THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES GIFT OF William Noblitt Entered According to Act of Congress, A.D., 1904, by CLARA A. B CORBYN All Rights Reserved by the Author LA GRAN QUIBIRA A Musical Mystery OPERA HISTORIQUE A ROMANZA In FIVE ACTS, with OVERTURE, PRELUDE and INTERLUDE ... BY ... CLARA A. B. CORBYN The Author'! Edition rs TO THE MANY To whose generosity in subscrib- ing for an unpublished book by an Author, unknown to them either in person or by reputation, the suc- cessful publication of this volume is due, with a full appreciation of their confidence in me as shown by this act, and by their patient wait- ing, this tardy return of "the bread" they thus "cast upon the waters," bespeaking their further indulgence for the faults that the blind writer has not been able to correct, and trusting we may meet again, this special edition of "La Gran Quibira A Musical Mystery," is respectfully dedicated by The Author, CLARA A. B. CORBYN. 923212 PROGRAMME THE OVERTURE Symphony Primo Symphony Secundo A Minor C Major "HE" "SHE" Invocation Revelation Inspiration Divination Page 19 Page 51 THE PRELUDE Tema Page 85 PROGRAMME LA ROMANZA ACT I. Page. Canto First, "The Gifts of the Gods" 107 Canto Second, "The Exile" 115 Canto Third, "Passion Flowers" 117 Canto Fourth, "Equal Rights" 120 Canto Fifth, "Cowing the Bull" 122 Canto Sixth, "Halcyon Days" 124 Canto Seventh, "A Wave of Her Fairy Godmother Wand" 129 Canto Eighth, "Rosario, the Joyful" 134 Canto Ninth, "The Enchanted Palace" 137 Canto Tenth, "Trilobitz" 141 Canto Eleventh, "The Chase" 144 Canto Twelfth, "The Song of the Wild Bird" 150 Canto Thirteenth, "The Refractory Song Bird" 157 Canto Fourteenth, "The Poetry of Motion" 160 PROGRAMME Page. Canto Fifteenth, "The Rival Queens" 164 Canto Sixteenth, "The Dedication" 168 Canto Seventeenth, "Accusing Spirits" . .. 172 Canto Eighteenth, "The Haunted Schoolroom" 176 Canto Nineteenth, "Vashti" 180 Canto Twentieth, "'When Robert Went A-Wooin' " 185 Canto Twenty-First, "Ta-ta, TriloUtz" 193 Canto Twenty-Second, "The Turtle Doves" 199 Canto Twenty-Third, "A Laggard in Love" 205 Canto Twenty-Fourth, "A Narrow Escape" 208 Canto Twenty-Fifth, "Absolution" 214 Canto Twenty-Sixth, "She Won't, and There's an End On't" 217 Canto Twenty-Seventh, "The Maiden Is Not Dead, but Sleepeth" 222 Canto Twenty-Eighth, "Sweet Spirit, Hear My Prayer" . . 230 PROGRAMME ACT II. Page. Canto First, "So Merrily Chime the Wedding Bells" 233 Canto Second, "A Married Debutante" 237 Canto Third, "Birds in Their Little Nests Agree" 246 Canto Fourth, "Echoes From the Wedding Bells" 249 Canto Fifth, "The Gubernatorial Blessing" 254 Canto Sixth, "The Winged Fairy Waltz" 262 Canto Seventh, "A Feast of Roses" 269 Canto Eighth, "Daisy's 'At Home' " 275 Canto Ninth, "Point Lace and Diamonds" 283 Canto Tenth, "Fluttering Wings" 290 Canto Eleventh, "Wai Halla".. . 294 PROGRAMME ACT III, Page. Canto First, "A Transformation" 300 Canto Second, "Rosario, the Sorrowful" 304 PROGRAMME ACT IV. Page. Canto First, "When the Swallows Homeward Fly" 307 Canto Second, "Making the Best of Things" 309 Canto Third, "The Comanche's Revenge" 314 Canto Fourth, "La Gato" 317 Canto Fifth, "A Winged Messenger" 322 Canto Sixth, "Santa Maria Del Sol" 326 Canto Seventh, "A Running Stream They Dare Na' Cross. 329 Canto Eighth, "A Retrospect Hidden Treasures" 333 Canto Ninth, "The King Is Dead Long Live the King" . . 338 Canto Tenth, "Curse God and Die" 342 Canto Eleventh, "Ho, for La Gran Quibira" 347 Canto Twelfth, "Footprints of the Past" 350 Canto Thirteenth, "Mystic Music" 352 Canto Fourteenth, "Footprints in the Sand" 358 Canto Fifteenth, "The Judgment" 360 Canto Sixteenth, "The Sacred Sun- Wood" 366 Canto Seventeenth, "A Spring of Living Waters" 370 Canto Eighteenth, "The Life Beyond the Grave" 375 THE INTERLUDE Retrospect, "The City Called Beautiful" 378 PROGRAMME ACT V. Page. Canto First, "The Beginning of the End" 427 Canto Second, "Life's Hopes Renewed" 432 Canto Third, "Love's Dream Broken" 436 Canto Fourth, "A Reminiscence 'Haunting Dreams' " .. 441 Canto Fifth, "Sweet Bunch of Daisies" 488 Canto Sixth, "Touch Not, Taste Not, Handle Not" 493 Canto Seventh, "Wait 'Til I Come Again" 500 Canto Eighth, "Judas Iscariot" 506 Canto Ninth, "The Journey Down Into Hades" 509 Canto Tenth, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" 516 Canto Eleventh, "Rosario, the Glorious He Hath Arisen!" 523 LA GRAN QUIBIRA A MUSICAL MYSTERY OPERA HISTORIQUE THE OVERTURE SYMPHONY PRIMO. (A Minor) "HE" INVOCATION - - - REVELATION SYMPHONY PRIMO. (A Minor) INVOCATION REVELATION "HE" I herald the dawn of a New Era an era that will mark the rewedding of Science to Religion, those two whom God had " joined together" yet whom man hath "put asunder." The first step to be taken toward inaugurating this New Era is to supply those missing links in the history, both sacred and profane, of this little world of ours. Links, the absence of which is shown by the breaks that occur in the chain of events which connects this, the 31st day of October, Anno Domini, eighteen hundred and ninety-seven with the evening of the sixth day of the year four thousand and four, before Christ, which is sup- posed to have been the exact date upon which Man as a finished creation, entered into full possession of The Earth as his in- heritance. These missing links have been supplied to me not only by re- search, but by inspiration and by revelation also. I am well aware that it is the habit not only of the sterner sex, but of my own to look with something of contempt upon the work of woman. Yet from the beginning woman has ever been the connecting link between the human and the Divine between man and his Creator, between thee and thy God, a link never missing, for when since her creation has there ever been a time when there was not known to have been "A woman in the case 1 ' ' Remember Lilith, Adam's spirit wife; remember Eve; and Mary, beloved of the Almighty; and refuse not therefore to hear- ken to His message sent unto you, although delivered by the lips of a woman. * * * I think there is nothing more irritating to the American ethnologist than that air of contemptuous superiority which our sister continent just over the way assumes, when, pointing to her ruins historic and pre-historic relics she claims of the days 20 LA GRAN QUIBIRA of the ancient Roman, relics of the ancient Saxon relics of the ancient Lord-knows- who-else, she says to us: "I am the Old World. Thou art the New." Now, if we are to believe the story of the Creation as given in Scriptural lore, as handed down through generation after gen- eration as commonly accepted both by Jew and by Gentile, in fact by all known people and nations, religions and creeds, then are we twin productions of the Creator's hand. While the geologist, the geographer, the historian and the traveler assure us that we sprang into existence as quadruplets, united by bonds as slender in proportion to our entire bodies and as indissoluble as was the cord which connected the celebrated Siamese twins of our own day and generation ; and the astronomer, the astrologer but here let us pause. This portion of our discourse, at least, is meant to be purely of the earth earthy, and not even to carry conviction to the mind of our contumacious twin will we be forced prematurely to seek the help of the Heavenly bodies in settling this, our family controversy. But truly great results from small beginnings rise, and this taunt of our twin continent has had the effect to induce me, even me an humble female, to abandon my only legitimate business (at least so it is called by every "lord of creation" down even to "the superfluous man") to desert my only legitimate busi- ness, that of "baking and brewing and broiling and stewing" and arming myself with this essentially feminine implement both of peace and of war (the broom) attempt with its aid alone to "Sweep the cobwebs from the face of Time," to clear away the "dust of ages" and so lay bare to the view of the whole world a history for this so-called "New World" which shall co-date if it does not ante-date that of the self-styled "Old World." * * * In choosing this career for myself " Will '- 'e-Nill 'e " I adopt for my precepta principe the axiom of the ancient Greek, "Know thyself." and a thorough examination into my capabili- ties for this task shows me that the qualification I possess which in the greatest degree fits me for its successful pursuit, is that of a most profound ignorance of the subject involved. You doubt this, yet I maintain that total ignorance is the best foundation or rather it is the excavation within which the surest foundation may be laid, upon which to erect a solid super- A MUSICAL MYSTERY 21 structure of true knowledge. That, as the blank sheet of paper pure and unsullied as it leaves its maker's hand, is best adapted to receive and to retain the most distinctly legible written im- pressions, so the mind that is free from all preconceived ideas on a subject, that is unfettered by the prejudices of others, un- biased by their theories, is best calculated to arrive at a truly correct solution of this or any other problem. But here I find a stumbling block in the shape of another self-evident fact. The ancient Greek was not up with our times and I find that it is not only necessary for me to know myself, and to acknowledge my deficiencies, but that I must remedy them to a certain extent by combining with this axiom of the ancient Greek one which, whether it be modern Greek or Polyglot, bids me know other people. At least, I find it requisite to the suc- cess of my undertaking, that, at its very outset I form the acquaintance of such of those other people as have trodden this self-same pathway before me. "By their fruits ye shall know them." And first encasing myself in the armor of a firm resolve that in pursuit of the truth of this matter I would thoroughly sift the wheat of indisputable fact from the chaff of individual theory, that I would separate the true metal from the false by applying to all, that infallible test, a little of the acid of common sense I make the plunge and dive to the very bottom of this, to me hitherto unknown sea called American retrospective litera- ture ; and rising to the surface I acquaint myself with its boun- daries, its outlines, its limit, its extent, and each peculiarity of feature which distinguishes it, and find that what I before sus- pected is true: "This sea is not entirely composed of true his- toric brine, but is largely made up of a mixture, thick, sticky, extremely sweet and therefore palatable to the taste of all, which I unhesitatingly pronounce to be mere literary taffy, against whose sweet seductions I remain proof, thanks to the precaution- ary armor I have assumed." The most startling feature which presents itself is the fact of how very little real progress has been made toward the solu- tion of this question during the past few generations of scienti- fic research. The want of progress made is truly appalling, and would deter from further pursuit of the subject any save a most de- 22 LA GRAN QUIBffiA termined woman, who as the adage has it: "When she will, she will, you may depend on it; And when she won't, she won't and there 's an end on 't. ' ' Now / will. And believe me upon whatsoever pathway I plant this, my right foot, my left is bound to follow. In attempting to trace the lineage of the true-born American citizen of today back in a direct line to old Father Adam and his much-abused spouse, it is not my intention to weigh with nice distinction the respective claims of the Bi-Metallist, the Free- Silverite or the Gold Bug of the present political epoch to be regarded as veritable "Chips of the Old Blocks;" but to re- construct our racial genealogical tree only so far as to place it upon a firmer, more substantial, and, I trust, indestructible basis, and to supply those missing branches which have been broken off and are supposed to have been lost by that old thief, Time, in his progress toward Eternity. To do this we must go back to where the first break seem- ingly occurs. It is conceded as an historical fact that when Cortez and his followers first set foot upon the soil of this, the northern half of the American Continent, they found they had invaded the ter- ritory of a vast, populous and powerful empire, dominated by a people superior in every respect to all those, apparently of the same race, who had before been met with and who are now com- monly classified under the sweeping appellation of the North American Indian. A people who, according to their conquerors, were possessed of attainments which in many respects equalled, if they did not surpass, those of a like order possessed by the European nations of the same day. Setting aside those peculiar to themselves, among which was the art of weaving the plumage of birds into beautiful and gor- geous articles of wearing apparel, these attainments were more particularly displayed in the architectural design, solidity of construction, and beauty of ornamentation of their buildings, especially such of those buildings as were devoted to the uses of the public and in the exquisite skill and delicacy with which they worked the precious stones and metals. