instant. The blood rushed to my head, 
 and my wound, though almost healed, throbbed with 
 pangs of burning pain. A low moan escaped me, 
 and I lay back with closed eyes, half unconscious. 
 
 " Poor, poor boy !" 
 
 The pitying words, uttered in the soft Spanish 
 
A MEETING 35 
 
 tongue, and with a world of tender sympathy in their 
 intonation, fell upon my senses like a breath of heal 
 ing. It was evident that she thought me unconscious, 
 and had no idea of my overhearing her, but could she 
 already speak of me in a tone like that ? The pain 
 seemed to leave me, or I no longer felt it, for a sense 
 of strange and sudden delight thrilled through my 
 being, and for one moment at least I felt lifted above 
 the cares and the ills of earth. I opened my eyes 
 and met her own, bent full upon me and dim with 
 tears. A deep blush for a moment suffused her face 
 for she saw that I had heard, yet she did not turn 
 away, but, strong in her own utter innocence and 
 purity, still bent her eyes, lit with gentle sympathy, 
 upon me, while she said : 
 
 "Pardon me, Senor, but I pity you so deeply! 
 Are you in much pain ?" 
 
 I forgot how utterly a stranger I was to her ; forgot 
 that our acquaintance, as far at least as my own 
 recollection extended, was but of hours ; forgot all 
 but the spell of her beauty and her words and it was 
 with throbbing pulses and burning eyes that I said: 
 
 "Ah, Senorita, who could think of pain while you 
 look on him like that ?" 
 
 Again a crimson shade swept over her face, and 
 she lifted her hand with a strange motion which 
 seemed almost of warning. But I caught it in mine 
 
 3 
 
36 ALMIRANTE 
 
 and, carried away with the excitement of this wild 
 passion, pressed it suddenly and almost fiercely to my 
 lips. She attempted to draw it away, but I did not 
 release it, and after a moment she suffered it to 
 remain passive in my grasp. But she trembled visibly, 
 and when I looked up, her face was white and 
 troubled, while her eyes had in them an expression 
 of intense reproach. Stung with shame I released her 
 hand, and murmured, only half intelligibly : 
 
 "Forgive me, Senorita. I am half mad I think, 
 and scarcely know what I do. Indeed, I would not 
 willingly make you angry." 
 
 " I am not angry, Senor," she answered; "I do 
 not forget that you are ill. But hereafter " She 
 paused, hesitated, sighed and turned away. 
 
 What might have next been said, had we remained 
 uninterrupted, I cannot tell, for at that moment our 
 attention was suddenly arrested by the rapid clatter of 
 hoofs near at hand. The rider, whoever he might be, 
 was not visible from where we were, and in a moment 
 the sounds ceased, the horseman having evidently 
 arrived at the entrance to the hacienda. Shortly 
 afterward a babel of confused exclamations burst sud 
 denly forth, and even while Donna Tna s lips seemed 
 to frame a question, the young Indian girl came sud 
 denly up the staircase and hurried towards us, 
 exclaiming in strangely accented Spanibh : 
 
37 
 
 "Donna Ina! Donna Ina! Can you think who has 
 come ?" 
 
 "Not my father and brother? exclaimed her mis 
 tress, eagerly. 
 
 The girl laughed. 
 
 "No, no, Donna Ina," she answered; "but they 
 are coming and have sent a messenger. But who is 
 that messenger? Who should it be but one?" 
 
 Ina seemed offended at her servant s freedom, 
 for the eager light left her eyes, and drawing herself 
 up, she said, coldly : 
 
 "Go down, Fancha, and say I am coming." 
 
 The girl obeyed, still laughing, and evidently in 
 no wise disconcerted by her mistress s manner. 
 
 Donna Ina stood still for a moment, apparently in 
 deep thought ; then, with a glance at me and a slight 
 bow, began to move slowly toward the stairway. 
 While I was wondering at her seeming indifference to 
 the message which the late arrival was said to bring 
 from the father and brother to whom I felt sure she 
 passionately attached, there was a quick step upon 
 the stairs, and a tall, dark-visaged man, dressed in 
 dusty and travel-worn garments, sprong upon the 
 roof, and without noticing me hurried to Ina and 
 sank upon his knees before her. 
 
 11 Fairest Ina," he murmured, clasping her hand 
 and lifting his dark and passionate eyes to her face, 
 
3* ALM1RANTE 
 
 "forgive my impatience, but I could not wait an 
 instant. It is five months since I have seen you, five 
 months five centuries !" 
 
 "You are welcome home, Ramon," said Ina in a 
 trembling voice. " But now rise, and let us go down 
 where you may rest and tell me of Carlos and my 
 father. 
 
 "No, rather let me rest here," he answered, his 
 adoring eyes still fixed upon her face. " What resting 
 place can be sweeter to the weary wanderer than at 
 the feet of her he loves ?" 
 
 But. mad with jealousy and thirsting for ven 
 geance, I had already dragged myself from my couch, 
 and staggered, weak and dizzy, to the unconscious 
 man s side ; and as he uttered the last word my hand 
 closed on his throat. 
 
 " Treacherous hound !" 
 
 He sprang to his feet with a ghastly face and a cry 
 that was almost a shriek : 
 
 "Diablo! it is Rivers I" 
 
 In rising he had torn himself loose from my feeble 
 hold, and now stood opposite me, but a step away, 
 with his hand upon his knife-hilt, while Ina, mute 
 uith amazement and horror leaned against the para 
 pet but a few yards distant. I was so utterly weak 
 that I could scarcely stand, and, as my enemy noticed 
 this, the color came again into his face, and a gleam. 
 
A MEETING 39 
 
 of murderous hate shone in his eyes. I saw his fing 
 ers tighten upon the hilt of his weapon, and, helpless 
 and unarmed as I was, realized how completely I was 
 in his power. Frenzied and maddened, I gave no 
 heed, but sprang forward and struck him on the 
 breast. He drew back with a muttered curse, and 
 his knife flashed from the sheath but at the same 
 instant a lithe figure sprang up the stairway, and 
 Carlos Alrrurante, dashing between us without notic 
 ing our positions, clasped his sister in his arms. 
 
 * Ina, my love, my darling sister ! I am home at 
 lastl" 
 
40 ALMIRANTE 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 THE BANISHMENT. 
 
 I think that, horrified as she must have been the 
 instant before, Ina for a moment forgot the very 
 existence of Estrada and myself in the joy of meeting 
 her brother. She clung to him, passionately returning 
 his embrace, and sobbing for joy, while my own mad 
 passions grew hushed and aim in the presence of 
 such tenderness and devotion. Even Estrada, 
 wretch as he was, must have felt its influence, or per 
 haps an impulse of prudence moved him, for he 
 returned his weapon to its sheath, and, folding his 
 arms, assumed an attitude of imperturbable calmness. 
 
 "O, Carlos, my dear, dear brother !" murmured 
 Ina, brokenly, " the years have been long since you 
 left us/ 
 
 "And they have to me," he answered, pressing his 
 lips to her forehead. "Never did a criminal long for 
 the end of his imprisonment with more earnestness 
 than did I for the time when I should be free to re 
 turn to the sister I loved. All of our party can testify 
 that since we left the port I have given them no rest 
 in my eagerness to reach home. Nor did my father 
 and Ramon seem less eager, and to-day it culminated 
 
THE BANISHMENT 41 
 
 in a race between us three to see which should arrive 
 first. My saddle-girths broke, or Ramon should not 
 have outstripped me, It matters not, however, for I 
 am here now, as our father will soon be, nor are the 
 rest far behind. But what is it, sister? Why do 
 you turn pale and tremble ?" 
 
 The mention of her kinsman s name had evidently 
 recalled the incidents of the last few moments to 
 Donna Ina s mind, for her face had indeed lost its 
 color, and her eyes turned to where we yet stood, I 
 leaning against a trellis, for I could no longer stand 
 unsupported, and Don Ramon opposite me, erect and 
 defiant. Carlos, receiving no reply to his question, 
 followed his sister s gaze with his own, and as his eyes 
 fell upon my face, a wild cry escaped him : 
 
 " Mother of God! Mother of God! Can it be 
 truly the same? or is it but his ghost ?" 
 
 I could not answer, but Ina said, wonderingly : 
 
 " Do you then know him, brother?" 
 
 " Do I know him !" echoed Carlos, springing to 
 me and seizing both my hands in his; "do I know 
 him to whom I owe my life? who saved it at the 
 risk of his own ? But O, my friend ! my saviour ! that 
 I should find you here here at my own home! alive 
 and safe, when I have mourned you as lying dead 
 beneath the treacherous sea that would have been my 
 own grave but for you ! Great God, I thank thee !" 
 
42 ALMIRANTE 
 
 "I, too, am grateful," spoke Don Ramon, in 
 slow, measured tones, " that Providence has saved 
 the life of one who rendered us such good service, 
 and whose supposed loss, I as well as his late ship 
 mates mourned most deeply. But I am grieved to 
 think that I have still to regret the loss of his reason ?" 
 
 " His reason ! What do you mean ?" exclaimed 
 Carlos. 
 
 " Your sister, if she will, can explain my mean 
 ing," answered Estrada, coldly. " Let her tell what 
 happened a few moments since." 
 
 "Let me tell it !" I exclaimed, starting up erect, 
 my indignation lending me a fictitious strength. 
 " Let me show you what manner of man he is who 
 calls himself your kinsman !" and in tremulous tones 
 and with passionate gestures, vainly attempting to 
 restrain the indignation which possessed me, I poured 
 forth the story of Estrada s treachery and attempted 
 murder. Donna Ina and her brother listened with 
 horrified countenances, but Don Ramon s bore an 
 expression of cynical contempt, inexpressibly galling. 
 When I had finished he opened his lips to speak, but 
 a deep, stern voice interrupted him : 
 
 " Ramon Estrada, is this true ?" 
 
 We turned to the head of the staircase, from 
 whence the voice had proceeded. A man stood 
 there, erect and vigorous, with eyes of intense and 
 
THE BANISHMENT 43 
 
 fiery blackness, but whose flowing hair and beard 
 were as white as snow. His was a face both haughty 
 and handsome, and it needed not the word " Father !" 
 uttered by Ina, to convince me of his identity. His 
 daughter would have hastened to his side, but he waved 
 her back, almost sternly, while he repeated his ques 
 tion: 
 
 "Ramon Estrada, is this true?" 
 
 The accused did not answer immediately^ and the 
 old man continued: 
 
 " I came but a moment since, though you did not 
 notice me ; came to hear that man, Alfred Rivers, 
 who speaks to me as would a voice from the grave, 
 declare that you, my kinsman, repaid his faithful ser 
 vice to my son with treachery and attempted assassi 
 nation. Ramon Estrada, is this true?" 
 
 " Don Hernando," answered Estrada, with well 
 feigned indignation, "if any man to whom I owe less 
 reverence had asked that question, his heart s blood 
 should atone for the insult. But to you all things 
 must be allowed. Know, then, that this poor mani 
 ac s tale is the absurdest of untruths. His own 
 ship-mates will testify that when he fell overboard it 
 was I who first gave the alarm, and, furthermore, that 
 no one was more active in attempting to rescue him 
 than myself. I appeal to Carlos to substantiate or 
 disprove this assertion." 
 
44 ALM1RANTE 
 
 Almirante turned inquiringly toward his son, who, 
 with eyes averted from mine, answered in a low tone : 
 
 "It is true. No one suspected that there had 
 been treachery against our poor friend." 
 
 " Now, Don Hernando," pursued Estrada, in a 
 firmer and more confident tone, "can you not see that 
 what you have listened to is but the delusion of a 
 mind deranged from hardship and suffering? I con 
 fess that I myself did not at first think of this, and in 
 my anger at his sudden and unprovoked assault upon 
 me a few moments since I could have taken his life. 
 But all that is passed now, and the only feeling I have 
 for him is pity." 
 