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 23 A people whose tragic fate as a nation we know; of whose doom as a race we are eye witnesses ; but whose origin is involved in obscurity, and so forms one of the missing links of which we are in search. * * * The religious faith of man whether he be advanced in civ- ilization to a greater or less degree, is inherent; as inseparable from his very existence and history as a created being, from his progress or decline as a race or by nations as inseparable from both his moral and physical growth, from each individual act of his every-day life as is the soul from the body. In attempting to treat this religious faith of man as an attribute that may be considered apart, the scientist and ethnolo- gist make a mistake that is fatal to their own further progress toward the solution of the problem they have set themselves, as to where to place the "divide" between the historic and the pre- historic age of man. 'When they separate the attributes of the soul from those of the body, and attempt to consider the whole from the stand- point of the latter, they but dig a pitfall for themselves into which they fall and flounder much to the amusement of the votary of common sense, who absolutely refuses to follow them into this abyss which but widens the breach made by and makes more apparent, the want of the link that here is missing. As well take the corpse of an unknown individual and pretend to state w r ith accuracy the precise amount of knowledge which he had acquired, when living ; what would be his opinion upon any given subject, and the language in which he would have ex- pressed that opinion. When they separate the soul from the body they but "douse the glim" which otherwise would have lighted them successfully on their way. * * * But these pioneers of research are possessed of their little fads, one of which is that when they have made a new dis- covery one which the world recognizes as such they immedi- ately begin to think they created the thing and are so puffed up with the idea that they imagine, as a creator, they excel all other creators, even the Creator of the Universe Himself. This is shown by their ever after expressing "Ego" by a very large capital "I": while they display an almost irresistible 24 LA GRAN QUIBIBA desire to spell "God" with a little "g" as "I and god." Re- minding one of that other doughty pioneer who, when his cabin was invaded by a huge bear, deeming discretion the better part of valor, boldly ran away leaving his good wife, Betty, to dis- pute the right of possession of the premises with the bear; which indeed, she did and successfully, waging battle in which Bruin was killed ; her lord and master meantime encouraging her by shouting through a chink in the closed door: "Hit him on the snoot,. Betty. Hit him on the head. " And at last, when the bear was quite dead, came and stood valiantly over the carcass tell- ing the story of the combat to each curious new comer as : ' ' We did it. I and Betty did it. I (sotto voce) and betty KILLED THE BEAR." In no instance is this mistake made more apparent than in their treatment of the history of these the Aztec people and of their ruler at that day the second Montezuma, absolute mon- arch, priest and king, whose people believed him to be half human, half divine, who died a martyr to his religious faith and for the redemption of his people. Chronicling this heroic act, our greatest and best historians say of him: "He was a Barbarian." Yet what Christ sought to become to the Jews, Montezuma wished to be to the Aztecs, and like Him was accepted by the few, rejected by the many. Think of this great, this despotic monarch, whose subjects of the very highest rank ventured into his presence only in the garb of servitude, and then dared not raise their eyes to their sovereign's face without that sovereign's permission, this King of kings, and Lord of lords, who, in the very prime of life ar- rived at the topmost height of earthly glory, renown and riches bowed his proud head voluntarily, consenting, after the coming of the Spaniards to live an ignoble life and to die an ignominious death that the prophecy of the great Quetzalcotl THE FAIR GOD, be fulfilled, which prophecy foretold that upon the coming of the Whites to rule over them, his people would turn away from their idols and return to the worship of the one living God, Creator of the Universe, invisible, omnipotent, omnipresent. And although they faithfully chronicle this act, as well, these same historians style it an act of "pusillanimity" upon the part of Montezuma. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 25 Yet verily I say unto you, but one other such act of sublime humility and self abnegation has been recorded since the be- ginning of the world, and if at the last Montezuma seemed to weaken, to waver, and to doubt, remember thou the scene upon the cross where Christ your chosen Eedeemer, acknowledged that He had reached the very utmost limit of His faith and powers of endurance, when He cried in an agony of reproachful appeal : "My God, My God. Why hast Thou forsaken me?" It forms a matter for curiosity and for speculation upon the part of the disciple of common sense, as to which will receive the greatest mercy at the judgment seat : The Jews God's chosen people who slew His prophets and condemned to the shameful death of a common malefactor Him whose sinless life and purity of teaching made Him worthy at least to be accepted as The Messiah for whose coming they had been prepared; the bigot Cortez, who in the name of this same Messiah who taught only "Peace on earth and good will to man," committed acts of atrocity unparalleled in the annals of war, maiming for life hundreds of captive warriors, burning at the stake all those who refused to acknowledge the Spaniards' King and the Spaniards' God, and varying the programme by roast- ing upon hot gridirons all who refused, through ignorance without doubt, to disclose the secret of the burial place of the riches that were all their own but which were coveted by their conquerors; or this "pusillanimous barbarian," Montezuma, who it is true tolerated the sacrifice of human victims to the gods by tearing out their hearts while yet they breathed, but who when urged by Cortez and his priests to renounce his own and his people's God and to turn to the worship of the God of the Span- iards whose characteristics, however, they described as being the same, replied: "Why surely thy God is my God. Then why not let my people be thy people?" (Or words to that effect.) Tell us which will receive the greatest favor in Thy sight: "Oh Thou Wha in the Heavens doth dwell, And Wha, as pleaseth best Thysel' Sends ane to Heaven and ten to Hell a' for Thy glory. And no for ony good or ill they've done afore Thee?" * * * In setting forth upon my voyage of discovery into the un- known regions of the past, in quest of those mysterious truths 26 LA GRAN QUIBIRA concerning the pre-historic age of North America truths which so far have baffled every effort made to capture them upon the part of the scientist and historian both of the past and of the present I prayed most earnestly to be delivered from that temptation to self glorification which has betrayed even the most eminent of these, into committing the folly of foisting upon a credulous world some speculative theory of their own and un- blushingly labeling it "A true historic fact, which I, Blank, the scientist, or I, Blank, the historian, or I, Blank, the great arch- aeologist, or I, Blank antiquarian and ethnologist, have alone of all the world been able to discover." Reminding one of the Irishman who having learned to play the violin not quite correctly, stopped each time he made a blun- der and cried in triumph: "Ah, do ye moind that now? That's a little thing Oi put in mesilf !" Two classes of these what may be termed "Unsuccessfully Successful Discoverers" the one of which setting forth in quest of some particular object whose distinctive attributes they minutely describe, finds not the object of their search, but something totally different in character, yet declare that the two are one and the same, because they, not being able to find the one, and having found the other it must be so; the other ad- mitting total failure upon their part to find anything which in the least degree resembles the place, person or thing, for which they are looking, just as stoutly maintains that the thing does not exist, and that it never had an existence, except in the imag- inative Realms of Romance. These two classes of discoverers, I say, find practical illustra- tion in the histories of the respective expeditions of Coronado and Espiho in quest of the celebrated Gran Quibiran metal workers of The Seven Cities of the Cibola. It is also an historical fact that when the Spaniards oc- cupied Tinnoctitlan as its conquerors, they failed to find that amount of rich spoils in wrought gold, silver and other precious articles, they had expected. And since Cortez and his band de- clared that they themselves had beheld the wonderful treasures they described, they could but conclude that the inhabitants, during the siege, had managed to secrete or bury the greater part of their valuables both private and public. A MUSICAL, MYSTERY 27 No amount of tortue, however, inflicted by these their Chris- tian conquerors upon the few surviving barbarians, was suffi- cient to extort from them the secret of its burial place, or indeed the admission that they had ever possessed the vast riches ascribed to them; and they denied that they knew aught of the process of working the precious stones and metals. They told, however, the story of a portion of their own peo- ple who inhabited seven great cities to the Far North, who had arrived at an even higher grade of civilization than themselves, possessed immense riches in the shape of the coveted metals, and understood the art of working them. Many expeditions were fitted out by the Spaniards to search for this people, tempted by the prospect of the immense booty to be obtained from their conquest. All of these expeditions, however, proved fruitless. Principal among them were those of the Spanish generals, Coronado and Espiho, before alluded to. Coronado set forth from the Valley of Anahuec in the year of our Lord knows when (being a woman I claim a woman's privilege of uncertainly as to dates) but it was somewhere near the middle of the sixteenth century. He set forth then at this precise date from the Valley of Anahuec, with a band of one thousand men and journeying a little to the east of north, he fol- lowed the course of the River Pecos its entire length, and from thence crossed over to the banks of the Platte River, within what is now the boundaries of the State of Nebraska. Here he found a vast Indian community occupying a num- ber of large villages. These Indians, it is true, possessed no de- gree of the looked-for civilization. They dwelt not in habita- tions of wrought stone, but in miserable huts rudely constructed of earth and reeds. They were not rich but very poor, subsisting mainly by hunting and fishing. They were totally ignorant of the art of working the metals; or indeed, of the uses to which the metals were put. Yet the disappointed General Coronado, unwilling to acknowledge himself defeated, declared this to be the long-sought-for Gran Quibira and (whisper it low) our own Bureau of Ethnology records it as such. [N. B. Coronado was evidently taking a long look ahead and was deceived by a vision in which that champion Nebraskan 28 LA GRAN QUIBIRA metal worker of the future, William Jennings Bryan, loomed up amid the possibilities of the "Sweet bye-and-bye."] Espiho started from the City of Mexico within a short time of the above mentioned date, with an army of about four thous- and men and following the course of the Rio Grande along its western bank, he finally arrived at Jemez, and from thence crossed over to the conquest of that Indian Province whose prin- cipal pueblo "Oga-Na-Po-ga" stood upon the site now occupied by the New Mexico territorial capital, Santa Fe. Finding no similarity between the friendly Indians along his route or these conquered Indians, to the Indians for whom he was looking, Espiho declared it to be his belief that the story of La Gran Quibira was a mere fabrication, and that of the metal workers of The Seven Cities of the Cibola, a myth. Yet the story of this mythical Gran Quibira has ever possessed a greater charm for the imagination of the student of American archaeology than has any other known tradition of the North American Indian. A charm which, strangely enough, in nine cases out of ten merges into an absolute conviction that the Gran Quibiran Confederation of The Seven Cities of the Ciboia had an actual existence, notwithstanding the failure upon the part of Generals Coronado and Espiho and other leaders of ex- peditions, to discover its whereabouts a conviction which I share with these of my male contemporaries together with the belief that the best place in which to search for, with the hope of uncovering, the hidden events of the mysterious past, is the ground upon which those events are said to have occurred. Thus, in my efforts to supply that missing link which would connect the known with the unknown history of the Aztecs, it is my belief that I might have sought for it with surer prospect of success in the Ancient Valley of Anahuec itself ; in the City of Mexico, built upon the site of Tinnoctitlan the Capital of the Ancient Aztec Empire; among the ruins of the temples of Chol- ula and those of the great temples of the Sun and of the Moon; amid the ruins of the palaces of the ancient Tezcucan capital and those of the Royal Summer Palce of Quetzaltzinco. These being quite beyond my reach, I turned my attention instead to what I, together with many others, believe to have been the site of the central or principal city of The Seven Cities of the Cibola : situated in the heart of New Mexico, in the center A MUSICAL MYSTERY 29 of a high valley some forty miles long by as many broad, mid- way between the river Pecos and the Rio Grande, but not easy of access from either because of the mountains that hem it in The Gallinas, the Trincheras, the Jaccarrillos, the Hills of the Chup- padero Mesa and the foot of the Manzanno range. Here my research became actual experience. What today adds to the interest of the ruins of La Gran Quibira is the fact that the history of the place has been lost to mortal ken not once, but twice, at least. "The ruins themselves proclaim the fact that where the Spanish army of the sixteenth century failed, the Spanish Church succeeded ; that the discovery denied to the soldier of the sword, was granted to the soldier of the cross. The precise date of the discovery and occupancy of La Gran Quibira by that community of Franciscan Friars who settled there is not known, but it is a matter of history that they were expelled from thence at the time of the great Indian Insurrec- tion of 1680. After this expulsion the very location of the place again was lost until discovered some fifty years or so ago by our American Explorers, Lewis and Clarke, since which time it may be justly termed the Treasure Trove of North America. A fatality seemed to hang over the place, and many are the lives that have been lost in a vain search for its whereabouts. It seemed veiled as if by enchantment, and until within a few years past, few indeed were the hands permitted to raise the veil and penetrate to its secret hiding place, and none as yet have been permitted to touch the treasures of two distinct epochs said to be buried there. I can only testify to my own experience in this matter. From the hour when I determined upon making this my point of search for the lost link in the history of the American Continent, unforeseen obstacles arose to prevent the accomplish- ment of my self-imposed task obstacles many of them trivial in themselves, but which, when combined, formed an almost insur- mountable barrier to my further investigation. Now you would scarcely credit the amount of hampering influence to hinder the progress of scientific research, that may be exerted by that monstrosity the common Mule that one liv- ing creature to which the Devil has been permitted to append 30 LA GRAN QUIBIRA his signature and affix his seal as its creator and especially the amount that may be exercised by the species known as the Mule Mexicano. Three distinct sets of these quadrupedal infernal machines were employed by us, with lapses of time between, in which to recover the discomfiture of our defeat, when, after a three weeks journey of a hundred miles or so we came within sight of the wished-for goal. Here half way up the hill upon which the ruins are located, our "Mew-els" called an unconditional "Halt," and well knowing that it would be in vain to protest or to argue the point we obeyed and camped forthwith. The short winter's day was drawing to a close and I busied myself with preparing sleeping accommodations for the night. I suppose I must have expressed the wish that was in my mind, aloud, for a voice near at hand answered me, and, looking up, I found myself face to face with a Franciscan Friar, a tall, meager yet muscular man whose thin dark face, wearing that bluish pal- lor peculiar to those who fast long and frequently, was shaded by the hood of his grey habit, from beneath which his deep set brilliant eyes shone blue, thoughtful and most kindly upon me. 'We conversed together for several minutes, I telling him frankly of a new theory I had formed, concerning the source of the reputed great wealth of that ancient community of his own Order who had inhabited this place more than two centuries be- forea theory I had based upon personal observations of the topography and natural resources of the surrounding country through which we had so slowly journeyed to reach this place. He replied by a question which served to confirm me in the theory I had formed. But here the voice of a third person calling to me broke the spell, and whew! away went the friar and with him all my former ideas of spirits, goblins and spooks. For until he van- ished in that uncanny way, I had not the most remote idea that I was hob-nobbing with the ghost of one who had lived and walked upon this ground more than two hundred years before, and not with a living breathing student of today interested in like subjects with myself. Besides surprise, the only feeling that I experienced in the matter was one of regret, that I had not sooner known, and so A MUSICAL. MYSTERY 31 had lost this most favorable opportunity of better acquainting myself with some of the peculiar habits of ghosts and ghostesses. We camped for several weeks after this among the ruins on the hill. These consist of the ruins of the great church one hundred and fifty feet long by fifty-two broad, which many peo- ple incorrectly call "A Cathedral," and those of an adjoining monastery which is supposed to have originally contained more than seventy rooms in all, including both large and small; to- gether with the ruins of many other buildings covering several acres of ground, no correct idea of which can now be formed ex- cept as to extent and from their outline. Most of these buildings would appear to have been erected at a more remote period than was the church itself, which has given rise to the conclusion, formed by many, that with the one exception of the church, the Spaniards did not build the place, but merely occupied it as a conquered town. Others however contend that the entire place was founded by this Spanish Church community. If this be true, then the magnitude of the ruins decides beyond all possibility of doubt the much disputed question as to the poverty, or affluence of this Spanish Church community; for since man began to dwell in houses of .his own construction, these houses have ever cost money or money's worth, to build, and the size and solidity of those of which only these ruins remain, attest to the vast wealth of those who builded them. But, since we may infer that the work of construction was done by the Aztecs either as freemen before The Conquest, or un- der compulsion, as slaves, after it, then one can but wonder why the church, that vast cruciform structure whose walls are six feet in thickness, should have been built of ordinary rubble work and not of the cut stone which appears in many of the walls of the buildings, believed to be of more ancient date, and especially in those of thft vaults underneath, and ask if this people had lost the art of masonry as suddenly as they seemed to have done that of working the precious stones and metals? Now the only answer that I and common sense can find to this conundrum, forms a clue to the mystery which envelops the history of those who inhabited this place prior to the date of The Conquest, 32 LA GRAN QUIBIRA "The Aztecs themselves, as they tried hard to make their conquerors understand, never possessed in any degree of per- fection either the art of masonry, or that of working the precious stones and metals. Those vast pyramidal structures used by them as temples, their gorgeous palaces, those wonderful, curiously wrought gems and beautiful gold and silver ornaments and vessels, were theirs only by inheritance, or rather by right of discovery, and were the work, the relics, of some long lost race belonging to some forgotten age." "What Race? And to what Age did it belong?" The answer to this is the key that would unlock that secret chamber in which is hidden away the lost archives not only of this portion of the Globe we call North America, but also of every country upon its face in whose history there are these miss- ing links, even to the uttermost corners of the Earth; the key for which scientists and historians have sought in vain for generations past ; the key which a messenger from Heaven direct has placed in this right hand of mine. "Who were these People and to what Age did they belong?" The time for me to pronounce the one word which forms the "Open Sesame" to the door that now bars the historic from the pre-historic past, is not yet come. Subsequent discoveries of subterranean walls, rooms and passages, miles in extent, over only a small portion of which the supposed Spanish town was built, served to confirm me in the theory I had formed concerning the source of the reputed great wealth of that community of Franciscan Friars, who were driven from this place at the time of the great Indian Uprising of 1680. It is my belief that the illimitable wealth ascribed to this Monastic Brotherhood was no myth, but solid reality. The underground ruins, with their small cell-like rooms and short arched passages, leading into a large, circular, central chamber, are the exact counterparts of the descriptions of the cities of the dead of ancient Egypt and the Orient, as given by Ebers, and other authentic writers, from actual observation. And I have no hesitation in affirming that these cunning holy Friars settled themselves here, secure from molestation, because of that superstition of the Indians which held sacred the persons of all those who took refuge upon sacred ground, and dwelt peace- A MUSICAL MYSTERY 33 fully here within the very precincts of Culhaucan, their sacred city of the dead, where they deliberately, systematically and as may be supposed at first at least secretly, plundered the tombs filled with many generations of a people whose known custom it was to bury with their dead not only food, drink and raiment, but also much valuable treasure in the shape of wrought and un- wrought gold, silver and precious stones, which they placed in jars and vases themselves almost above price to the antiquarian of that date. That this was the source of their wealth is proven from the fact that it was impossible to procure any such wealth at that date, or indeed at any subsequent date, from any known natural resources of the surrounding country. The surrounding mountains, it is true, abound in mineral, but it is for the most part a refractory ore containing so great a percentage of copper that even at this advanced age of pro- gress in invention, there is not within the boundaries of the Ter- ritory of New Mexico any machinery capable of reducing and separating it. And it is my opinion that had all the ore then mined, that has since been mined, or that still remains, in these mountains to be mined, been so reduced and separated it would scarcely have equalled the immense sum said to have been possessed by this religious fraternity which is variously estimated at from thirty-two to fifty millions. It is a notorious fact that the Americans are more easily humbugged than almost any other people. It has even been as- serted that we are a nation of humbugs, but this, in the name of the Nation, I deny. And the bug which "hums" most ac- ceptably in American ears is the "humbug" we call "our great mining interests. ' ' This "humbug" has been known to create, fluctuations, cause panics, even, in markets to which it seemed in no degree al- lied, and some of us have even attempted to make it the