 Pity ! Great God ! could I bear this ? The liar 
 actually looked at me as he ceased speaking with an 
 expression of deep compassion ; worse than that, I 
 saw Ina and her brother exchange glances of the same 
 import, though Don Hernando s eyes were fixedly 
 bent npon his kinsman s face, and his own counte 
 nance bore only an expression of intense thought. 
 Suddenly the sound of a bugle was heard in the dis 
 tance, evidently heralding the approach of the remain 
 der of the travelers, and at the same instant Almi- 
 rante s brow cleared, and he said : 
 
 * Come with me, all of you, to the court You, 
 Carlos, support your friend. He saved your life, and 
 
THE BANISHMENT 45 
 
 you owe him service, and the greater his affliction 
 now, the greater is his claim upon yon. Come/ 
 
 We all followed him to the staircase and de 
 scended, Carlos guiding and aiding my steps with 
 brotherly solicitude. But I scarcely needed his sup 
 port, for a conviction of Don Hernando s purpose 
 had suddenly entered my mind and brought with it a 
 feeling of confidence which for the time seemed to 
 supply the place of physical strength. I fancied, too, 
 that Don Ramon had some conception of his kins 
 man s idea, for an uneasy look was visible for a mo 
 ment in his dark eyes, giving place, however, to an 
 expression of sullen scorn. 
 
 When we had descended the stairway I was led 
 into a large square courtyard, around which the house 
 was built in the form of a quadrangle. Opposite us- 
 was a gloomy looking, arched passageway, and along 
 this my companions conducted me until we emerged 
 through a heavily barred door into the open air. A 
 broad and gentle slope lay before us, and up this a 
 number of picturesquely costumed horsemen were 
 riding, urging before them a line of heavily laden 
 mules. They were soon near at hand, whereupon a 
 number of the household servants hurried out to meet 
 them, and after greeting their returning friends, took 
 charge of the pack animals, driving them around an 
 angle of the hacienda and out of our sight, while their 
 
46 ALMIRANTE 
 
 late herders galloped up to us and sprang from their 
 wearied horses with a chorus of * Vivas." 
 
 Ever since we had taken up our position in the 
 doorway, Don Hernando had been standing directly 
 before me, with his stern eyes fixed upon Estrada s 
 face. Now, however, he turned away and at the same 
 instant drew me forward into the full view of the ar 
 rivals. There was a moment of dead silence, and 
 then exclamations of astonishment and even horror 
 burst from the lips of nearly all, since there were few 
 among them who had not been of the crew we had 
 rescued at sea. But upon one, a low-browed and 
 stalwart-framed individual of middle age, who stood 
 in the front of the group, the effect of my sudden 
 apparition was tremendous. A ghastly pallor spread 
 over his visage, and wildly flinging up his arms he sank 
 upon his knees with a cry 
 
 " Mercy ! mercy, Jesu !" 
 
 A mad light flamed in Djn Ramon s eyes, and he 
 cried sivagely: 
 
 " What ails you, fool ?" 
 
 "There, there!" shrieked the wretch, glaring at 
 me with a gnze of utter horror. " Do you not see 
 him? So pale and ghastly! Oh, keep him away! 
 keep him away !" Fur here in the excitement of the 
 moment I moved a step toward him. "For God s 
 sake, do not let him touch me ! Don Ramon, save 
 
THE BANISHMENT 47 
 
 me ! It was you who made me do it ! Save me ! 
 save me !" 
 
 I heard a horrible oath, and saw some one rush 
 savagely forward. A knife for an instant flashed in 
 the sunlight then there was an awful cry. For an 
 instant the air seemed full of blood, I grew sick at 
 the sight, and staggering blindly backward sank upon- 
 a rude stone seat against the wall. Ina appeared to 
 be fainting, and Carlos sprang to her side, and, passing 
 his arm around her, half led, half carried her to a 
 seat upon the opposite side of the gateway, correspond 
 ing to that upon which I sat. She sank upon it, pale 
 and motionless, while Carlos knelt before her, chafing 
 her hands and endeavoring to shut out the sight of 
 the dead man who lay so near, bloody and horrible* 
 The crowd of menials had shrunk back, aghast and 
 trembling, forgetting their consternation at the unex 
 pected sight of myself in the shock of this sudden 
 crime. The murderer, every devilish though long 
 restrained passion of his nature now for once thor 
 oughly released, stood over his victim, his bloody 
 weapon still in his hand, and with a face of demoni 
 acal fury. Don Hernando stood near him, giving no 
 heed to the dead man, but gazing steadfastly upon 
 the murderer. Not till the confusion had entirely 
 ceased and given place to a kind of dead calm, did 
 
48 ALMIKANTE 
 
 he speak ; then, in cold, stern tones, he addressed his 
 kinsman : 
 
 " Ramon Estrada, you are a liar and a murderer. 
 The wretch you have slain had forfeited his life, and it 
 is not worth avenging. But he has proved your 
 greater guilt. You sought the life and I well know 
 why of him, whom you, my son s kinsman, should 
 have died to save. Again I believe now that when 
 Carlos was left to perish upon the sinking vessel, it was 
 with your knowledge, and not by accident. You would 
 have murdered him, and I can guess your reason. And 
 o think that I had urged my innocent child to give her 
 land to such a monster ! Leave my sight and pres 
 ence forever! Upon the peril of your life never again 
 set your foot upon the land which I call mine. Gu! and 
 thank the Fates that the blood of rny own race flows 
 in your veins, else you should never leave this spot 
 alive. Go ! and may God curse you !" 
 
 Don Ramon had listened to Almirante s words 
 without offering to interrupt him, but when they were 
 ended he smiled scornfully, and answered, in a low, 
 fierce tone : 
 
 " And are you the man who should speak to me 
 thus ? Are you the one to denounce a murderer ? 
 Perhaps if Alfred Rivers knew " 
 
 Don Hernando s face grew a shade paler, and he 
 hoarsely interrupted: 
 
THE BANISHMENT 49 
 
 " Wretch, do not tempt me too far. Our common 
 blood may yet fail to protect you." 
 
 Estrada sheathed his bloody knife and turned 
 away, saying : 
 
 " Let it pass now, then. But trust to me for the 
 truth being known some day." 
 
 " But from my lips only shall it be known," was 
 the low, stern answer. 
 
 Without further answer, save by a sneering smile, 
 Estrada walked slowly away and disappeared around 
 a corner of the building. A moment later we 
 saw him, mounted upon a strong-limbed and coal- 
 black mustang, dashing recklessly down the slope as 
 if returning toward the coast. Reaching the foot of 
 the hill, however, he turned abruptly inland and was 
 soon lost to view behind the first of a low range of 
 hills. Then Don Hernando broke the silence, ad 
 dressing his servants : 
 
 " Take away the body of that wretch and prepare 
 it for burial. I will send Padre Francisco to you. 
 Come, my children, let us go within." 
 
 As he uttered the word " children," his eves dwelt 
 upon me with an expression of the utmost kindness, 
 which seemed to indicate that I was included in the 
 meaning of the term. However, he said nothing 
 further, but giving his arm to Ina and motioning 
 Carlos to lend me his suppoit, silently led the way 
 
50 ALM1RAN IE 
 
 back through the passage until we stood once more 
 within the courtyard. Then as 1 paused by his side 
 and noted his kindly look once more dwelling on my 
 face, a sudden impulse moved me to extend my hand 
 toward him. To my surprise he hesitated to take 
 it, turning lividly pale, and after a pause gently 
 grasped me by the wrist and placed my hand in that 
 of his son. 
 
 " Give Carlos your hand," he said, sighing. " Be 
 you to him as he to you, a friend, a brother in affec 
 tion, if you will. But for myself pity and pardoa 
 me. Alfred, for I cannot suffer you to take my hand."- 
 
 xie waved us on toward a curtained douiwiiy, and 
 turned sadly away. 
 
A SAD REVELATION 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 A SAD REVELATION. 
 
 Two weeks had elapsed after the occurrences nar 
 rated in the last chapter before I felt myself to be 
 fully recovered from my illness. During all this 
 time nothing could exceed the kindness of Don Her- 
 nando and his household. One would have sup 
 posed me to be a beloved member of their own family. 
 Almirante himself seemed to regard me almost in the 
 same light as he did Carlos. Yet he offered me no 
 explanation of the many singular circumstances con 
 cerning which I would fain have been enlightened, 
 and delicacy forbade my seeking information from the 
 other members of his household, since he, its head, 
 did not see fit to give it. 
 
 The period of my convalescence was certainly 
 pleasant. Everything was done which could tend to 
 interest or divert me. Having lived the greater part 
 of my life in a. New England seaport town, I knew lit 
 tle of horsemanship, but as soon as I became suffi 
 ciently strong my host and his son placed me under a 
 course of instruction in this exercise, to the daily trials 
 of which I soon looked forward with the keenest zest. 
 Nor was this in any way singular, since Carlos and 
 
52 ALMIRANTE 
 
 his sister were the almost invariable companions of 
 my rides, which increased in length daily. Ina was a 
 splendid horsewoman, having spent a great part of her 
 life in the saddle, while Carlos, mounted, seemed 
 almost a centaur. 
 
 As time went on Don Hernnndo s kindness seemed 
 to increase, if that were possible. My ship had sailed 
 from the Bay of San Francisco, but he sent messages 
 regarding my safety to all the points within a distance 
 of several hundred miles up and down the coast 
 where there was the least likelihood of her touching. 
 In the meantime he forbade me, kindly but per 
 emptorily, to make any reference to my future move 
 ments, observing that there was something I was yet 
 to learn, and which would in due time be told me. 
 He placed no restrictions upon my intercourse with 
 his dau-ghter, but at times I observed him regarding 
 us with a sad and anxious look. So the days went 
 by. 
 
 At length when several weeks had elapsed since 
 the return of his party from the port, Don Hernando 
 one morning invited me to ride out with him alone. 
 1 accepted with alacrity, feeling assured that some 
 thing of moment was in prospect. I did not know 
 how momentous it was to prove. 
 
 When we had descended from the eminence upon 
 which the hacienda was located, my interest was fur- 
 
A SAD REVELATION 53 
 
 ther excited by Don Hernando choosing a path I had 
 never before traversed, but which I felt assured led to 
 the mansion concerning which Donna Ina had once 
 made some slight mention in a manner which had at 
 the time greatly excited my curiosity. However, as 
 my conductor seemed to be in a musing mood, I for 
 bore to question him, and we rode on in silence side 
 by side. At last, after having ridden a distance of 
 some three miles, my companion drew rein before a 
 small mound of loose stones heaped together some 
 thing in the shape of a pyramid. 
 
 Motioning me to occupy a particular position, 
 Don Hernando directed my attention first toward the 
 north, and then southward, and I saw the heap by 
 which we stood was one of a long and perfectly 
 straight line of similar mounds of which I could not 
 see the end. 
 
 11 The boundary between my land and this," said 
 Almirante. 
 
 Again we rode forward, my guide directing our 
 course toward a high hill, the slope of which, however, 
 was, on our side at least, comparatively gentle. 
 Reaching the base, Don Hernando never paused, but 
 rode on and upward, straight toward the summit. 
 Our horses were full of fire, and impatient of re 
 straint,, and in a very short space of time we reached 
 the highest peak. There Don Hernando drew rein, 
 
54 ALMIRANTE 
 
 and with a wave of his hand directed my attention to 
 what lay around about us. 
 
 To the west and south was the mighty expanse of 
 the Pacific, its changeless monotony unbroken by a 
 single sail. Turning from its troubled surface, my 
 eyes swept over a vast area of hill and dale ; of wide 
 savannas and flower decked plains, extending to the 
 east and north till further vision was cut off by a range 
 of mountains. In some places the surface of the 
 ground was hidden by a heavy growth of timber, 
 while in others it was bare except for a verdant 
 carpeting of the most luxuriant vegetation, anid 
 which antelope, elk and deer could be discerned 
 feeding in countless numbers. At a distance of per 
 haps two miles to the southward was the building I 
 have already referred to, and which I now perceived 
 to be of much larger dimensions than I had pre 
 viously supposed. It seemed to me also that there 
 were quite a number of people moving about it. 
 
 Don Hernando addressed me. 
 
 " Look," he said, " far to the north. The moun 
 tains that you see form the northern boundary of this 
 domain. On the west and south it does not end but 
 with the ocean. To the east lies my own land, di 
 vided from this by the line of boundary stones I 
 showed you, which extends southward till it strikes the 
 sea. There are ten square leagues in this domain. 
 
A SAD REVELATION 55 
 
 Look upon it now and say if it be not a goodly heri 
 tage ?" 
 
 " It is, Don Hernando, or the sun never shone on 
 one." 
 
 " The house you see to the southward is, of course, 
 a part of it. There are numerous peons dwelling 
 upon the estate, whose services are needed for the 
 care of the herds which belong to it. Nor is money 
 wanting, though* in this wilderness there is little need 
 for it. All this awaits the heir, and, Alfred Rivers, 
 you and you only are that heir." 
 