means of upsetting the monetary equilibrium of the country itself. You have all of you, I dare say, heard of the great New Mexico silver mines, where from three to seven millions worth of ore are said to be in sight, and of that great Colorado gold 34 LA GRAN QUIBIRA mine whose owner is said to have refused for it twelve millions in cash, because he declared that he had more than that amount upon the dump. Now, when I reflect that at the average rate of sixteen dol- lars an ounce, for pure gold, it would require almost three tons, that is to say a nugget of solid refined gold weighing nearly six thousand pounds to be worth one million of our American silver dollars, then, when I hear these and stories of like import, I am ready to bet you "sixteen to one" there is nothing in them; that they are all mere "humbug." That this was the source of their wealth is further proven from the fact that these underground ruins have been filled with a cement of no known natural production. In one room or pass- age it will appear of spotless white, while a second immediately connected with it will be filled with a mixture of bright red clay, and in a third the cement resembles nothing so much as a light brown sugar, while others still are filled simply with earth and rock, and from the fact that the entire hill surrounding these Spanish church ruins, both within and without what may be looked upon as consecrated ground, presents one solid mass of skeletons, the bones of tens, yea hundreds of thousands of hu- man beings, and this in a locality where no record of the past admits that any such vast population of the living ever dwelt. These skeletons are without doubt the remains of the bodies removed by the plundering priests from these numberless tombs. A curious custom seems to have existed, at that date, of burying their dead of different ages in different places; that is to say, the aged or adults in one vault or pit, while the youths were placed in one apart, and a third would be filled entirely with the bodies of small children. The opening of one of these common graves filled with the skeletons of those who had arrived at maturity but had not yet attained to the full height of man or woman, has without doubt given rise to the mistaken idea which prevails, that the Aborig- ines of North America were a race almost of pygmies. They were, A MUSICAL MYSTERY 35 in fact, of very large proportions, always above, never below, the average stature of the American of today. # # # When or how the craze for exhuming and possessing himself of the bones of those of his own species of a by-gone generation, first beset man, it is impossible to determine, but the mania has become epidemic. I had scarcely set foot among these ruins when a Colorado shepherd, rising by the aid of his crook from one of these sepul- chral pits, presented me, as a mark of delicate attention no doubt, with a small jaw bone perfect in shape and preservation, filled with small pearly teeth which had without doubt belonged to some Indian maiden of the "long-long-ago," together with a pair of cross bones. These I carried about with me all day, resolving to make them the nucleus of a collection of like trophies of La Gran Quibira. Then a curious fancy took possession of me. I thought that when the day of judgment came, these "remains" might wish to be "all there" and how decidedly uncomfortable it would be for me to be surrounded by a host of incomplete diaphragms, each clamoring for that part of his or her anatomy of which I had possessed myself. Ugh! I can hear it yet, the "Song of the Bones" as sung in melancholy tones with sighs and moans and dismal groans : ' ' Oh, give me my bones, my BONES ! MY BONES ! " I hastened to rid myself of those in my possession, trusting that when the last trump sounded they might be able to find the "rest of themselves" by some such hocus-pocus as is said to be exerted by the non-rheumatic joint snake, and endeavored there- after to protect all those buried on the hill. I used arguments, entreaties, persuasions, threats, all to no purpose. The bowels of the average tourist, traveler, or mining prospector, whether he write himself "Professor" "Doctor" plain "Mr." "Jack" or "Jo," yearns for and will be satisfied with nothing but human bones. The apology offered for this strange ghoul-like appetite is often unique. One young gentleman declared that he did not wish them for himself, but that he thought they would make such a nice present for a young lady friend. 36 LA GRAN QUIBIRA (A human skeleton a "nice present for a young lady friend!") Most of them, however, say that they wish them for scien- tific purposes, which "scientific purpose" usually proves to be that they want to carry them to be inspected by their village doctor, who after gravely examining the humps and bumps of the skull (the favorite trophy of the bone-collector) wisely gives it as his opinion that it belonged to a man of ' ' education and cul- ture," (without, doubt a physician.). But we are all of us prone to talk "shop" and it is related of one of these professional gentlemen, whose habit it is to prowl about these ruins, and who is known to possess the learning and culture he ascribes to these other " numb-skulls ;" that, upon being presented with one of two small crucibles said to have been found among these ruins, he declared that he knew what they were : ' ' They were wine cups used by the medicine men of old for measuring out their potions." * * * But the song of the bones is not the only music to be heard in this strange place, which presents the very "abomination of desolation," inhabited as it usually is solely by the gophers, whose innumerable burrows in the sands of the hillside form so many traps for the feet of the unwary pedestrian. What they go for into the depths of the sand, I do not know. Perhaps they go for water but it may be they "Gopher" bones. I was awakened some time during the first night of our stay among the ruins, by the ringing of a chime of bells. This sounded thrice, then ensued the soft weirdly plaintive music of an aeolian harp. Not then, nor ever after being able to determine the loca- tion or origin of this mystic music, I could but conclude that in some one of the vaults beneath us which had not like the rest been sealed hermetically, some devotee of the art of hundreds of years before, had caused to be constructed one of these quaint air harps, which swept continually by the wind, which never ceases blowing in this locality, kept up a never ending accompan- iment to the "Rattling of his bones, bones, bones." Then succeeded another kind of music which I supposed to have been made by the herder of some neighboring sheep camp, playing upon the French harp or mouth organ, a musical in- A MUSICAL MYSTERY 37 strument of which they are particularly fond and one of which they almost invariably carry with them. I do affirm that this sound continued for two successive days and nights, before it be- gan to dawn upon my mind that nothing human, not even an of- fice seeking politician nor a modern drummer, was possessed of wind enough to work the machine for so long a time without stop- ping. These two kinds of music were followed and accompanied by many others, each distinct and separate in itself, which I can best describe as being "just within hearing" seldom rising to a higher pitch or softening to a lower, yet no storm so violent as to be able to deaden or drown these continuous, evervarying sounds; for upon such nights, especially, as Burns avers, "A child might understand the De 'il had business on his hand, ' ' they were most distinguishable. Above the sound of the howling, rushing wind, the driving, pelting rain, clear and distinct came the sound of the trumpet's call, and that of myriads of hurrying footsteps as of crowds assembling, each accompanied by its own distinctive band of music, bands of brass, as in our own day; bands com- posed of instruments, many of which were quite unknown to me ; choirs of voices, both male and female; the chanting of the priests; the clanging of the bells; and occasionally breaking through all, a wail or shriek as of souls in agony. I could not even then dispossess myself of the belief that this was the wailing of the damned, and that all these other sounds were meant to drown that terrible one. If you have ever heard that odd descriptive musical composi- tion called "The Thunder Storm," wherein a simple melody played upon the shepherd's pipes, is plainly heard above, or rather through, the sound of the rising wind, the falling rain, the crash of thunder, and the clash of the fire-alarm bells, you will understand perfectly the phenomenon which I have at- tempted to describe ; but, instead of one air played upon one in- strument, there were many going on all at once, yet never seem- ing in the least degree to interfere the one with the other. The composition of this mysterious music was extremely crude a simple melody, formed by ringing the changes upon a few notes, mostly in a minor key, but which acquired a certain degree of grandeur from the number of instruments, or 38 LA GRAN QUIBIRA voices by which it was rendered, and from the fact that it was always expressed in full chords. A strange experience this, for those who had been taught not only to disbelieve, but to abhor as an invention of the foul fiend himself, the doctrines of spiritualism. Nor did our experience end here. The water supply giving out, we made our way across the country to an unexhausted reservoir near the foot of the Gallinas Mountains. This distance of about seventeen miles was gallantly accomplished by our "mew-els" in the course of three whole days. Along the route we beheld myriads of shadowy, indistinct figures, all apparently journeying in the same direction as our- selves, some with firm elastic tread, others lagging as if weary from a long journey. But once we seemed to meet a herald, pre- ceded by trumpeters, who was reading a proclamation or sum- mons which ended in a long roll-call. Now of all this, only the sound and not the sense was ap- parent to us, for, during all this time, I heard but one articulate word. Throughout an entire day, evidently from beneath the ground over which we traveled, there came up the sound as of many voices crying continually: "Hytanna. Hytanna. Hytanna." I was filled, not with fear, but with wonder and with cur- iosity. I knew that I was witnessing the resurrection of the dead called up for judgment; that time typified by the forty days Christ walked the earth between His Resurrection and His Ascension a resurrection and a judgment that is going on about us all the time, unseen, unheard, by the many. These were spirits, neither of Heaven nor of Hell, but merely of the earth, which accounts for the very unsatisfactory answers they make to those living mortals, known as "Spiritual mediums," who claim to have the power of conversing with them. For, except to describe their own death agony and their whereabouts and occupation during this period of probation, they are quite as ignorant as ourselves ; and certainly of life in A MUSICAL MYSTERY 39 any sphere save this, nor do I believe that living mortal has the power to recall them when once they have left it for another. * # # Arrived at the reservoir, we went into camp a few hundred yards to the east of the pool, in the midst of a thicket of cedars and pines which hid the water itself from our view. Here for three whole days I diligently exercised my female prerogative and "Baked and brewed and broiled and stewed" without ceasing, varying the monotony by joining my voice to one or other of the spirit choruses, as fancy dictated, wondering all the time why they were so commonplace, with nothing of the awesome or supernatural about them. The night of the third day was bitterly cold and we retired very early to sleep in the wagon. Beside the intense cold there was nothing remarkable in the night except its preternatural stillness. Even the customary night sounds, the scream of the eagle, the hoot of the owl, the howl of the wolf, and the bark of the coyote, were hushed. Then came the sound I long had wished to hear, the sound of heavenly music no sustained melody, but broken chords formed by the sweeping of a practised hand over golden harp- strings. I sprang up and out of the wagon, in a fever of triumphant expectation, but was checked at the very first step by the biting cold, which seemed to freeze the blood in my veins, the marrow in my bones. I was so chilled by it as to be scarcely able to regain the warm shelter I had left. There I wept in bitter disappoint- ment and vexation. It was some time before I regained sufficient presence of mind to attempt to gain through my hearing that which was denied to my sight some idea of the Mystery that was being enacted at the waterside. First came the sounding of the heavenly harps as a sum- mons or call ; then one or other of the spirit bands marched for- ward, each preceded by its own distinctive kind of music ; then came a few sentences, pronounced in a stern resonant voice, deeper, richer, more powerful than any human voice I had ever heard. This I took to be The Arraignment. Then there followed the sound of another voice reading what was probably The Ac- cusation or Indictment. Then one or other stepped forward as 40 LA GRAN QUIBIRA spokesman for the entire spirit band, pleading the cause of all; some in tones of arrogant assurance, as if confident of success; others meekly, humbly, falteringly. . . . Solemn as was The Mystery, I could not for the life of me, help thinking of the story of the colored preacher, who, after death, presented himself confidently at the gates of Heaven, shouting loudly: "Open de gates dar 'Postie Petah. Brow de trumpets loud and long, Fo' he' a brudder Saint am comin' I's de Rebren Quacko Strong!" Finding his demand unheeded he made his plea successively as "exhortah," ''class leadah," "chu'ch membah," and (it may be) "Chief of the Flambeau Club." Finally the gates were grudgingly opened, just far enough to permit him to squeeze through, not, however, without leaving a handful of his wool in the grasp of Old Nick, who waited out- side, after an humble petition as " A Mise-ble Sinnah name ob Strong." . . . And I myself gauged their chances of suc- cess, accordingly. Then again the harps were sounded and a hush fell over all, while the stern voice of the judge pronounced sentence. This was repeated several times until a number of bands, tribes or families had been judged. Then came the separating of the chosen from the condemned, amid a crash of all the bands of music and choirs of voices com- bined. The entire volume of sound, however, was not sufficient to drown the wailing of the doomed, which ever and anon broke through in a blood-curdling shriek which almost made me scream aloud in chorus, for the very horror of the sound. Then again the harps were sounded, and this was followed by the "sound as of a mighty rushing wind" or as of many birds in flight, which cut the stillness of the air as it swept past and beyond us. This I took to be the first blast of a coming storm, and waited and listened. No other followed, but the same strange hush fell upon all Nature. Then came a repetition, with some variations, of the scene that had before been enacted. This time when I heard the sound as of the rushing winds, a light broke in upon me and I arose and A MUSICAL MYSTERY 41 looked hastily out; but, except for a far off, luminous cloud which vanished even as I gazed, there was no change in the frozen stillness of the moonlit scene. Gladly I heard the second repetition of the scene com- mence; then, when came the separating of the chosen from the danmed, I arose and stole silently to the opening, and when came again the sound as of the rushing winds I looked hurriedly out, just in time to witness the third and for this time, the last ascension. A luminous golden car was sweeping past and above us to- ward the eastern heavens, drawn and supported upon either side by beautiful winged female figures. The car itself was piled up with what seemed to be snowy, fleecy, cloudlets, upon which a glory, as of full sunlight, rested. Beside the car, his right hand resting upon it and apparently impelled by the same force, since his own wings were folded, was the figure of an archangel, evidently that of the great Judge himself. His form, clad in a simple white garment girded at the waist by a cord, was grand and majestic. The figure of man enlarged and glorified. His mass of golden hair was cut square upon his forehead and again upon his neck; his brow was broad, massive and stern ; his eyes, a deep intense blue, fixed as in rapt atten- tion upon some far off point in the heavens, were steadfast and searching in their gaze. The stern severity of his features, how- ever, was softened somewhat by the expression of infinite sweet- ness and tenderness that played about his mouth. His left hand was toying with something at his girdle. Now whether this was a tassel, or a key, I was trying to make out, when the shrill notes of a parrot close at hand gave the alarm by screaming suddenly: "Somebody's looking." I gasped in terror. There was a merry laugh, like a chime of golden bells, from the beautiful winged females who impelled the car; a quick sign from the archangel for them to redouble their speed, then he looked down upon me. I expected nothing short of total annihilation because of my curiosity and temerity, but he only smiled an amused, indulgent smile. But before I could recover the fright of my detection and sudden exposure, the clouds had parted and they had passed through the gateway thus formed, into the clear radiance be- 42 LA GRAN QUIBIRA yond; and before I could recover voice sufficient to question of the archangel: "Art Gabriel, Izrafil or Another? Explain, oh explain to me the great mystery which has been enacted here," they were gone and I was left alone. Alone with the sound of the many bands of music of those poor unfortunates who, like me, had been left behind. Alone with the sound of the never-ending monologue of him who had pleaded last, and pleaded in vain for himself and his people against that stern decree which bade them "Walk the earth for yet a longer period. ' ' Alone with the customary night sounds resumed, the scream of the eagle, the hoot of the owl, the howl of the wolf and the bark of the coyote. * * * More curious than ever we returned to La Gran Quibira in the hope that we might be able to solve the mystery there, where the first clue had been given us. It was a well-known custom of those who are supposed to have founded this place, to bestow upon both individuals and places a name having a meaning derived from some peculiarity or action. Now I never could discover any meaning to the name Quibira. Whenever I questioned either Mexican or Indian upon the point, they answered me with their invariable ' ' Quien sabe. ' ' I am aware that it is a most delicate matter to perpetrate a pun in an unknown language, yet I ventured upon christening the place "The Quien Sale Muy Grande." It is my opinion, however, that the present orthography of the word is due to the necessity we of this historic age have of spelling these ancient names "by ear," and that in reference to the subterranean ruins I have described and to the cliff dwell- ings which were also discovered at that date, all were so frequent- ly referred to as the relics of the great Cave Era as to be finally abbreviated into simple Quibira. (Pronounced Kee-vee-ra, or Cavera.) * * * I had lost my interest in the embodied spirits about me, ex- cept to wonder in what manner the earthly clay was cast off, with the exception of him who dared to contest the verdict ren- dered against him and who could still be heard loudly to murmur and complain. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 43 ' ' Was this Satan, ' ' I asked, ' ' giving vent to his anger at the number of human souls who had eluded his dread grasp? Or was it some prophet of old, who, intentionally or not, had mis- led multitudes to their own undoing?" And with this question, the revelation came, and I cried aloud in an agony of remorse and shame: "Lord God of Israel. Why, it is Jesus of Nazereth who passeth by." But I never ceased to question and to wonder in what new world, and under what new conditions, the disembodied souls I had seen borne upward had entered upon their new existence. It seemed significant to me that at the precise point of their disap- pearance the sun arose next morning, but this was not a definite answer to my queries. # * # Returned to La Gran Quibira, I was granted visions both waking and sleeping. I will relate to you only one of my waking visions. A small spring of water had been uncovered near the foot of La Gran Quibira Hill. I had claimed the privilege of naming it, and had christened it: "Living Waters." Some time after this, being unable to sleep, I got up and went out into the night. Chancing to turn my head in the direc- tion of the spring, the distance which separated me from it fully a mile and a half seemed suddenly annihilated and I found myself upon the outskirts of a vast multitude of shadowy forms, all crowding toward the water. Each held an empty oya, or water jar, of greater or smaller dimensions all sorts and conditions of jars. I noticed one of exquisite beauty of shape and design, semi-transparent and colored with most delicate tints of green. "Oh, how beautiful," I cried, "Do give it to me," and the bright-faced Indian woman who carried it presented it to me w r ith a smile. As I took it, I saw, poised in midair above the spring, a figure grand and majestic as was that of the archangel whom I had beheld at the scene of the ascension, but habited in sweeping robes of somber black, with wings black as a raven's and shrouded from head to foot in a thick veil. Now whether this was the figure of a male or of a female I could not determine until a hand 44 LA GRAN QUIBIRA swept back the heavy folds of the veil, disclosing a woman's face of rare yet unearthly beauty. Remembering the stern severity of that other face, and con- trasting it with the sad yet sweet serenity of that upon which I gazed entranced, I said: "What wonder men love darkness rather than light." But with a gesture as of possession toward the waters of th? spring, the figure bent its somber gaze full upon me and ad- dressed me thus: "Thou hast named them and rightly 'Living Waters;' yet are they the 'Waters of Death.' ' In surprise I cried: "Then death is not the grim and ter- rible monster we have been led to believe, but a solemn, beauti- ful mystery whom none need fear to meet. ' ' "I know thee, Lilith, mother of sin, harbinger of death, thou, thyself, art death." She bowed and smiled assent, then vanished with the rest of the scene, and with a shock I found myself back again at the doorway of my tent, with yet more food for reflection and for speculation. Now if this had been the only food required to support ex- istence, I should have remained upon this enchanted ground until I had dispelled the enchantment and solved the mystery; but I am unhappily so constituted as to require more substantial nour- ishment than mere air. # # # There are those who rise above the titular dignitaries of the earth. These are they who are endowed by Heaven itself with a mission. I had hoped that I was one of the chosen few, and that my mission was not only to supply that missing link which would connect the history of the present with that of the past, but that I was also specially ordained to discover those which would con- nect both past and present with the future. But being possessed of all the requirements common to mor- tals, and left here without the means of supplying them, I was forced to wonder if instead I had but tasted of "forbidden fruit." If so, I determined upon making Eve's answer to her liege lord, w r hen reproached for having eaten of the forbidden apple, my own, and say: "I have eaten. I possess the know- ledge and I feel within myself the power to master all that is still hidden from me. Therefore I do not care Adam." (A damn.) A MUSICAL MYSTERY 45 (And this laudable thirst for information both upon the part of Eve and of myself, is what men call "Female curios- ity.") So I left, in the belief that of all those who profess interest in like pursuits in discovery and scientific research I had but to ask, to receive the help I required to return to the work of un- raveling this great mystery. But I found that there is nothing so "sham" as the sham scientist. Whenever I broached this subject to any of these great personages, I seemed but to institute a game of cross-purposes reminding me of a game we played as children called "Cross- Questions and Crooked Answers." I first applied to one, high in repute in such matters. But lo! here I trod upon antiquarian toes and elicited only a howl of pain, or it may be of fear, lest I further poach upon what he chose to consider as his "preserves." This great personage dis- played to my wondering gaze a large collection of what he called "Indian Idols" rounded discs of stone with three holes drilled in their surfaces at irregular intervals. Rejoice with me, oh Christian friends, that the worship of these in no wise imperiled the souls of those poor creatures who are said to have bowed down before them, since they resembled nothing ' ' In the heavens above, the earth beneath nor in the waters under the earth. ' ' I then called upon a high dignitary of the Catholic Church, believing that he would be interested in helping to preserve the ruins of this place founded by, and in searching for further relics of, that ancient community of his own faith. His reply was: "We can only help the living; we can do nothing for the dead. ' ' I failed to see the application to the case in point, but dropped the suoject without further comment. I next applied to one high in civic authority. I did not re- late to him all of my strange experiences upon this ground, but asked his assistance in devoloping the natural resources of the surrounding country; in helping to preserve these great and in- teresting ruins from total destruction at the hands of the insati- able treasure-hunter and bone collector, and in searching for fur- ther relics and for the records said to have been left behind by the Franciscans in their forced and hurried flight. 