 " I, Don Hernando ? I ! What can you mean ?" 
 
 "I mean that it is all yours," he answered quietly. 
 
 " Mine ? By what right can I claim it ?" 
 
 " The best. You are the nearest, and so far as I 
 know the only, blood relation of its former owner." 
 
 " Don Hernando, you are under a strange delu 
 sion. None of my race were ever on this coast be 
 fore." 
 
 "None of his race ! Ah, heaven, hear the boy!" 
 he muttered sadly. 
 
 After a pause, during which I remained silent, a 
 multitude of tumultuous thoughts whirling through 
 my mind, he continued : 
 
 " Have you never wondered at the strange knowl 
 edge of yourself which I and others seemed to possess. 
 Were you not amazed by the fact that your name was 
 
56 ALMIRANTE 
 
 not unknown among us? Could you not see that 
 there was something concerning yourself which you 
 did not know ?" 
 
 " It seems so/ I answered, " and yet I could not 
 imagine it possible." 
 
 " Well, then, know now from me that you are not 
 the first of your race that has visited these shores. 
 You are but the successor and heir of another of your 
 name and blood who, years ago, founded here a home 
 he did not live to enjoy. For many long years it has 
 been under my stewardship, and I trust my duty has 
 been faithfully performed. But you have come, 
 though unconscious of the heritage awaiting you, and 
 I yield it up to you." 
 
 " Can this indeed be possible?" 
 
 "It is true." 
 
 "But, Don Hernando, this cannot be all you 
 have to tell me. I am still utterly bewildered, and 
 there must be more for me to learn." 
 
 " Yes, you are right, there is more more which I 
 would fain be spared the telling. Why should I tell 
 it ? Yonder, Alfred Rivers, is your home. G j there 
 and seek within its walls the key to the mystery of 
 your life." 
 
 " Come then," said I, " let us go together." 
 
 He shook his head sadly, answering: 
 
 " No, that cannot be. In all the long years of mv 
 
A SAD REVELATION 57 
 
 stewardship of this domain, I have never been within 
 the walls of yonder building. And when you have 
 once entered and received the knowledge which awaits 
 you there, you will never again offer me the invitation 
 you have but now given." 
 
 * c What !" I exclaimed, almost angrily, "and can 
 I not enter into possession of what you say is my 
 property without forfeiting what I value far more 
 the friendship of the man I revere next to my 
 father?" 
 
 A sudden spasm as of pain crossed his face. 
 
 " Next to your father," he repeated in a low tone. 
 "Ah, holy Jesu ! his father!" Then lifting his bent 
 brows, he went on : . 
 
 "Alfred, it is as I have said. There is your home, 
 and you have only to enter to possess it. But when 
 you have done so you will no longer call me friend, 
 and I and mine will be as widely separated from you 
 as though yonder ocean rolled between us." 
 
 I and mine! The words sank into my heart like 
 lead, and I answered with a sort of sullen despair : 
 
 " Then hear me. If this horrible thing can possi 
 bly be true, I will not enter the home which you call 
 mine. My parents are dead, and from the treatment 
 I have received at your hand 5 , my first duty is to you; 
 and if I cannot " 
 
 " You mistake, Alfred," said he, interrupting me. 
 
58 ALMIRANTE 
 
 "There is one other who has a stronger claim upon 
 you than I have." 
 
 The conscious blood rose in my face, and for a 
 moment I hung my head. But soon, lifting my eyes 
 and firmly meeting his own, I said in a low tone ; 
 
 "And if I do love her, could I or could any one 
 in my circumstances have done otherwise ? 
 
 The sad look deepened upon his face. 
 
 "You have utterly mistaken me," he said; "I 
 had no reference to Im. But is it then as I have 
 feared? Alas 1 I should hav^ been harsher for your 
 own good. I dreaded the possibility of this, but I 
 could not bear to seem unkind to one who deserved 
 so much at my hands. But now there is only one 
 thing for me to say. Boy, you must crush such 
 thoughts out of your mind, for what you dream of is 
 utterly impossible," 
 
 A blank feeling of hopelessness took possession of 
 me, and I exclaimed, despairingly : 
 
 " But why why ? Don Hernando, is this jus 
 tice ? You profess the deepest friendship for me, and 
 you have proved it to be no pretense. Yet you for 
 bid me to even hope for that beside which every other 
 interest pales into insignificance, and you give no rea 
 son. Is this just?" 
 
 " Then hear my reason, "he said, throwing out his 
 hands with a sudden passionate gesture, and speaking 
 
A SAD REVELATION 59 
 
 in a manner which would have seemed melodramatic 
 but for the evident earnestness of his words ; " hear 
 my reason ! The blood of the race of Rivers is upon 
 my hands, and while that stain remains we can never 
 be allied I" 
 
60 ALMIKAME 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 THE GRAVE ON THE CLIFF 
 
 I started, aghast. 
 
 " You mean" 
 
 " I mean that Alfred Rivers, the first of that name 
 who visited these shores, died by my hands." 
 
 " But surely by accident ; through no malice of " 
 
 " Through the deadliest malice that ever man felt 
 for man," was the stern interruption. " I can guess 
 what questions are upon your tongue, but before you 
 ask them come with me." 
 
 He put spurs to his horse. My own sprang for 
 ward to keep pace with it, and side by side we dashed 
 away toward the ocean. The ground descended but 
 slightly, and our pace was terrific, for Don Hernando, 
 sitting erect and firm in his saddle, with colorless 
 face and sternly fixed eyes, seemed to think only of 
 haste. He urged his horse to the utmost, while I felt 
 it was useless to attempt restraining my own. The 
 ridge along which we were dashing so recklessly ran out 
 a long distance into the ocean, in the form of a lofty 
 promontory, ending at last in a tremendous cliff. Not 
 until we were upon the very brink of this did my 
 companion draw rein. Then, suddenly flinging his 
 
THE GRAVE ON THE CLIFF 6l 
 
 horse almost upon its haunches, he sprang to the 
 ground. 
 
 " Dismount," he said. 
 
 I needed no second suggestion, for as my horse 
 curveted and plunged but a few feet from the verge 
 of the cliff my brain grew sick and dizzy, and I felt 
 as if I must soon fall from the saddle. However, my 
 feet had hardly touched the earth when my attention 
 was riveted upon an object, a closer inspection of 
 which caused me to forget my illness. Don Her- 
 nando, with his uncovered head bent forward upon 
 his breast and his long snowy hair floating in the 
 breeze from the sea, stood motionkss beside a roughly 
 hewn slab of gray stone, upon the surface of which an 
 irregularly chiseled inscription could be discerned. I 
 drew nearer, and bending over it read aloud : 
 
 Beneath this stone lies the body of 
 ALFRED RIVERS, 
 
 who fell by the hand of violence upon this very spot on 
 the ist day oj May, 18 . He was foully slain, since 
 he was guiltless of all crime, God and Holy Mary 
 receive him into Paradise and pity and forgive his 
 murderer. 
 
 \ looked up, and Don Hernando s eves met mine. 
 "And you are that murderer !" I said. 
 He bowed his head. 
 
62 ALMIRANTE 
 
 " One more question. What was this Alfred 
 Rivers to myself?" 
 
 "Your own father 1" 
 
 I sprang up, aghast, and involuntarily recoiled 
 from him. But this was too horrible and too wildly 
 improbable for belief. 
 
 "You are mad!" I cried. " Robert Rivers was 
 my father. He was born in New England. He died 
 and was buried there. He never to my knowledge 
 visited this coast." 
 
 "Robert Rivers never did," he replied in a hollow 
 tone. " But he had no children that I ever heard of, 
 for you are really his nephew and his son only by 
 adoption. You were born within the walls of yonder 
 mansion, and your father lies beneath this stone." 
 
 "This cannot be." 
 
 " It is. Have you no remembrance of a foreign 
 nurse who attended on you through some part at least 
 of your childhood?" 
 
 "Juanita! Juanita ! She died when I was twelve 
 years old." 
 
 " In her charge you, when almost an infant, made 
 the perilous voyage from these wilds to the home of 
 your father s kindred. Do you believe me now, or 
 shall I explain more?" 
 
 " No," I hoarsely answered, a strange feeling of 
 distrust and enmity rising within me against this man 
 
THE GRAVE ON THE CLIFF 6$ 
 
 whom I but now had regarded with so much reverence 
 and affection. " There is more, much more to be ex 
 plained, but at your hands I ask nothing further. 
 Were it other than yourself, the father of Ina Almi- 
 rante, who thus boldly proclaims himself my father s 
 murderer, explanation is not what I should ask of you. 
 But if this be true, then with you I am done now and 
 I hope forever. I will go my own way and seek for 
 myself some solution of this web of sin and treachery 
 and crime." 
 
 " Alfred Rivers seek that solution as I have 
 already told you, within the walls of your own home. 
 It awaits you there. You have acted as I knew you 
 would, and I cannot blame you. Hereafter, unless 
 you yourself render it necessary, neither I nor mine 
 shall ever willingly cross your path. Now, farewell. 
 The horse I leave with you is your property, bor 
 rowed purposely from your own herds that you might 
 owe me nothing." 
 
 He mounted, and putting spurs to his horse, rode 
 rapidly up the slope. 
 
 My own steed would have dashed away in pursuit, 
 but I kept a firm hand upon the reins, while I gazed 
 fixedly after the singular man who was leaving me. 
 Soon he passed over the summit and out of sight, and 
 I turned once more to the stone at my feet. I again 
 read and re-read the inscription and pondered over it 
 
4 ALM1RANTE 
 
 deeply. MVhat was the nature of my thoughts it would 
 be difficult to say. Amazement, incredulity, despair 
 and hopelessness were interblended in wild confusion, 
 and at last, in sheer desperation, I sprang upon 
 my horse and galloped up the slope, resolved to act 
 upon Almirante s advice, and seek within the walls of 
 the mansion he called mine what further secrets of 
 my life remained to be told. 
 
 Reaching the summit of the hill I drew rein and 
 gazed once more over the glorious expanse surround 
 ing me. Once more my eyes roved over the noble 
 domain inclosed within the boundaries Don Hernando 
 had named, and in spite of the many sad circumstances 
 of my present position, a sense of pride and elation 
 rose in my mind. I found myself uttering aloud : 
 
 "And this is all mine!" 
 
 The sound of my own voice startled me, and once 
 more loosening my rein I rode on in the direction of 
 the building, but now at a more gentle pace, survey 
 ing the land as I went. The nearer I approached the 
 house, the greater became my admiration of the fer 
 tility and natural beauty of the estate, and when I at 
 length reached the hacienda, and noted its massive- 
 ness and size, I could not but feel that mine was a 
 goodly heritage if, indeed, so strange a thing could 
 possibly be true. 
 
 It was after mid-day when I rode up to the arched 
 
I HE GRAVE ON THE CLIFF 65 
 
 gateway. There seemed to be no one moving about 
 the place, but the sight of a stout looking peon, lying 
 sound asleep beside the entrance, suggested to me 
 that the remainder of the household were also enjoy 
 ing their afternoon siesta. The door stood wide 
 open, and leaving my horse standing without I en 
 tered the passageway leading to the courtyard in the 
 center, for the house was built upon the same plan 
 as Don Hernando s, in the form of a hollow square. 
 Reaching the interior I paused for a few moments in 
 delighted astonishment, for the courtyard seemed a 
 paradise in miniature. A fountain scattered its crys 
 tal spray in the center, and arranged around were 
 flowers of numberless varieties, filling the air with fra 
 grance. A shady piazza ran around three sides of the 
 court, and the numerous doorways opening into the 
 interior apartments were screened by delicate cur 
 tains. I walked to one of these entrances, and draw 
 ing aside the screen entered the room. 
 
 I advanced but one pace within it when my steps 
 were suddenly and involuntarily arrested. Upon the 
 wall opposite, framed in massive oak, there hung a 
 pictured face. I knew it was my father s. 
 
 Mine were the eyes and the features, the fair, 
 clustering hair. But our lives had been different, and 
 my own, as yet, had known no passages which could 
 give to me that look of daring, dauntless resolution 
 
66 ALMIRANTE 
 
 that in him so plainly spoke the soldier. Arms and 
 warlike accoutrements hung about, but I only needed 
 to look upon my father s face to know that he had 
 been a warrior and a leader of warriors. 
 
 Pinned to the wall beside the picture was a long 
 Mexican lance, from which still drooped a pennon of 
 faded crimson. Beside it hung a sabre, in a massive 
 metal scabbard, upon which an inscription in Spanish 
 was engraved so deeply that it caught my eye even in 
 the first glance I turned upon the weapon : 
 
 " To ALVA, from his brother in love and comrade 
 in arms, HERNANDO ALMIRANTE." 
 
 I gazed at the picture, and here, too, was an 
 inscription : 
 
 " ALFRED as I saw him last. LOLA." 
 
 Lola who was Lola? 
 
 I turned as if for an answer and the answer was 
 there. 
 
 Upon a low couch in an alcove opposite lay a lady- 
 asleep. She was yet young and beautiful, though 
 deep lines of suffering were visible about her brow 
 and eyes, and her hair was thickly streaked with gray. 
 Strange thoughts began to move in my mind. Her 
 features resembled none that I remembered, but their 
 expression seemed strangely familiar. Where had 1 
 seen anything similar? Then the knowledge flashed 
 upon me. // was the expression of my own features! 
 
THE GRAVE ON THE CLIFF 67 
 
 But the thought had barely shaped itself in my mind 
 when the lady awoke, and affer gazing at me for one 
 moment in blank amazement, a look of unutterable joy 
 came into her eyes, and springing up she threw her 
 self into my arms, exclaiming : 
 
 " O, Alfred ! my son ! my son I you have come to 
 me at last I" 
 
 4 
 
ALM1KANTE 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 LEAVES FROM THE PAST. 
 
 There was no doubt in my mind now. I had 
 "hesitated to believe Don Hernando s story in spite of 
 the circumstantial evidence to which he had referred 
 in support of its truth, but now it needed but the 
 throbbing of my pulses, the flood of yearning affec 
 tion which welled up in my heart, to convince me 
 that here at least there was no deceit. I knew now 
 that, dearly as I had loved her whom I had for years 
 called mother, and well as she had deserved my devo 
 tion, it was here that my fondest affection was due. 
 My mind was still in a maze of bewilderment, but my 
 .heart told me this was my mother. 
 
 For many moments she clung to me, locked in my 
 arms, sometimes resting with her head upon my 
 breast, motionless except for her deep drawn sighs, 
 and again drawing slightly back to fix her loving eyes 
 upon my face, while for a long time she seemed una 
 ble to utter a word. At last her lips seemed to 
 move, and I heard her say, almost in a whisper : 
 
 " My boy ! my boy ! The son of my lost Alfred ! 
 Come to me at last in the image of his father 1 O, 
 .tny darling 1 
 
LEAVES FROM THE PAST 69 
 
 Bewildered and amazed as I was, I could only 
 reply by pressing my lips to the pale forehead where 
 the hand of care had rested so gently but alas! so 
 plainly. And she needed no words. She knew that 
 her son was restored to her, and in that knowledge 
 her soul was content. 
 
 After a time she became calmer, and drawing me 
 to a seat placed herself by my side. All that was said 
 in the next few hours it would be impossible to write. 
 Many and many were the questions asked and an 
 swered on either side ; many the exclamations of as 
 tonishment, pity or dismay. I told her all I knew of 
 my life, and learned much of which I had had no 
 knowledge. But of all that I heard, what interested 
 me most was the history of my father. 
 
 In his youth, being of a roving disposition, he 
 had wandered to Mexico, and had there formed the 
 acquaintance of Don Hernando Almirante, a young 
 man of about his own age. The two soon became 
 warmly attached, and Almirante s family, for his 
 parents were then living, received the young stranger 
 into their home and treated him as one of themselves. 
 He remained with them for many months, his enter 
 tainers earnestly and affectionately protesting against 
 his departure whenever he made mention of it. Nor 
 was it difficult to persuade him, since in the person of 
 Lola Almirante, an adopted daughter of the family 
 
70 ALMIRANTE 
 
 whose name she bore, there existed an attraction 
 which the young American had from the first found 
 himself unable to resist. Well aware that his love 
 was reciprocated, but painfully conscious of the very 
 modest property of which he was possessed, he hesi 
 tated to make his attacnment known, being too 
 proud to offer himself as a suitor for one of a family 
 in the highest degree wealthy, until by some anx 
 iously hoped for opportunity he should be enabled to 
 greatly improve his own fortunes. Circumstances, 
 however, soon occurred which materially changed the 
 aspect of affairs. 
 
 In one of their country s periodical insurrections 
 against the government, the Almirante family es 
 poused the revolutionary, and, as it proved, the losing 
 side ; and the defeat of their party deprived them of 
 position, influence and property. Outlawed and pro 
 scribed, the entire family, together with a number of 
 their retainers, were compelled, for their own preser 
 vation, to flee to the mountains and adopt a sort of 
 half-bandit, half- guerrilla mode of life, under the 
 hardships of which the senior Almirante and his wife 
 soon sank and died. Hernando and his friend for 
 the latter had sharea all the enterprises and misfor 
 tunes of his hosts continued their desultory warfare 
 for some time longer, when the young Almirante was 
 unfortunately captured. Contrary to the general ex- 
 
LEAVES FROM THE PAST 71 
 
 pectation, however, he was not executed, but the gov 
 ernment, for once lenient to a remarkable degree, 
 offered to pardon the two young men and their fol 
 lowers for the part they had taken in the rebellion, on 
 condition of their going northward and settling in the 
 wilderness of California, where large tracts of wild 
 land were to be granted them. They thought best to 
 agree to this proposal, and as the authorities insisted 
 on detaining Hernando as a hostage for the faithful 
 fulfillment of their contract, his friend led their little 
 band across the country to a port upon the Pacific, 
 whence they set sail for the Bay of San Francisco. 
 
 Upon the eve of their embarkation, Lola Almi- 
 rante and Alfred Rivers were united in marriage, all 
 fancied obstacles to their union having long before 
 been dissipated by the stern realities which they had 
 met with and undergone together. Regretting that 
 they were compered to leave Hernando behind, yet 
 consoled by the reflection that he would soon follow 
 them, they set their faces northward, happy in the 
 present since they were blessed with each other s love, 
 and confident in their own ability to render the future 
 all that they might desire. 
 
 Their voyage was prosperous in the highest degree, 
 -as was also the journey from the port to the locality 
 where they determined to settle. The late revolu 
 tionist went energetically to work, and as he was ably 
 
72 ALM1RANTE 
 
 / 
 
 and faithfully seconded by his followers, the effect of 
 their industry was soon apparent. As some defense 
 was necessary against the aborigines, who could not 
 be trusted, the building of a house, practically a fort 
 ress, was one of the first labors undertaken. It was 
 pushed forward to a speedy completion, and when 
 once at home within its walls the young couple and 
 their faithful servants felt secure as to both the pres 
 ent and the future. 
 
 One thing troubled them the non- arrival of Her- 
 nando Almirante. He was to have been released 
 immediately after their own departure, and allowed to 
 follow upon the first vessel sailing northward. Weeks- 
 and months passed and he did not come, nor any 
 word of his welfare. Impatience became anxiety, 
 and anxiety dread, and still was he absent. At last I 
 was born the first white child of that wild wilderness 
 and still no word of the absent. Months went by. 
 At last but let me give my poor mother s own words : 
 
 " You were three months old, and I was sitting 
 one day, with you in my arms, beside the stream 
 which flows below the hill, waiting for your father s re 
 turn, for he had as usual ridden out that morning. 
 Suddenly I was startled by the heavy tramp of a 
 horse, and a rider came into view through the under 
 wood bordering the watercourse. He drew near and 
 reined in his horse by my side, and I recognized 
 
LEAVES FROM THE PAST 7$ 
 
 Hernando Almirante. I would have sprung up to 
 greet him, but something in his appearance caused 
 me to hesitate. His face was ghastly pale, and his 
 hollow eyes met mine with a look so sad, so stern and 
 reproachful that my blood froze in my veins. After 
 a moment his gaze fell upon you, but only for an 
 instant, for he drew his hand suddenly across his eyes, 
 and, uttering a mad cry, struck his spurs fiercely into 
 his horse s sides and dashed away. He passed out of 
 my sight in a moment amid the woods, and I left my 
 seat and hurried to the house, fearing I knew not 
 what. I told the servants what I had seen, and sent 
 them everywhere in search of your father and Her- 
 nando. One by one, as the hours passed, they 
 returned and reported their efforts fruitless. A dread 
 ef something horrible took possession of me, I hardly 
 knew why, and I paced the court like a mad crea 
 ture, feeling sure that it was but a question of mo 
 ments when some dreadful calamity should be brought 
 home to me. 
 
 "A servant at last hurriedly entered, gloom and 
 horror in his looks, and without waiting to hear his 
 message I wrung my hands and screamed thnt my 
 darling was dead, dead ! and he need not tell me. 
 He shrunk away from me with a blanched and ghastly 
 face, and spoke in a whisper to the other servants. 
 But I heard him plainly, heard him say that Alfred s 
 
74 ALMIRANTE 
 
 horse had just dashed up to the gate, riderless and 
 foaming with terror. They all made a rush through 
 the passage, but I was first. I reached the outer door 
 and sprang to the horse. His mane was clotted with 
 blood and the saddle was stained with it. I remember 
 screaming aloud : He is dead ! My darling is dead ! 
 Take me take me to him! and let me die! and 
 then for a time I remembei no more. O, Alfred ! 
 Alfred !" 
 
 My poor mother ! She covered her face with her 
 hands, and sobbed convulsively. I soothed her as 
 best I could, and soon becoming calmer, she went on : 
 
 "Yes, they brought me to him; placed me on a 
 litter and bore me with them while they searched; 
 for, raving and and raging as I was, they feared to 
 leave me behind. The horse led the way like a hu 
 man guide, and we followed him over the hills toward 
 the coast. He brought us at last to the verge of the 
 cliffs, and there we found him found my dead ! He 
 lay upon the sward, motionles?, cold and still, his 
 white face turned toward the sky, and the light of 
 his blue eyes quenched forever. His fair hair lay 
 about his forehead in heavy masses, bright as in life. 
 There was no stain there, but upon his breast was the 
 horrible wound through which his brave young life- 
 blood had gone out, and beside his body, stern and 
 cold, making no attempt to conceal his guilt, was the 
 
LEAVES FROM THE PAST 75 
 
 murderer, him whom I had for so many years called 
 brother. What I said or did I do not know, for God, 
 in mercy, sent me forgetful ness." 
 
 Again did my mother pause, overcome by these 
 dreadful memories of the past, but, once more recov 
 ering herself, she resumed : 
 
 " They buried him where he fell buried him there 
 by his murderer s orders. Don Hernando never 
 attempted to deny or explain his crime, yet he claimed 
 the right to regulate everything. There was no one 
 to say him nay. The servants were his own, rather 
 than mine, and I, lying helpless upon my couch, daily 
 expecting death, was not prepared to dispute his will. 
 Yet in one thing did I have my way, sadly to my 
 grief afterward. I sent him a message, for he never 
 came into my presence, invoking God s curse upon 
 his head, if he did not send you, my motherless boy, 
 back to your father s kindred. I would not have you 
 brought up by that father s murderer. 
 
 "After this I sank into a state of dull stupor, from 
 which no one expected me to awaken, and when word 
 came that an American vessel, bound for New Eng 
 land, was lying at the port, they thought best not to 
 delay sending you away, since another opportunity 
 might never occur, or not for many years. So, in the 
 care of my own nurse, Juanita, you left me, and I 
 ah, heaven! was it not strange? I grew stronger from 
 
76 ALM1RANTE 
 
 that hour, and at last recovered ; recovered to find 
 myself not only a widow, but childless as well. 
 
 " In all these years I have heard nothing of you 
 until a few days since, when word came I can guess 
 from whom that you might soon be expected to re 
 turn. How our affairs have been managed until now 
 I cannot tell. They have prospered, either because 
 our servants have been unusually faithful, or if other 
 wise, then Hernando Almirante, without my knowl 
 edge and against my will, has directed them. If this 
 last be so, then heaven forgive me that I have even 
 unwittingly allowed it. But now it is all ended. Cocae 
 with me, Alfred, my own dear son," she exclaimed, 
 rising impetuously and moving toward the door, her 
 hand still holding mine, "come with me and greet 
 those who will call you master." 
 