46 LA GRAN QUIBIKA He refused, saying: ''I am a materialist." (Self-confessed, a body without a soul.) I felt that I was alone in the genuine unselfish desire to probe this great mystery to its very heart, and to give to my own generation the glory of having solved it. Yet no person or circumstance, however trivial, but what seemed able to exert a restraining influence upon my will and actions. As time went on in unavailing efforts to secure the aid I so much required to return to this great work, I grew despondent. I will not deny that at this time I thought frequently of the al- luring image of death as it had appeared to me. But oft-times the victims of the greatest human injustice are made the special objects of Divine favor. And so it was with me. In the hour of my darkest disappointment and despair at ever being able to resume my work, a revelation was sent me from Heaven. The veil of the mysterious past was lifted for me and its lost history unrolled as a scroll before my eyes. Oh, ye archaeologists who strain at historic gnats yet swal- low non-historic camels that is to say who reject small truths yet greedily devour great falsehoods begin not as ye all have begun and indeed as I began, at the wrong end of this broken chain to attempt to mend it by supplying its missing links, but go back to first principles in all things. I will not ask you to go back of that date of which ye claim ye have certain record that of the Creation as given in the scriptures and view the earth with me as it then appeared after it had been populated, depopulated, reconstructed and repop- ulated by as many sizes and colors or races of men formed can you doubt it in the image of as many successive creative gods. The earth, which had been desolated and had its every feature changed as many times as there are destructive elements. This portion of the revelation I will seal up unto myself for my own perusal and gratification. But I will respect that nar- row-minded prejudice of yours, which leads you to pin your faith to the traditions of the Hebrews rather than to those of any other people, and will assume the earth to have been created as ac- A MUSICAL MYSTERY 47 cording to those traditions, and as according to them, populated by the Caucasian race. Then from this the date of the creation to that of the deluge behold the earth. . . . But here a voice, not of the angel of the Lord, but of the demon of policy, commands me and says: ' ' Seal up this portion of the revelation also. For a time and yet a time until such a time as the local demand for its produc- tion creates for it a market value equal to that of the best foreign importations. ' ' LA GRAN QUIBIRA A MUSICAL MYSTERY OPERA HISTORIQUE THE OVERTURE SYMPHONY SECUNDO. (C Major) "SHE" INSPIRATION - - - DIVINATION SYMPHONY SECUNDO. (C Major) "SHE" INSPIRATION DIVINATION This little world of ours we call the earth is but one of the nine great planets of the solar system. This system of planets includes, besides the Sun himself, who dominates them all, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Neptune, Uranus, Venus, Mercury and the Earth. This little world of ours is said to be composed entirely of land and water; its shape that of an oblate spheroid and its movements two, diurnal and annual, in the first of which it re- volves upon its own axis, while during the time allotted to the latter it makes a revolution entirely around the sun. I use the phrase "is said to be composed entirely of land and water" ad- visedly. For at the end of upward of six thousand years of scientific research, scientists have arrived and stopped at this absurd conclusion. ''Who disputes iU" Why I and common-sense. For if this little world of ours were composed entirely of land and water, it would be but a senseless hulk, a lifeless corpse, w y hich to become a sentient thing would still require to be endowed with its heart of fire, its lungs, the air and its soul, the light. Yet the progress made by scientific research during the past few generations is truly amazing. For scarce five centuries agone and previous to that date, indeed, so far back as my recollec- tion carries me to the date of the creation as given in the Scrip- tures, where God is said to have finished His work by creating Man (and setting him to rule over me} we are supposed to have believed this little world of ours to have been even a flatter thing that it really is. Some of us believed that this flatness rested upon the back of a huge tortoise, while others declared that it was placed upon 52 I .A GRAN QUIBIRA the head of an immense serpent which stood upon its a ah tail. But since none of us provided a substantial resting place either for the feet of the tortoise, or the tail of the serpent, these beliefs fell through in time, as may be supposed, for want of a solid foundation. And less than five hundred years ago, when Columbus, the great Columbus, that stepping-stone of jasper, by the aid of which so many others have mounted to fortune and to fame that stepping-stone of finest jasper, from which the soil of the dirty foot-prints of those others actuated by sordid am- bition or grovelling greed once cleansed away, must shine forth in all its native purity of character which yet was not without its flaw when Columbus, our great Columbus, first declared it to be his belief, not only that the world was round, but that the same state of affairs existed over all its surface, that it was in- habited upon the side opposite to that upon which he found him- self, he met with only ridicule, contempt and disbelief. One of our great sages in particular, I remember, declared that nothing would make him believe that men could walk upon their heads or that trees grew with their roots in the air. (In- deed, so great as this, my friends, was the assininity of our im- mediate ancestors.) Yet since that date, scientists have discovered, to their own satisfaction, at least, that the shape of the earth is nearly round ; that its circumference is twenty-five thousand miles; and its di- ameter nearly eight thousand miles. But this last is from surface measurement or from mathe- matical deduction alone, for w r here is he who has taken the true diameter of the sphere, penetrated through its central wheel of fire that wondrous water meter upon which the earth, the ground we prize so highly that we barter and sell it by the acre, the rod, the yard and even by the foot, and which has been the cause of more contention and bloodshed than has any other known thing setting race against race, nation against nation, and even brother against brother in deadliest warfare is, after all, but a mere incrustation of mud and dirt upon the tire. Many are they who have circumnavigated the earth and who declare its true waist measure to be indeed twenty-five thousand miles. But where is he who has safely steered between the Scyllas and Charybdis of our own atmosphere, pierced through A MUSICAL MYSTERY 53 and circled about the outermost layer of clouds, the last of the many cloud-belts by which the hand of the Almighty binds and holds in place the casket we call the earth, in which He has placed the germs of all earthly life (These indeed might generate and be forced into existence by the grateful warmth from within, but all of them must perish at their birth were it not for the genial air provided for them to breathe that connecting link between the vital spark within and the vital spark without; that conductor between the electric light and heat without and those within) and so taken the true circumference of this little world of ours, which is composed not only of land and water, but of that no less essential element, fire and the even more necessary adjuncts, light, heat and air. * * # To give, to receive ; the call, the response the chord that vi- brates between these are the unrevealed secrets of our being. All things, even opposites, it has been said, may be told off in pairs. If so, then here it would require ' ' three to make a pair ' ' and counting this responsive chord, even a fourth. The Creator, the destroyer, symbolized by love and hatred, good and evil, which are not the abstract qualities they seem, but are described as being engaged in eternal, active warfare but what are good and evil in themselves without the throne for which they continually contend the heart of man 1 Life and death represented by day and night, light and darkness, but what are these in themselves without the object they act upon or indeed without the electric cord which binds them to it? The soul of man like the world that man inhabits, is but a divided kingdom ruled jointly by a creative and a destructive God. To acknowledge the supremacy of good and to worship that God whose symbol it is, is what civilized man calls his religious faith, yet everywhere, even in the smallest items, evil continually asserts its ascendency. I can think of no bettter example of this, at the moment, than the one given in that Biblical romance where she of ill-re- pute, the Witch of Endor, calls up the Spirit of that Godly grumbler the Prophet Samuel, and forces it against its will to 54 LA GRAN QUIBIRA reveal to King Saul the time and place of his own near-approach- ing death. " The Witch of Endor ?" She? Oh, no, I am not she. For lo ! a greater than the Witch of Endor is here. The electric cord. ELECTRICITY. In that one word we sound the keynote to all existence. Strange how very slow we have seemed to be in grasping even a rudimentary knowledge of this great electric science, the science of life. The Voltaic pile, the many curious and beautiful experi- ments of electricians subsequent to its discovery, among them those of Franklin, who caught and played with the electric fire from the clouds; that of Dr. Richmond, who, by the aid of an electrometer erected upon a housetop in Moscow, grasped in one single flash more practical knowledge of the science than was possessed by all of the electricians of his day combined, yet un- happily in science's interests was not permitted to remain and im- part it to them. These you will say are but the things of yester- day. For less than three hundred years ago we were total strang- ers to the electric battery, the telegraph, the electric light and to that mighty benefactor of mankind, the lightning-rod man, who grasps the thunderbolts of Jove as they are hurled and turns them from their course. Even that newest "fad" Electric Christianity was quite unknown. Yet it is but the arrogance of intellect to suppose that none as yet have gained these heights to which it is but making the ascent that it has mastered the science of life while in truth it has but progressed toward the attainment of the art of living. Man's religion meant for his heavenly salvation of times proves his earthly bane. In no instance is this made more apparent than in the fact that during all the ages of the past he has wilfully steeped him- self in ignorance, leaving all learning to the priests and teachers of his religious faith. During all the past the religious priest- hood has been permitted either to absorb or to suppress all know- ledge. But believe one who has been from the beginning: "In each and every age there have been those who have reached this goal toward which you are but taking your first strides." A MUSICAL, MYSTERY 55 In the insolence of your small successes, ye even ignore and deny to it its rightful place, the greatest of all electrical experi- ments of which ye have the record, and because it so far sur- passes anything to which the present age has attained ye miscall it by the name of a miracle. I refer to that grand experiment of the Prophet Elijah upon Mount Carmel, where upon the twelve charged stones he erected an altar to Jehovah, his God, placing thereon fuel, heavily laden with electricity and upon this, in turn, a bullock prepared in like manner and thus formed a mass of combustible matter so heavily charged with animal, vegetable and mineral electricity combined, that had it been placed near the head-waters of the Mississippi, then lit with a spark from the clouds surcharged with the electric heat of an unprecedented drouth, the names thus ig- nited must have licked up the waters of that great river itself and the Mississippi would have been no more. But when a ministering spirit takes upon itself the role of a destroying angel, even though it act in the name of and for the glory of God, then God rebukes and even chastises it. And so it was with the Prophet Elijah. Not content with having accom- plished his mission that of reuniting recreant Israel to its God; not content with the success of his pious fraud, which not only "electrified and humbled all Judea, but even induced King Ahab to purchase a through ticket to Paradise on the spot, (which, how- ever he lost before starting and was, as I have since learned, ac- cording to rule put off the train at the first way station) Elijah must needs cause the death of the four hundred and fifty priests and princes of Baal ; and God, to punish him for this act of wan- ton cruelty, permitted his secret to be detected by a woman, the prophet's arch-enemy, Jezebel. And when Queen Jezebel swore a mighty oath that even as were the four hundred and fifty princes and priests of Baal, so, likewise should be the Prophet Elijah within a given time, sending word to him to that effect, the Prophet Elijah practically confessed the imposition he had practiced by running away. For Elijah ran not like a prophet of God but like a Son-of- a-man. ' ' Jezebel 1 ' ' She 1 Oh, no, I am not she. For lo ! a greater than Queen Jezebel is here. 56 LA GRAN QUIBIRA Yet was Elijah a prophet of the great Jehovah, since in the name of that God he prophesied, among other things that which came to pass many generations later, the advent of that Prince of the house of David, the Savior and Redeemer. The Prophets of God. Who have they been ? At eventide the Sultan had a vision. Hear him relate it. # # * "I sat enthroned, the last of my race and of a long dynasty. I had held absolute sway over my myriads of people in war and in peace during many long years. In war I had led my soldiers to victorious battle with the war cry of our nation and our religion: "Allah Achbar," and taken up the oft-repeated refrain "For God Is God and Ma- homet is His Prophet." Then in peace, with spoils of war, I had builded mosques and palaces, theatres and schools for these my loving subjects who shared with me their every joy yet hid from me their sorrows and their sufferings. In pursuit of power, possessions, pleasure, I had passed from youth to hoary age. My beard had turned from gold to brown, from brown to silver, then hung in snowy waves far be- low my girdle ; and now, ambition satisfied, craving no more for conquest, surfeited with all the sweets of life, yet denied the one great desire of my heart that of sharing my throne with Azalea, my beloved Christian wife, that our children might inherit it plunged in the gloom of a first great disappointment, I began to bethink me for the first time of the journey all must take and take alone, across that slender bridge Nirrvanna, and to wonder what for me lay beyond. So I began for the first time to question earnestly "Lord, What of my soul's welfare? What shall I do to be saved ? Send, oh ! send some of my race or of my kindred who have safely crossed Nirrvanna that they may tell me what they have found in the seven heavens beyond!" I sat enthroned. The noisy glittering pageant of the day my council, who had donned the robes of state, the better to im- press me with the solemnity of their decision that ' ' only the chil- dren of a wife of my own race and faith might hope to inherit my throne;" my royal guard, in their brilliant uniform; the long train of ambassadors from foreign courts, with their retin- ues of attendants and pages all in gorgeous array; ambassadors A MUSICAL MYSTERY 57 who had come in their own sovereign's names to plead or to re- monstrate with me ; the yet longer train of suppliants in holiday attire, most of whom but coined a prayer that they might have speech with the Lord they loved all had passed away, and but for the many hued slaves who flitted noiselessly about like so many of the spectres I had invoked from the world beyond the grave, the great audience hall was empty. My dancing girls had come and gone abashed at my un- wonted mood, and but for the plash of the perfumed fountain in its center, the great audience hall was silent. Then again I cried aloud ; ' ' But what of my soul 's welfare ? Lord, what shall I do to be saved? Send, oh! send some of my kindred who have made safe passage o'er the hair-like bridge that they may show what they have found in the Paradise be- yond, even to the glories of the seventh heaven." A soft hand was pressed upon my own and rested there, and I knew that Azalea, like Queen Esther of old, had come un- bidden into the presence of her sovereign Lord. But I looked not at her. My heart misgave me. Instead my gaze was riveted upon the tapestry which closed the entrance to the great audience chamber. ' The tapestry moved as if lifted by unseen hands and there, framed in the doorway as in a picture, I beheld the figures of our first parents, radiant in health and beauty, perfect in sym- metry of form and feature stamped "fresh coined from the mint of their Creator." Then another form appeared and earth's first baby was there. At once the reins of government fell into infant hands. All creation bowed before him, none so abjectly his slaves as were his proud parents. Impulsive, passionate, uncontrolled he ruled an infant despot. Then a second baby came and without reason, as it seemed to him, the reins of government were wrested from the hands of the first and held by those of the second. And so was established Baby-sovereignty a sovereignty which has known no downfall, but whose reign has been un- broken during six thousand years of time throughout the space of the whole earth. 58 LA GRAN QUIBIRA But this usurpation of power, like all other acts of its kind, bred discontent, jealousy of the usurper, and rebellion in the heart of him from whom it had been taken. They grew and grew these first earth-born brothers and as they grew they were instructed in all the known industries of the day. Each chose for himself his calling. They were likewise instructed in all the tenets of a religious faith received as may be supposed by word of mouth from God Himself. They grew and grew to man's estate. Then the long-sup- pressed jealousy of the elder burst forth and in a fit of ungovern- able wrath at what he believed to be the injustice of God Him- self in refusing to accept from him as a religious sacrifice the best of all his earthly possessions, smiling instead upon that of his brother which as his "best" could be no better, the elder slew the younger brother, sacrificing him according to his religious rites and offered him up as. a burnt-offering to his thrice-offended God that God in whose nostrils the savor of burning flesh had proven more acceptable than was the odor of the choicest fruits and flowers. God PERFORCE accepted the sacrifice but heavily indeed did He punish him who had had the bravado to offer it. Time passed on and that allotted to the parents upon this earth had been fulfilled. I saw them wing their way upward toward the sun guided by the radiant spirit of him their youngest born who had been the first to make this ascent from earth to heaven; but pausing, lingering by the way, looking back regret- fully toward the earth which still held their eldest born; left behind to expiate his offense upon the ground where it had been committed ; then fearing to lose sight of the loved one altogether, they stopped midway upon the surface of a beautful star, hoping that by this, their voluntary exile from Heaven, and by their united intercession, to aid in his atonement and to shorten the term of his punishment. And thus was founded what some creeds know as "Purgat- ory," but which by Mohammedan, Jew and Christian alike re- ceives the name of "Paradise." From thence the younger wended his way alone, looking back in his turn toward the loved ones left behind. And so was A MUSICAL. MYSTERY 59 forged that triple chain of love, regret and expectation which still binds earth to heaven, sin-stained man to his relenting God. They were gone and in their place the patriarch Noah stood. Sublime his simple faith in God. Simple, yet majestic, his mien, as became one who had conversed with his Creator. Behind him were his three sons, and although they tried hard to faithfully copy their sire in all things, still there lurked in their countenances avarice, cunning, greed. And when Noah was called to his reward, halting at Paradise, he looked back in puz- zled wonder that his sons followed not in his wake, then waited for them there until they should have cast from off their feet those clogs of human passions which weighted them still to earth. Then in turn and together stood the three Jewish Patri- archs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the scene that had passed before repeated itself. But here I seemed to see a vision within a vision. As their descendants grew and multiplied upon the face of the earth, they grew further and further from that God who had created it and them and bestowed it upon them as their inherit- ance. As man grew strong in intellect he divided himself further and further from that supreme intellect of which his was but a part; and strong in his own wisdom, wise in his own conceit, he divorced science from religion, giving precedence to the former. For so long had he left the name of his God to be pro- nounced only by the priests of his religious faith, and by them only in the Holy of Holies, that in time God's name was lost to man and he remembered not His dwelling place. For himself he soon tired of the covering of the canopy of heaven and made for himself tents. These gave place to houses, which in turn became palaces, and his primitive camps made way for great walled cities. And so vain was man of his handicraft that he tried to prove that it outvied even the God-created forests and cliffs from which he had taken the material with which to build it. Failing in this, he cried: "There is no God. All things evolve from natural causes." "Children and fools," it has been said, "always speak the truth." And here man, in the very height of his folly, hit upon that one great truth that grand plan both of material and of spiritual life that wonderful scheme of progressive evolution. 60 LA GRAN QUIBIRA And here a problem was presented to me for my solving. "Instead, as I should have supposed of this added weight of humanity and of humanity's sins bursting the fetters which bound the earth to its parent stem, the sun, it seemed but to strengthen that electric chord, by drawing it more taut." Then I beheld Moses, Elijah and the rest of the prophets. But although I questioned these in fear and in awe as to what they had found beyond Nirrvanna, not one word would they answer me. Then from without came the sound of music, of laughter and of dancing, and in through the still unclosed doorway up to the very basin of the fountain, trooped a merry company'of men, wo- men and children, and in their midst was one in whose counten- ance and bearing were blended the tender innocence of a child with the grandeur of a god. These I questioned without fear, but they only looked at me in wonder and kept up their never-ending song, and the bur- then of all this seemed to be "By faith alone. By faith alone." Then He who was in their midst, bending His loving glance upon me, said in a voice whose melody filled the great audience chamber: "I am the way and the light," and again, "I am the resurrection and the life. ' ' My heart went out to Him. My soul did Him homage. I believed. Then out again thronged the merry company, not upward toward Paradise, but scattering abroad again upon the earth, and in their wake I seemed to see the shadowy forms of all those whom I had before beheld, and among them no, I could not mistake him there was our own great prophet, Mahomet himself. , Then I questioned of her whose hand still rested upon my own : ' ' Azalea, sawest thou the visions ? " , And she replied: "Only to my lord was it given to behold them, but he described each as it passed." "But," said I, "These are of thy people and of thy faith. What have I to do with them ? No, I, a Mohammedan, the mighty ruler of a mighty people, can not become an apostate to my re- ligious faith. 