 We stepped out into tl \ court. A numerous 
 assemblage was gathered there, for the news of my 
 arrival had already, by some unknown means, spread 
 among the servants of the estate. As they saw me a 
 wild "Viva" rent the air, for they did not wait to 
 hear my name. Some there were, however, who did 
 not shout old and gray-headed men who came softly 
 to my side, and pressed my hands within their own, 
 muttering brokenly, while the tears fell from theit 
 eyes: 
 
LEAVES FROM THE FAST 77 
 
 " His son! Our brave Don Alva s own true child! 
 God and Holy Mary guard him!" 
 
 My mother wept, and said, as soon as she could 
 speak : 
 
 "These are the brave men who followed your 
 father in the mountains of Mexico. They are as true 
 now as of old. God bless them and all others who 
 are faithful to my sonl" 
 
78 ALMIRANTE 
 
 CHAPTER X, 
 
 THE PARTING. 
 
 Two months had passed. I had entered into full 
 possession of the estate, for it was my mother s will 
 that I should be regarded as its absolute owner. It 
 had been managed admirably, and I found no diffi 
 culty in assuming the control, aided as I was by 
 Sanchez, an old Mexican, through whose means Don 
 Hernando had been enabled heretofore to regulate its 
 concerns. There was nothing necessary in our simple 
 life which we could not produce within the limits of our 
 own domain. As for luxuries, they were, to a certain 
 extent at least, readily obtained by barter with the 
 trading vessels of various nationalities which occas- 
 ionly visited our coast. Our dependants were honest 
 and devotedly loyal. Last, but greatest, I was 
 blessed with the fondest affection that ever a mother 
 gave her son. Yet I was thoroughly unhappy. 
 
 From the roof of my own home I could see the 
 hacienda of Almirante. I need not say that I had 
 never again been within its walls since that fatal morn 
 ing when I had quitted them as I then thought tem 
 porarily, but as it now seemed, forever. The name 
 of any of its inmates was never mentioned by either 
 
THE PARTING 79 
 
 my mother or myself. But with its white walls con 
 stantly before my eyes, I could not blot from my 
 mind the remembrance of those few weeks of happi 
 ness and hope I had spent there, and while that 
 memory remained contentment was impossible. I 
 surprised and I fear sometimes alarmed my mother 
 by taking long, solitary rides about the estate, always 
 with some apparent and commonplace object in view, 
 but conscious myself of being chiefly influenced in 
 my action by a vague hope of something I scarcely 
 knew what. And at last that hope was answered in a 
 way I had not dared to look for. 
 
 Late one afternoon I was riding recklessly along 
 the bank of a willow-fringed stream far to the north 
 ward of my home and near the boundary of the 
 Almirante rancho, when my horse suddenly came to 
 a full stop with an abruptness which almost unseated 
 me. Recovering mys&lf I saw before me another 
 steed and rider, but it was a female figure that sat in 
 the saddle, and I recognized Ina Almirante. 
 
 She had let her bridle reins fall upon the ; neck of 
 her steed, and her hands were clasped upon her 
 breast, while her eyes met mine with an expression of 
 terror. I must indeed have been a startling object. 
 A broad-brimmed black sombrero was pulled low 
 down on my forehead, darkening and partially con 
 cealing my face. The brown barrel of a carbine 
 
.80 ALMIRANTE 
 
 projected above one shoulder, and a huge pair" of pis 
 tols hung in their holsters from the pommel of my 
 saddle, while a fearful looking weapon, called a hunt 
 ing knife, but in reality more like a broad sword, 
 swung from my belt. 
 
 "Inal" 
 
 "Alfred!" 
 
 We had not addressed each other thus in our pre 
 vious intercourse, but I had never thought of her by 
 any other name, and in the surprise of the moment it 
 escaped me involuntarily. At the same instant a 
 thrill of joy flashed through me, at the conviction that 
 it was with her as with me, and that I had dwelt in 
 her thoughts, perhaps, even as she had in mine. 
 
 As I drew nearer I was shocked to perceive the alter 
 ation which her face seemed to have undergone since 
 I had last seen her. Her eyes were as darkly beautiful 
 as of old, but there was in them an expression of the 
 deepest sadness, while heavy semi-circles were visible 
 beneath. Her cheeks were sunken and hollow, and the 
 deep glow that had once lent such beauty to her face 
 had faded utterly and left it colorless and pale. For 
 a moment, however, after she had uttered my name, a 
 faint shade of carn.ine did for a moment tinge her 
 cheeks, and she cast down her eyes. My confusion 
 was nearly equal to hers, but at last I found my voice. 
 
 " Dunna Ina," I said, hesitatingly, " foigtve me 
 
THE PARTING gi 
 
 for having intruded upon you, but I never dreamed of 
 meeting you here so far away from your home and 
 alone." 
 
 "I wished," she said in a low tone, "I wished 
 I mean, I could not go away without " 
 
 Her voice faltered, she paused and was silent. * 
 
 " Go away!" I repeated in consternation, " Donna 
 Ina, you do not mean that you " 
 
 I ceased speaking, for a sudden pang of something- 
 very like despair checked my utterance. 
 
 Her white lips trembled but uttered no sound and 
 she lifted her sad eyes to mine with an expression so 
 unutterably mournful that, moved beyond restraint, I 
 sprang from my horse and coming to her side clasped 
 her cold hand in mine, exclaiming passionately: 
 
 "Ina, dear, dear Ina! what is it? For God s 
 sake tell me ! Are you ill ?" 
 
 Her hand trembled in mine, but she did not with 
 draw it, and as her head sank upon her breast, tears 
 fell from her eyes, and she murmured, almost inaudi- 
 bly : 
 
 " I am so unhappy !" 
 
 " But why, Ina, why ?" 
 
 " I am going away, away from this, my home 
 where I have lived all my life, to the far Phillipine 
 isles, and I fear that I shall never see these scenes 
 again." 
 
Sa ALMIRANTE 
 
 "But why do you go ? If you are happy here, 
 why not remain ? 
 
 "Ah, but I am not happy here." 
 
 "And God knows I am not," I could not help 
 adding. 
 
 She started and fixed her eyes upon me with a 
 questioning look, and after a moment s pause, asked 
 hesitatingly: 
 
 "Senor Alfred, will you answer two questions for 
 me?" 
 
 "Anything, anything that I can." 
 
 "Then why did you leave our house as you did, 
 and why, since then, has my father never mentioned 
 your name, except once to forbid us ever uttering it 
 again ?" 
 
 " Sefiorita, these are your father s own secrets. 1 
 cannot make them known." 
 
 " Even you will not trust me." 
 
 " Trust you O, Jna!" 
 
 " Senor, it is late, and I am far from home. Let 
 me go." 
 
 " Ina, how can you be angry with me for this, and 
 at such a time?" 
 
 " But indeed I must go, Senor, and I am not 
 angry. Why should I be? You have been only the 
 kindest of frienns to me, and since you left our home 
 I have missed you as I would my brother. I am glad 
 
THE PARTING 83 
 
 that we met to-day, that I can say farewell to you be 
 fore I go." 
 
 " But O, Tna, will you really go ?" 
 
 " Have I not said I should ? It is my father s 
 will, and I care not to dispute it. Farewell, Senor." 
 
 " No, no! At least not here. It is a long ride to 
 your home, too long and lonely for an unprotected 
 girl. I shall ride with you if you do not forbid me." 
 
 She hesitated, and the sad look deepened in her 
 eyes, but at last she answered : 
 
 " No, I do not forbid you. I should like you to 
 come. It is for the last time." 
 
 But that was the saddest ride I had ever taken, 
 We rode side by side, over grass-covered hills and 
 through flower-decked valleys, and scarcely spoke a 
 word . The loveliest scenes of nature lay about our 
 path, but we saw them with unseeing eyes. Desper 
 ate as I was over the prospect of Ina s departure, I 
 nevertheless, began to long for the end of our ride. 
 It was misery unspeakable to be so near her, and 
 yet feel that we were separated by a gulf which noth 
 ing could bridge. 
 
 Darkness overtook us while we were yet some 
 distance from the hacienda, and when we at length 
 reached the foot of the hill upon which it was situated, 
 it was quite late. Moved by a common impulse we 
 drew rein in the shadow of a copse of laurel. A 
 
*4 ALMIRANTE 
 
 moment silently passed, and then, extending her hand 
 to me, Ina said : 
 
 " Farewell." 
 
 But I seized both her hands in mine and, forget 
 ting all else but the love I felt for her, murmured in 
 low and passionate tones : 
 
 "No, no, it must not bel O, Ina, my darling, 
 my darling ! I cannot bear to part from you thus. 
 You know that I love you. In all the months that 
 have passed since your tender care saved me from 
 death you have never been out of my thoughts. I 
 have dared to believe that you cared for me, and 
 now O, my love ! my love! can you leave me thus 
 and forever?" 
 
 " Can you ask me to stay ?" 
 
 O, my God 1 She spoke in that low, sweet voice 
 which had ever seemed to me like a breath of music, 
 but the question pierced to my heart like a sword. I 
 turned away and buried my face in my hands with a 
 sensation of utter despair. 
 
 She came to me now, urging her horse close beside 
 mine, and spoke again in her pure and gentle tones: 
 
 " No, Alfred, you see that it cannot be. It is 
 better, far better that I should go. I do not know 
 what terrible thing it is that causes us all this dreadful 
 pain, but I do know that it is nothing for which you 
 are to blame. But I could never be happy were we to 
 
THE PARTING 85 
 
 remain so near together, and yet be only enemies. 
 But when I am far hence my prayers shall daily and 
 hourly rise to heaven for your happiness and welfare. 
 Alfred, good bye." 
 
 She extended her hands toward me, but I took 
 them in mine only to draw her to me and clasp her in 
 my arms. She did not resist. She was too utterly 
 sinless herself to dream of wrong in another. She 
 knew her own innocence and trusted in mine, and the 
 impulse which moved her to raise her lips to my own 
 was the purest that ever came from God. For one 
 moment only she rested in my arms, and then, draw 
 ing herself away, she said gently : " Now go, Al 
 fred, go without a word. Go, and may the good 
 Jesus and his holy Mother bless and protect you." 
 
 I obeyed her in silence, turning my horse and 
 riding away without a word. I never looked back, 
 but with my head bent low upon my breast, rode 
 slowly on through the darkness toward my own home. 
 Everything in life seemed ended. 
 
 I had gone perhaps the eighth of a mile when I 
 suddenly reined in my horse and listened in painful 
 anxiety, for it certainly seemed to me that I had heard 
 my name called in accents of alarm. So strong was 
 the impression that, after vainly listening for a repeti 
 tion of the sound, I turned and galloped rapidly back 
 to the spot I had just quitted. When I reached it, 
 
 Of THK 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
86 ALM1RANTE 
 
 however, all was dead silence, and there was no one 
 visible, Ina evidently having gone to the house. 
 After a hasty examination I turned once more, cen 
 suring ray own nervousness and credulity, and rode 
 swiftly homeward. It was almost midnight when I 
 arrived there, and my mother had become most anx 
 ious. However, her mind being set at rest by my 
 arrival, she soon retired, leaving me to my medita 
 tions, for I felt no inclination to sleep. 
 
 An hour probably passed, when sounds of confu 
 sion without the hacienda attracted my attention and 
 caused me to ascend to the roof to investigate. 
 When I reached my post of observation there was 
 nothing to be seen, but I could hear sounds as of 
 a large number of horses galloping northward at full 
 speed. In that, however, there was nothing to be 
 be surprised at, since both Don Hernando and my 
 self possessed herds of untamed animals that roamed 
 at will all over our possessions. Deceived for the sec 
 ond time, I now sought my couch, and, utterly 
 wearied as I was, after a time fell asleep. 
 
 But it was a short and troubled slumber; a slum 
 ber from which I awoke at the first dawn of morning, 
 to find Don Hernando Almirante standing over me, 
 white and dreadful to look upon, and sternly de 
 manding : 
 
 "Alfred Rivers, where is my daughter?" 
 
THE PURSUIT 87 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 THE PURSUIT. 
 
 " Your daughter ! How should I know? * 
 "Boy! do not dare to trifle with me! For the 
 love of Christ, remember the past, and take warning 
 from it !" 
 
 His heavy hand lay upon my breast, and by the 
 faint light of the lamp which I had left burning I 
 could see that his face bore an expression of con 
 suming passion. Looking at him now, I was more 
 willing to believe in the possibility of his passionate 
 nature driving him at times to violent extremes. 
 Nevertheless, angered by his words and actions, I 
 answered : 
 
 " The past ! The past is for you io remember !" 
 11 1 do remember it ! If it were not for that mem 
 ory you would not be alive this instant. But enough 
 of this trifling! Where is my daughter? Give her 
 up, or else God help us both!" 
 
 An idea of what had happened had by this time 
 forced itself upon my mind, and springing up, fully 
 clothed, for in my weariness of the night before I had 
 flung myself upon my couch just as I was, I ex 
 claimed : 
 
88 ALMIRAME 
 
 " Your daughter ! Great God ! Is Ina gone ?" 
 
 An instantaneous change came over his face. 
 Something seemed suddenly to convince him that he 
 had erred in his suspicions, and with an abrupt alter 
 ation in his manner, he cried : 
 
 " O, Alfred! forgive me! Have I indeed so 
 wronged you? But heaven pity me, for my child, 
 my darling, has gone from me, and I know not what 
 has befallen her." 
 
 " When did she go?" 
 
 "Ah! that you should be more able to answer than 
 I. I have not seen her since noon yesterday, when 
 she rode out, as was her daily custom, though she 
 had never before gone beyond sight of the house. 
 You were the last known to have been with her, for 
 Pedro Gomez saw you riding together late yesterday 
 evening. Can you wonder, then, at my suspicion ? 
 and do you truly know nothing of her ?" 
 
 " Upon my honor and my life I do not. I met 
 her at the base of the mountains to the northward, 
 and we rode together to the foot of the hill below 
 your hacienda. There I left her." 
 
 "And you know nothing of her now ?" 
 
 "I do not." 
 
 " O, my God !" 
 
 His head sank upon his breast, and for a moment 
 he stood motionless in an attitude of deep dejection. 
 
THE PURSUIT 89 
 
 but soon recovering himself, started up erect, exclaim 
 ing angrily : 
 
 " Shame upon me, that I waste time thus idly, 
 when I should instead be scouring every rod of land 
 about for traces of my child 1 Shame upon such 
 weakness !" 
 
 He rushed from the room. I followed immedi 
 ately, but in the court I was detained a moment by 
 my porter, while Don Hernando passed on and out 
 of sight through the passageway. 
 
 " What is it, Juan ?" I asked. 
 
 " I have something to say, master," he answered, 
 hesitatingly ; "but first you are not angry that I ad 
 mitted Don Hernando ?" 
 
 " No, I am not angry, Juan," I replied, " but why 
 did you do so ?" 
 
 His answer touched me. 
 
 " Because I trusted you, my master ; I knew you 
 had not done him wrong, and it would do no harm to 
 let him satisfy himself. But I refused admittance to 
 his followers." 
 
 " His followers ! He is not alone, then ?" 
 
 "Alone ! he has every man who dwells upon his 
 lands with him, and all armed to the teeth." 
 
 "Indeed! You did well to keep them without, 
 Juan ; but now let me go." 
 
 " Stay, Don Alva, you have not yet heard " 
 
90 ALMIRANTE 
 
 " True, I forgot What is it ?" 
 
 He came to my side and whispered, though there 
 was no reason for secrecy : 
 
 "The horses, Seiior, that we heard at midnight, 
 I fear that they had riders." 
 
 " Good God ! and that cry." 
 
 "Cry! What cry, Don Alva?" 
 
 I did not stay to answer, b it rushed through the 
 passageway and joined Don Hernando without. His 
 son, Carlos, was with him, and also a large and well 
 armed band of horsemen. Almirante was giving 
 some orders to his followers, but ceased speaking 
 upon my abrupt appearance, and turned to me in 
 quiringly. In a few words I told him what I had to 
 disclose. For a moment there was a dead pause ; 
 then from Don Hernando came the words, low and 
 distinct, but fraught with dread and anguish 
 
 O, mother of God 1 had it been anything but 
 this !" 
 
 His son spurred to his side. 
 
 "What is it, my father?" he asked, anxiously; 
 " what do you mean ?" 
 
 " God have mercy on her and on us !" groaned 
 his father, clasping his hands convulsively together. 
 "Ramon Estrada 1" 
 
 A cry of horror burst from the whole band, and 
 Carlos almost leaped from his saddle, his eyes blazing 
 
THE PURSUIT 91 
 
 with a mad fire, while his voice seemed scarcely human 
 in the intense ferocity of its tone as he screamed 
 rather than shouted : 
 
 " God in heaven! Why are we waiting here ? On, 
 on! Follow him, follow him to hell, if need be, him 
 and his whole black-hearted crew! Come on!" 
 
 He struck his spurs into his horse s sides, and it 
 bounded forward ; but Don Hernando caught the 
 rein, and while with his iron grasp he held the rearing 
 animal motionless in the air, as it seemed, he cried 
 to me : 
 
 "Which way, Alfred, which way did they go? 
 Where shall we find their traces ?" 
 
 "They passed through the valley there to the 
 north." 
 
 "The black-hearted scoundrel! He came hither 
 only to cast our suspicions upon you. But let me lay 
 my hands upon him, and then God judge between 
 us!" 
 
 "Stay, Don Hernando!" I exclaimed; "stay but a 
 moment I cannot remain behind." 
 
 "Follow if you will, but nothing under heaven 
 shall detain me for one instant longer from the rescue 
 of my child. Now let us go. Away, away/" 
 
 They swept by me like a whirlwind, and, not paus 
 ing to watch their flight, I rushed into the interior of 
 my dwelling to summon the household. It was not 
 
92 ALM1RANTE 
 
 necessary. The court was already filled with people, 
 my mother among them, while in the corral inclosed 
 within the rear wall of the hacienda nearly every able- 
 bodied follower I claimed as mine was busily engaged 
 in saddling and equipping his horse for immediate 
 service. In the pause of a moment, while a servant 
 had gone for my weapons, I gave what scant explana 
 tion I could to my mother, and, receiving her tearful 
 blessing and farewell, rushed through the house to the 
 corral and sprang upon my horse, which had already 
 been saddled. With a word of warning to the men 
 who were to be left in charge of the house during our 
 absence, I gave the signal to those who were to ac 
 company me, and the outer gate of the corral being 
 opened, we rode silently through. Then, with a wave 
 of the hand to our friends and a touch of the spur to 
 our steeds, we shot away from the white walls of my 
 home in the path of pursuers and pursued. 
 
 Don Hernando s party were by this time out of 
 sight, the inequalities of the ground concealing them 
 from our view. It was of little consequence, how 
 ever, since we knew in what direction they had gone, 
 and expected to soon overtake them. At all events, 
 as the dawn was now rapidly brightening into day, 
 we should have no difficulty in following the foot 
 prints of their horses, should it prove necessary to do 
 so. So we rode confidently forward. 
 
THE PURSUIT 93 
 
 At length, having ridden a distance of some three 
 miles along a wooded valley, we emerged into a more 
 open country, and saw, as I had expected, the Almi- 
 rante party plainly in view and but a comparatively 
 short distance ahead. Our horses were evidently of 
 superior swiftness to their own, or otherwise, which 
 was more likely, they had greater difficulty in follow 
 ing the trail, since, as a matter of course, it was not 
 nearly so well defined as that which was left for us. 
 My companions uttered a triumphant " Viva" as we 
 sighted the others, which they heard and answered by 
 shouts and the waving of scarfs, without, however, re 
 laxing their speed in the least. Nevertheless, we 
 gained on them gradually, and at last, just as the sun 
 began to show a glittering edge above the eastern hills, 
 we found ourselves riding beside them. 
 
 Many of our followers were armed in a manner re 
 calling, to me at least, the memory of earlier days, 
 and I remember even at that moment almost doubt 
 ing my own identity, as I saw the sunlight flashing 
 upon the points of their spears. Could it, indeed, be 
 Alfred Rivers, so lately from staid New England, who 
 rode as a leader in that wild array? 
 
 Don Hernando rodie at the head of his troop, his 
 face white and rigid, gtizing steadily before him. As 
 I came near he turned his head slightly, and his stern 
 eyes for a moment met my own. I fancied that for an 
 
94 ALMIRANTE 
 
 instant their expression seemed to soften, and that a 
 faint look of something like gratitude shone from their 
 dark depths. However, I had but a short time in 
 which to observe the change, if, indeed, it were any 
 thing more than imagination, since an instant later, 
 with a slight bow to me, he turned his face forward 
 once more and rode steadily onward, his eyes upon 
 the trail. 
 
 Carlos, when I first drew near, was riding by his 
 father s side, but he now urged his horse near mine, 
 and after a moment we were galloping abreast, our 
 leather leggings almost touching. We rode thus for 
 a while in silence, but at last, leaning toward me and 
 speaking scarcely above a whisper, Carlos asked : 
 
 "Alfred, what does this all mean?" 
 
 11 What does what mean, Carlos ?" 
 
 " This mystery. My father s motive in one day 
 bidding me prove myself a brother to you in friend 
 ship, and the next exhorting me to forget, if possible, 
 that we had ever met. As if it were possible 
 for me to forget my savior, my preserver, the friend 
 that I loved ! I ask again, Alfred what does this 
 mean ?" 
 
 " I cannot tell you, Carlos. I do not entirely 
 understand it myself, and what I do know ij your 
 father s secret." 
 
THE PURSUIT 95 
 
 He took my hand in his and pressed it warmly, 
 saying : 
 
 " I understand you. Let it pass. But O, Alfred ! 
 if the yielding up of my life could heal this cruel 
 breach, believe me I would give it gladly ; for, next 
 to the affection I have for Ina and my father, is my 
 love for you. Well, tis idle to hope for everything 
 we wish for on this sad earth. God grant that we 
 may rescue my sister from that inhuman hound, and 
 then let come what may." 
 
 I was about to reply, when Don Hernando sud 
 denly checked his horse and sprang to the ground, ex 
 claiming excitedly : 
 
 " Dismount, dismount ! Quick, for your lives 1 
 Kneel ! kneel down ! " 
 
 His men unhesitatingly obeyed him, and I directed 
 my followers to do likewise, setting the example my 
 self. 
 
 We had been riding across a level and nearly cir 
 cular plain, several miles in diameter and. surrounded 
 by a ridge of low hills, while its entire surface was cov 
 ered with a tall growth of grass, which swept our 
 knees as we rode. Consequently to dismount and 
 kneel was to effectually conceal ourselves, while as for 
 our horses, half buried as they were in the grass, an 
 observer would need to be within a short distance to 
 distinguish them from the wild animals which roamed 
 over all the land about in countless numbers. 
 
96 ALMIKANTE 
 
 There was no necessity for Don Hernando to ex 
 plain the cause of his excitement, since it had taken 
 us but an instant to discover it. Along the summit 
 of the ridge separating the plain I have mentioned 
 from the ocean, a horseman was riding at what, as far 
 as we could judge, was the utmost limit of his horse s 
 speed. He appeared to be proceeding in the direc 
 tion of my hacienda, and as both Don Hernando and 
 myself felt assured it could be none of our own 
 people, it was but natural that we should regard the 
 stranger with some suspicion. When we first ob 
 served him he was just beyond the crest of the ridge, 
 riding parallel with it, and consequently we were only 
 able to see the horse s head as he rose and fell in his 
 rapid gallop, and the form of the rider from the waist 
 upward. Soon, however, they swerved slightly m 
 their course and appeared upon the very summit of 
 the ridge outlined against the sky. The wonderful 
 clearness of the atmosphere served to render the fig 
 ures of both horse and rider unusually distinct, and 
 an exclamation burst from us all: 
 
 "A woman !" 
 
 Don Hernando alone did not speak, but continued 
 for a moment longer to watch the flying rider with 
 silent and intense scrutiny. Then lifting his eyes 
 reverently to heaven he said, low but fervently : 
 
 " Mother of God, I thank thee! It is my child ! " 
 
AT BAY 97 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 AT BAY. 
 
 A look of joy became instantly visible upon every 
 face, but Don Hernando gave us all an earnest warn 
 ing to restrain ourselves, and when Carlos, exclaim 
 ing, " Ina ! my sister ! Praise be to heaven ! she has 
 escaped him ! Let us show her we are near !" would 
 have sprung to his feet, his father laid a heavy hand 
 upon his arm, muttering, while the look of gratitude 
 faded from his eyes and gave place to a fell gleam of 
 vengeance. 
 
 " Boy, be still ! We can secure her safety now at 
 any moment, but wait. She will be pursued, and one 
 of her pursuers, he who will be foremost in the chase, 
 must this day receive his reward." 
 
 A fierce and approving murmur rose from all, and 
 with one accord we crouched closer to the ground, 
 and watched the flying girl and the ridge along which 
 she had come with intense eagerness. Our patience 
 was not long tried. Soon a steed and rider, almost 
 colossal in their apparent proportions, rose suddenly 
 into view, and a common exclamation was uttered by 
 all: 
 
 " Ramon Estrada I" 
 
98 ALMIRANTB 
 
 " Yes," said Don Hernando. " Who else of nis 
 robber band possesses such a horse." 
 
 But the swiftness with which the new-comer sped 
 along the ridge called forth audible expressions of 
 uneasiness from many of our followers. Don Her 
 nando endeavored to reassure them. 
 
 "Restrain yourselves," he said ; " Ina will be safe 
 she is riding directly for the Rivers hacienda, and the 
 swiftness of Estrada s steed will only secure its rider s 
 destruction. Can you not see that in the eagerness 
 of his pursuit he has left his companions far behind, 
 perhaps many miles ? They are separated, and it 
 will be our care to see that they do not again come 
 together. Let him but pass out of sight beyond that 
 higher peak, and then our work will begin. Till 
 then patience ! " 
 
 Ina had already disappeared behind the hill re 
 ferred to by Don Hernando, and a few moments later 
 her pursuer was also hidden from our view. Then 
 Almirante sprang to his feet, his eyes blazing. 
 
 " To your saddles ! " he cried. "Alfred Rivers, if 
 you will take my orders, ride back as we have come 
 and prevent the traitor escaping to the eastward. 
 Hem him in between yourselves and the ocean. We 
 will ride up the ridge and follow directly in his tracks 
 Your horses are fresher than ours, and I give you the 
 longer route. Will you do this for me ? " 
 
AT BAY 99 
 
 For an answer I whirled my horse about and started 
 back at full speed, my men closely following, while the 
 Almirante party almost at the same instant darted 
 away toward the ridge. For a time we were visi 
 ble to each other, but before long we reached the 
 mouth of the valley through which we had ridden 
 that morning, and entering it were lost to their view,. 
 and they to ours. 
 
 We rode on in silence, as I had little inclination to- 
 talk, even if the rapid rate of our progress had not 
 rendered it almost out of the question. Added to 
 this, I was several lengths in advance of all my com> 
 panions save one, my major-domo, Sanchez, a one 
 time follower of my father, now old and gray, but 
 bold and active as in youth, and he was by nature re 
 served and taciturn. I well knew, however, that he 
 was devoted to my interests, and that when he saw a 
 necessity for it he would not hold back his advice. 
 
 After a long, hard ride we drew rein for an instant 
 at the point where the low range of hills which formed 
 the eastern wall, so to speak, of the valley, spread 
 widely away from that toward the ocean, and becom 
 ing still more depressed melted, as it were, into the 
 undulating plains which lay between my own home 
 and the hacienda of Almirante. Both were visible 
 from the point where we sat upon our panting horses 
 
loo ALMIRANTE 
 
 but it was in vain that we looked for a sight of Ina 
 Almirante or her pursuer. 
 
 The hill, from the summit of which Don Her- 
 nando had first shown me the domain which he called 
 mine, was upon our right as we faced southward and 
 partially behind us, and of course concealed every 
 thing between itself and the ocean. Sanchez sug 
 gested that some one ride to the summit, as from that 
 elevation there was scarcely a point within a radius of 
 ten miles which could not be observed, and 
 offered himself to be the one to make the re- 
 eonnoissance. The idea was in my own mind before 
 he utteied the suggestion, but in my impatience and 
 excitement I could not leave its execution to another ; 
 so bidding Sanchez lead the men slowly forward, 
 skirting the base of the hill, I turned my horse and 
 rode directly toward the summit. 
 
 As I drew near the top I advanced with more 
 caution, glancing constantly from side to side, desir 
 ing if possible to discover the objects of my quest 
 without myself being seen, at least by one of them. 
 Not, however, until I reached the highest peak of the 
 hill did I observe anything to engage my special 
 attention. Then an exclamation of rage and horror 
 burst involuntarily from my lips, though I had little 
 reason to be startled at what I saw. 
 The elevation from which I was gazing, was, as I 
 
AT BAY 101 
 
 "have already mentioned, the highest point of a ridge 
 which, in the form of a lofty promontory, ran far out 
 into the sea. To descend from it to the water s edge 
 was impossible, since its sides and end formed an un 
 broken chain of perpendicular and overhanging cliffs. 
 Such, moreover, was the character of the coast-line 
 for miles. Along the northern verge of the promon 
 tory Ina Almirante was riding at the full speed of her 
 horse, while almost though not quite abreast of her, 
 but some distance further away from the cliffs, rode 
 Ramon Estrada. It was apparent that he had by 
 some means succeeded in partially intercepting her, 
 and it was his evident purpose to maintain his pres 
 ent position until the end of the promontory 
 was reached, where she would be completely in his 
 power. Ina was either unacquainted with, or had 
 else forgotten, the geography of this part of the coast, 
 and did not know that with every rod she advanced 
 she was rendering her escape less possible. 
 
 I clinched my hands and muttered between my set 
 teeth : 
 
 "You vile hound! You have trapped her and 
 you are trapped yourself ! " 
 
 I paused but a moment to turn to my followers, who 
 were already half-way around the hill, and wave them 
 onward ; then, shouting aloud to attract Estrada s 
 attention and if possible cause him to cease his pur- 
 
102 ALMIKANTE 
 
 suit, I rode down the slope toward him. He was a 
 long distance away, yet he heard my ^.ce, and, turn 
 ing his head, seemed instantly to recognize me, for, 
 waving his clinched hand with a gesture of hate and 
 defiance, he whirled his horse about and rode to meet 
 me. I unslung my carbine, resolving to fire as soon 
 as we were within range and to make use of my pistols 
 afterwards if necessary. But the end was not quite yet. 
 
 A sudden shout attracted my attention, and, turn 
 ing my head for an instant, I saw to my right, and a 
 short distance behind me, Don Hernando coming 
 toward us at the full speed of his horse. He had, as I 
 afterwards ascertained, adopted the same plan that I 
 had, having left his troop in concealment, under charge 
 of Carlos, while he ascended an eminence to recon 
 noitre. What followed was precisely as it had been in 
 my own case. He had lost control of himself, and, 
 only pausing to signal to his followers, had dashed 
 recklessly forward, his one thought being to fly to the 
 rescue of his child. 
 
 I saw his men following him, though a quarter of 
 a mile behind, and Ramon Estrada saw them also. 
 He was no coward; he would, I doubt not, have 
 rejoiced with a savage delight to have met me in mor 
 tal combat alone, and the very fact of his having dared 
 to pursue Ina as he had back to the near neighbor 
 hood of her kindred and friends, whom he must have 
 
AT BAY 
 
 Tmown would be aroused and searching for her, was 
 sufficient proof of his reckless courage ; nevertheless, 
 when he saw by what odds he would be opposed, his 
 natural impulse was flight, and he spurred his horse 
 across the promontory, with the evident intention of 
 passing between me and the southern boundary of the 
 headland, and escaping thus toward the interior. But 
 as he reached the summit of the ridge he stopped 
 short, for the sight of my followers rapidly approach 
 ing along the shore was all that was necessary to con 
 vince him that flight was impossible. 
 
 For a moment he sat almost motionless upon his 
 steed, turning his head slowly as if seeking a weak 
 spot in the cordon of his foes ; then, seemingly con 
 vinced that all hope was lost, he brandished both arms 
 for an instant over his head with an action of inde 
 scribable rage and maniacal fury, and, whirling his 
 horse once more, dashed directly and at his utmost 
 speed for Ina. 
 
 Sh2 had reined in her steed but a moment 
 before, and was glancing eagerly from one to 
 another of us, evidently striving to understand 
 what she saw, but now, with a scream of terror 
 she once more gave the rein to her steed and rode 
 toward the end of the headland. Estrada, spurring 
 savagely, gained upon her every instant, and Don 
 Hernando and myself, for he had by this time almost 
 
104 ALMIRANTE 
 
 overtaken me, rode after, urging our horses to their 
 utmost, shouting, screaming, raving and cursing wildly, 
 sick with horror and despair, for we saw in the demon s 
 hand a gleaming knife. It seemed but a second until 
 his horse s shoulders were lapping the flanks of her 
 steed. We saw him lean forward, we saw her shrink 
 back as if from a blow, yet she did not fall, and still 
 they rushed on. Again and again we saw the blade 
 flashing in his hand, as he continued to lean from his 
 saddle as if striving to reach her. What could he be 
 doing? Suddenly Don Hernando shrieked aloud : 
 
 " God have mercy ! He is pricking her horse with 
 his knife ! He means to drive it over the cliff. O, 
 Christ ! what a death !" 
 
 A deadly faintness came over me. I swayed in 
 my saddle and for a moment everything grew black. 
 A sudden report, followed almost instantly by a second, 
 recalled me to myself. Almirante had fired both his 
 pistols at Estrada, but the outlaw was beyond their 
 range, and his only reply was a mocking and maniacal 
 laugh. I leveled my carbine, but I dared not fire. 
 Madly galloping as we were, I could take no aim, and 
 where might not the bullet strike? Don Hernando 
 marked my hesitation. 
 
 " Fire ! fire !" he screamed. " If she must die, 
 rather let it be thus." 
 
 There was, indeed, no time to be lost, since they 
 
AT BAY i oS 
 
 had almost reached the end of the promontory. I 
 pressed the trigger. My bullet, as I had feared, failed 
 to strike him at whom I aimed, but buried itself in 
 Ina s horse. Rearing and plunging, the stricken ani 
 mal threw its rider, and Estrada s horse coming the 
 next instant violently in contact with it, both fell 
 headlong to the earth together. 
 
 We were beside them in a moment, but, as we 
 leaped to the ground, Estrada disengaged himself 
 from the struggling steeds, and, springing to his feet, 
 leveled his carbine at my heart, exclaiming, while his 
 eyes blazed with insane fury : 
 
 " Bane of my life ! you at least shall die ! " 
 
 My pistols were in the saddle holsters, and not an 
 instant was given me to secure them. Even as my 
 hand dropped upon my knife-hilt, there was a loud 
 report and a blinding flash. For one instant I won 
 dered that I did not fall. Then I saw Don Hernando 
 lying upon the earth before me, bleeding and gasping. 
 He had sprung between us, and his own breast had 
 been my shield. 
 
 With a savage curse Estrada sprang toward me, his 
 drawn knife in his hand. I swerved from the blow 
 and drove my own weapon deep in his shoulder. 
 The warm blood spirted on my hand. Then my 
 sight seemed to grow dim for a moment, and my 
 .memory of what happened for awhile thereafter is 
 
106 ALMIRANTE 
 
 strangely confused. I remember struggling and swaying 
 back and forth with something clutched fast in my 
 arms; and I remember that something being rudely 
 torn from me. I can recall the look which the usu 
 ally fair and gentle face of Carlos then wore, chang 
 ing its beauty fro: a an angel s to a demon s, as with 
 his slight arms he flung his stalwart foe to the ground 
 beside his father, and pressed his knees upon him as 
 if to grind him into the earth. I have dim memories 
 of how two bands of swarthy, wild-eyed horsemen 
 came rushing down upon us; of the wild cries they 
 uttered at the sight of Don Hernando s bleedingbody, 
 and of how they sprang from their steeds and seized 
 upon his murderer, crowding around and above him 
 like a herd of hungry wolves, striking, stabbing and 
 spearing, till at last a lifeless and bloody something, 
 bruised and battered and gashed beyond all sem 
 blance of humanity, was dragged to the verge of the 
 cliff and flung into the sea. 
 
 And beside my father s grave, with his rescued 
 daughter kneeling beside him, striving to staunch the 
 life-blood flowing from his wound, lay Hernando Al- 
 mirante, dying, but with a happier look in his dark 
 eyes than I had ever dreamed could dwell there. 
 
EXPIATION 107 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 EXPIATION. 
 
 "Alfred" 
 
 " What is it ?" 
 
 " Will you come to my father ? He is asking for 
 you." 
 
 I was sitting upon the ground, sunk in a kind of 
 stupor, when these words from Carlos aroused me to 
 a sense of what was going on. Rising with difficulty, 
 for excitement and exertion seemed to have com 
 pletely exhausted me, I followed him to where his 
 father lay. 
 
 Don Hernando lifted his eyes to mine as I drew 
 near, but said no word, only motioning me to seat 
 myself beside him. I did so silently, and, turning to 
 his son and daughter, he said : 
 
 " My children, leave us for a moment. What I 
 have to tell you will soon learn from Alfred, but now 
 I have neither time nor strength to explain all it would 
 be necessary you should know to understand what I 
 say. But Alfred knows much of it already." 
 
 Ina and Carlos withdrew, sadly and silently, and 
 when they were a few paces away, Don Hernando 
 fixed his eyes upon my face, saying huskily: 
 
io8 ALMIRANTE 
 
 " Alfred, hear me ! I took your father s life. That 
 you know but you do not know that when I did it I 
 believed myself to be avenging the injured honor of 
 my sister, your own mother, upon him whip had be 
 trayed it." 
 
 He paused for a moment, breathing hard, but as I 
 was about to speak, he motioned me to refrain, and 
 continued : 
 
 " I had been in confinement for many months, for 
 the authorities, having rid themselves of my fellow 
 insurgents, were inclined to pay but little heed to the 
 pledges they had given. Upon one pretext and an 
 other I was detained for more than a year after the 
 departure of your father and the remainder of our 
 party. At last I was released. Better that I had 
 never been !" 
 
 Again did he break off abruptly, but after a brief 
 pause once more proceeded : 
 
 " One of our band had remained in Mexico, 
 Ramon Estrada, a mere youth young in years but 
 old in villainy. Up to that time, however, he had 
 never given us cause to think him other than a keen 
 witted boy. A distant relation of ours, he had been 
 brought up in my father s house, and had, unknowa 
 to any of us, conceived a passion for my foster sister, 
 Lola. So you can see how from his very boyhood 
 dates his hatred of your father and your fathers s race. 
 
EXPIATION 109 
 
 While I was in confinement he was frequently allowed 
 to visit me. He was already an adept in deception^ 
 He never made a direct accusation against Alva so 
 I had always called your father yet he contrived to 
 fill my mind with suspicions I scarcely know of what. 
 He accomplished this result so skillfully and by such 
 imperceptible degrees that I knew not when it was 
 affected, but by the time I was finally released I was 
 ready to believe anything of him whom a year before 
 I would have trusted with my life. Then he met me 
 with a dark hint of a wrong done to my sister. He 
 told me of a rumor that after my capture the two had 
 been united in a union unblessed by the church. Half 
 maddened, I set myself to investigate the damning tale, 
 and ascertained that they had indeed sailed from the 
 port as husband and wife, but I could find no proof of 
 their marriage. My pure-souled sister ! my brave, 
 true-hearted Alva ! to think that I could wrong them 
 so, and at the instigation of such a villain. He even 
 made me believe that Alva, by some secret machina 
 tions, had caused the long delay in my release. 
 
 " But why dwell upon my folly ? I seized the first 
 opportunity to sail for San Francisco, resolved to ex 
 act either reparation or vengeance from the betrayer 
 of my sister. When I reached the port I, <f>f course, 
 did not delay to send word of my coming, but, secur 
 ing a horse and obtaining directions as to its location,. 
 
no ALMIRANTE 
 
 rode immediately to your father s settlement. Your 
 mother must have told you of my meeting with her 
 and my first sight of yourself. Excited by the sud 
 den and unlooked-for encounter, and almost over 
 whelmed by the flood of bitter thoughts which swept 
 through my mind in consequence, I rode blindly away 
 from the spot, and before I well knew whither I was 
 going, reached the cliffs. I rode swiftly along the 
 verge, striving to flee from my own thoughts, and here 
 upon this very spot I met your father. 
 
 " He uttered a glad cry when he saw me, and hur 
 ried towards me with outstretched hands and eyes 
 dancing with delight, exclaiming Hernan ! Her- 
 nan ! for so among my family I had always been 
 called. We both wore swords, as was then almost 
 universally the custom among rancheros, and my only 
 answer to his greeting was to draw mine from its scab 
 bard and raise it as if to cleave him to the saddle. 
 He started, aghast, exclaiming : 
 
 " Hernan ! are you mad ? 
 
 " If I am not it is no fault of yours ! I answered, 
 continuing, savagely : We need not waste words ; 
 you well know my errand. 
 
 " What is your errand? 5 he asked with what I 
 then thought the pretended innocence of a practiced 
 hypocrite. 
 
 " To have your life or force you to repair the 
 
EXPIATION nu 
 
 wrong you have done my sister ! I cried, almost 
 speechless with rage. 
 
 "A dark flush rose in his cheeks and his eyes flashed 
 fire. His hand rested upon his sword hilt, and I 
 looked for him to draw his weapon and attack me. 
 But in a moment a sudden change came over his face. 
 The look of anger faded and gave place to what, in 
 my madness, seemed to me a scornful smile, as her 
 asked : 
 
 " Do you mean I must marry her? 
 
 " I do! I answered. 
 
 " The look of amusement deepened on his face, 
 and he replied : 
 
 " Hernan, you must ask something else. This I 
 cannot do, because 
 
 " I did not allow him to finish, but maddened by 
 what I thought his contempt for me and mine, spurred 
 forward and struck at him with all my strength. He 
 swerved his horse aside, and, drawing his sword with 
 the quickness of lightning, parried the blow, angrily 
 exclaiming at the same instant : 
 
 " * Hernan, you are a hot-headed fool Listen to 
 me ! 
 
 " But I would not listen ; but, almost insane with 
 rage, renewed my attack with the ferocity of a wild 
 beast. But he was a much better swordsman than I, 
 and our combat was of the briefest, for in a moment 
 
112 ALMIRANTE 
 
 my weapon was struck from my hand and sent 
 whirling over the cliff. His own blade gleamed 
 at my breast, and I thought my hour had come, but 
 instead of striking he flung his weapon upon the 
 ground and laughed aloud. That was the last straw ! 
 Monster and murderer that I was ! while he sat there, 
 unarmed and unguarded, I leaned suddenly forward 
 and drove my dagger deep in his breast ! Stay ! stay, 
 Alfred ! Do not start from me. Hear me to the end ! 
 He never uttered a cry, not even a moan ; only sat for 
 a full moment motionless upon his horse, gazing upon 
 me with such eyes ! then uttered in a tone in which 
 there was no anger but only sorrowing reproach : 
 
 141 0, Hernan! Hernan ! how could you make 
 your sister a widow ? How could you take my life? 
 
 "The full consciousness of my insane blunder and 
 dastardly crime rushed instantly through my mind, 
 and with a cry of horror I sprang from my horse and 
 caught him in my arms as he fell. I laid him upon 
 the ground and flung myself down beside him, mad 
 with remorse. He only spoke once, saying : 
 
 " Hernan, she is my wife. How dared you doubt 
 it? But care for her and God pardon you for this. 
 
 " Then, with the last effort of his life, he drew the 
 weapon from his wound and flung it over the cliff 
 and died." 
 
 Don Hernando ceased speaking, in unutterable 
 
EXPIATION 113 
 
 emotion, and I sat motionless beside him, too deeply 
 agitated for words. Soon he once more aroused him 
 self and continued : 
 
 " Your mother has never known of the cause of 
 rny dark deed. I could not bear that she should 
 know how I had wronged her in my suspicions. I 
 preferred rather to bear her unforgiving hatred, and 
 to banish myself from her presence. I made my 
 home near by that I might fulfill Alva s last request. 
 But my life seemed blasted . My troth was already 
 plighted to the lady who a year later became my wife, 
 else I had never married. She came to me from 
 Mexico under charge of Padre Francisco. In him I 
 found the priest who had performed the marriage ser 
 vice for your father and my sister. How Ramon Es 
 trada succeeded in convincing me of his innocence of 
 any wrong intention, I have no time to explain. He 
 <lid so, and for years thereafter was my trusted ad 
 viser. He sought your life, and also my son s, that 
 be might succeed to the inheritance of both. And I 
 have trusted him all these years, and of late even 
 thought of giving him my child! Great heaven! to 
 what lengths my blind infatuation would have led me! 
 But enough of him. He has gone to his doom, 
 and my own draws nigh. Alfred, I have told you all. 
 You have heard of my crime and its cause ; my re- 
 rii-ise and repentance ; you know how I have striven 
 
114 ALMIRANTE 
 
 to atone for my guilt ; and knowing this, can you 
 now give me the hand you once offered me, and which 
 my conscience would not then let me take ?" 
 
 * My father forgave you," I answered, clasping his 
 hand, " and you have this day given your life for 
 mine." 
 
 His eyes filled with tears, and he murmured 
 huskily : 
 
 " Jesu bless you, Alfred. Bring me to your 
 mother." 
 
 ****** 
 
 In the same room where I had myself found her 
 after those long years of separation, she awaited his 
 coming. I had reached home first and told her all, 
 and when the pale-faced bearers brought him in upon 
 his rude litter, and laid their silent burden at her 
 feet, she knelt beside him with a sudden sharp and 
 bitter cry : 
 
 " My brother, O, my brother!" 
 
 He clasped her hands in his and pressed them 
 upon his heart. His lips moved, but only my mother, 
 his children rnd myself caught the low-spoken words 
 " How long, how long since I have heard that 
 name!" My mother wept, and while I, though almost 
 overcome myself, was endeavoring to soothe her grief, 
 the priest entered, for he had long before been sum 
 moned, and to him the dying man resigned himself to- 
 
EXPIATION. 115 
 
 receive the last rites of the Chruch, When they 
 were ended he turned to us once more. He embraced 
 his son, and drawing his daughter to him kissed her 
 fondly and placed her hand in my own. His eyes 
 lingered for a moment lovingly upon our faces, and 
 then, turning to my mother, he extended his arms to 
 ward her, saying: 
 
 " Lola, my sister, I have lived all these years upon 
 the hope of one day winning your forgiveness, and 
 now " 
 
 His voice failed him, but she bent down until her 
 cheek rested for a moment on his own. When she 
 lifted her head his eyes were already closing, but his 
 lips still moved and he whispered, so low we could 
 scarcely hear: 
 
 "Oh, Alva, Alva!" 
 
 And so he died, with my father s name last upon 
 his lips. 
 
 The priest knelt by the body, murmuring the 
 prayers for the dead, my mother and Carlos kneeling 
 beside him in silent grief. Ina wept in my arms. I 
 was grieved to the heart, but it was not with a hopeless 
 sorrow, for I knew no life could be desolate when 
 blessed with friends and kindred and love. 
 
 THE 
 
Were it not for the dread of this nauseating and miserable sickness, 
 ocean voyages would be preferable to many, both for health and pleas 
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 as it is in theEastern States and Europe, that a preventative and cure 
 may be found in 
 
 Dr, Rowas Famous Remedy for Sea-sickness. 
 
 To be obtained from all Druggists and from 
 
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 Liberty Insurance Company 
 
 Pacific Fire Insurance Company 
 
 ROLLA V. WATT, 317 CALIFORNIA ST. 
 
 General Agent San Francisco 
 
An Old Californian Recognizes an Old Friend of Former Days, 
 
 One of the oldest living Californians is George W. Vincent, of this 
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 The people had to resort to nature when bodily ills assailed them. He 
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 I am, yours truly, GEO. W. VINCENT. 
 
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 M.irkt-t Stre.-t Cable line that OO01 and Cliff 
 
 House, and the new Powell Street Cable line, with its beautiful 
 
 view of the Kay and Presidio, la-sides f ui lines ot Horse 
 
 Cars that connect with all paits of the L ity, 
 
 pass the House. 
 
 1 1 \v is is brin tf entiie y renovated throughout, beinx made as good as new. 
 
 . he lighted throughout by the Incani . umiu 
 
 has a - Mann . The J)inin>. r Konin has In i n i aiitifully frescoed, and the ceiling 
 
 ilhinnuaN .l uitii over four hundred .liaiimnds. In the K ..tunda will be found the Southern 
 
 ! i.-!;.-t ouice, tli.- West, rn Cnion and the Pacific Postal Telegraph Cab; 
 and the American District Messenger service. 
 
 llnl. \ si. c \l;|;I.\i. I -- IN \\\II1N<. \I A I AND 
 
 8TATIOK8 ISAM,. \,,r , in , KI i. T. . AM. POIHIB 
 
 PRICES THE SAME AS AT OTHER FIRST-CLASS HOTELS 
 
 E* J. BALDVVIX, 1 roj >rivyt<gr , 
 

 
 
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