'Allah Achbar.' There is but one God." "But," she interposed, "many have been His prophets." A MUSICAL MYSTERY 61 No. I could not openly become an apostate to my religious faith, but I knew that when next in the mosque I bowed, I would shout with the loudest there: "Allah AcJibar," then whisper to myself, ' ' So God be God, what matter who His prophets ? ' ' * * * That there is a God and that He not only hears but answers the prayers of His followers, true or false, whether offered up in mosque or temple, in grove or in the extremity of the battlefield, convince thyself, oh, devotee of science, by refer- ence to thine own works the histories of all the religious wars of the world. The records contained in the books of the wars of the Lord named in Holy Writ and many others are lost to you forever through priest-craft. But among the annals that ye still re- tain, "Where," I ask, "from the 'Jehovah Adonai' of the Jews, the 'Allah Achbar' of Mahomet, down to the 'Jesu Maria' of the Spaniards or the 'Santo Espirito' of Cortez, has God ever tailed to be deceived by this lip-service of man, refused to hearken to him who called upon His name the loudest, or to award the victory to him who made the loudest promises, in the belief that by this means all mankind might be brought in time not only to worship the One True God which indeed most de- but to worship Him in that manner most acceptable to Him?" And where man has used this victory but to enrich himself by despoiling the vanquished, converting the few, and sending the many by devious and tortuous paths to God Himself to be in- structed in the faith, "Where," I ask, "has He ever failed to visit him with a deserved rebuke? Permitting him to be dis- graced as a race, degraded as a nation, among nations, and al- ways in his turn to be despoiled of his ill-gotten gains ? ' ' But that God is patient and all-enduring, never meting out to man even this well-merited punishment without affording him ample time in which to repent him of and to retrieve his fault, witness the proofs scattered all over this little world of ours, in the shape of the relics of the handiwork by which ante-diluvian man believed that he might outwit and so escape God's just judgment. * * * A woman slept and dreamed. And in her dream she stood where she had often stood before, in Central Park, New York 62 LA GRAN QUIBIRA City, by the side of the great obelisk known as "Cleopatra's Needle." Reaching across the iron railing which protects it, she traced with the tip of her finger the inscription thereon. Now this held for her no meaning whatever, but something in the ap- pearance of the broken edges of the stone, did. A group near at hand were commenting with customary American "gush" upon this monument to ancient Egyptian art hewn, as they declared, from one single piece of rock. Asking her opinion, at length, she replied : " It is not made of solid stone, but is composed of bits of granite from the quarries cemented with a mortar thickened with stone-dust from the same source. This, when dried, hardened and removed from the mould in which it was cast, presented every appearance of hav- ing been wrought from one single block of granite." There was a laugh behind her, and a woman's voice said: "Thou hast guessed the riddle which has puzzled wiser heads than thine for generations past, ' ' and turning quickly, she beheld in the midst of the group of attendants and admirers a woman whose rich oriental beauty was enhanced by the bright robe of many-hued gauze in which she was enveloped, and she knew that she was looking upon Cleopatra herself. But what puzzled her was that at the Queen's right hand, dressed in the latest English mode, she recognized the explorer Stanley. "Cleopatra?" She? Oh, no. I am not she. For lo; a greater even than Egypt's beautiful Queen is here. But if those grand monuments to pre-historic art the pyra- mids of Egypt, the temples and palaces of the orient; the sup- posed Moorish castles and citadels built upon the mountain tops of Spain and Northern Africa; the so-called Druidical ruins, feudal castles, Roman aqueducts, and catacombs of Europe; the palaces and roadways attributed to the Incas of South America ; and the Teocalli and cliff-dwellings said to have been the work of the Ancient Aztecs of North America, were not all of them wrought by the hands of that race of giants which Scripture de- clares sprang from the union of the sons of God with the daugh- ters of man, then those immense boulders which enter largely A MUSICAL MYSTERY 63 into the construction of all were but cast where they stand, and are, like Cleopatra's Needle, formed of mere concrete. But no. These wonderful monuments to ancient masonic art have proven as well-nigh indestructible as the great earth itself. this little world of ours, which scientists declare was originally but a shapeless burning mass that had rebelliously broken away from the sun itself. Believe me, the city seen at the bottom of Adriatic is no myth, but lies there today after all these thousands of years, a mute testimonial to the height to which the strength of man had arrived when it dared oppose itself to the will and wrath of God. # * * "Jehovah Adonai." There is but one God and I am His Prophet. Oh, earth, rebellious child of the sun; when wilt thou re- turn to thine allegiance? Oh, man, rebellious child of God; when humble thyself in the dust before the face of thy Creator ? The earth will return to the sun never. For when her heart of fire shall have consumed itself, and refuses longer to respond to the electric touches of the sun, then all movement will cease. The dread chill of death will settle over all, and this little world of ours will become a fixed star in the firmament beauti- ful, most beautiful in death, yet still prodigally wasting its sub- stance upon the air, sending forth its quota of brilliant phosphor- escent light, like the other dead and decaying worlds around her. But the living world? As it appeared in its perfection of form, the earth will never appear again. "What is now four-fifths water, was then four-fifths land. "You doubt it?" Why Eden was a well-watered garden, else it would not have been Eden fertile beyond conception, growing in profuse abundance all things good and beautiful, that were indigenious to earthly soil. And without irrigation, plenti- fully watered by its beautiful lakes, its broad and winding riv- ers, its multitudes of springs and fountains, fed by the eternal snows of its lofty mountains. And added to this sufficiency of water, have we not the ac- cumulated waters of that steady downpour of forty days and 64 LA GRAN QUIBIEA. forty nights ? These, it is true, rise in frequent vapory protests toward heaven, but are flung back upon the face of the earth, a continual reminder to man that God's will must Ite done. Far to the north where lies that intangible thing, the North Pole, there rose a giant volcanic mountain from out the center of a circular inland sea whose waters reflected in changeful hues the lurid glow of the flames which sprang through the snows of its summit. And from the shores of this circular sea stretched the earth, diversified it is true by its mountains, its valley, its forests, and its water-courses, but otherwise in an unbroken mass far be- low the equator, and from thence it extended in five long fringe- like points, far toward the South Pole, from between which gleamed the salt waters of the great southern sea like the points of some luminous star. And this great stretch of land was it inhabited by the five races now extant, and if so, how appor- tioned between them? I read you this riddle. But no, man, formed after the image of his Creator, was lofty in stature, grand of physique, and fair of face. But when God created man and gave to him the earth as his inheritance, He set a limit both to man's progression and to his retrogression, and said: "But overstep the boundaries I have set, and I will take away thine inheritance or sweep thee from off its face." Man oversteped this boundary line once. God raised His hand and smote. The earth quaked to its very center, rocked and reeled, yawned and gaped, and when it had closed again, had engulfed cities and their inhabitants, moun- tains, forests and even water-courses. The inward fires of the earth burst forth through the tops of its mountains, which threw forth showers of burning rock, streams of molten lava, and fire which in its turn consumed cities and their inhabitants, forests, orch- ards, and vineyards and dried up the smaller streams. ^nd when God lifted His hand, lo ! that portion of the earti upon which it had fallen the heaviest was seamed and scarred, seared and browned, and behold that portion of mankind who had survived this awful dispensation, were stamped with this same color-mark. And these were many. For, believe me, spite of. the teach- ings of your religious faiths and your religious creeds, God's A MUSICAL MYSTERY 65 own power is limited. That which has once been created and endowed with life temporal and life eternal, with mortality and immortality, is indestructible and cannot be wholly exter- minated either by the hand of its Creator or by that of The Destroyer. Man overstepped this boundary line twice. Then God, to show His power, swept away the protecting clouds from about the Earth and turned upon it the full light of His angry countenance. Beneath that terrible gaze all things withered, scorched and yellowed. Pestilence raged. And when God in pity turned His face aside, man crept forth yellow yellowed by the pes- tilence and by that awful glare of light. Ages passed on, and man overstepped this boundary-line thrice. Then God in fierce anger turned His face entirely away from the Earth. Heavy clouds arose and obscured the light of the moon and of the stars. A darkness, thick, palpable to the touch, spread like a pall over the land, blighting all things upon which it rested, and when God turned to see the havoc His displeasure had wrought, behold man stepped forth to greet him, black, black as the thick darkness which had enveloped him or black as God's own wrath. And these colors were indelibly impressed upon these por- tions of mankind, not only as a sign and a warning to them, but also to the chosen ones, who each time had been set apart out of harm's way. But these read not the color-signals aright, and crying: "Oh, thou accursed of God," set to work to accomplish that which God Himself had found impossible, to sweep these newly- colored races from the face of the earth. And so bitter was the feeling, so terrible the carnage, in this first war of the faith and of the races, that the seas ran blood the earth swam in it. And when at length the slaughter was stayed, lo! a new race of men appeared, dyed in the color of, and ever athirst for, that blood from which it had sprung. Ages again passed on and man overstepped this boundary- line once again. Then God, after timely warnings, the evidences of which, as I say remain upon the earth today, "loosed," as he had 66 LA GRAN QUIBIRA threatened "the flood-gates of heaven," saying: "This time I will cleanse the fair earth of man who pollutes it, by water." Down came the rain in gentle showers. Man laughed. God sent warning messages by the wind, the thunder and the lightning. The rain fell heavily and steadily. Man shouted for glee. "Water," he said, "is a blessing and not a curse." The rain poured down in unceasing torrents. God sent a last warning message : ' ' There is time enough yet. ' ' The lightnings flashed it, the winds roared it, the thunders bellowed it. Foolish man jeered. That was his last act. The streams, swollen to torrents, burst their boundaries and buried beneath their waters this foolish unbeliever who had built his house upon the sand he and his kind their habitations, their orchards and vine- yards and their cultivated fields. And man who had been a 'little' wise, and who had be- lieved a 'little,' and had cautiously withdrawn to the heights, looked on in awe but not in fear. But the rain still fell, and the flood still rose, and soon this man too, and all his belongings were swept away. And the wise man? The man who believed, but did not fear his God? The man of science, who had guaged to a nicety the exact amount of rain that could fall in forty days and forty nights and had taken into account the overflow of the streams? This wise man had built for himself and his kin and his kindreds' kin, and all their followers, strong-holds and citadels of solid masonry many feet thick, and impervious to water, upon the topmost heights of the lofty mountains, and hewn out in the solid rock of the cliffs beneath, vaults and caverns in which he had stored the greatest riches of the earth, its grains and choicest fruits. The rain still fell and the flood still rose, but this wise man looked on complacently from his rock-bound heights. Then the seas broke loose and enveloped the entire earth in their waters and, hastily recalled, receding found not their former boundaries and left uncovered but one-fourth of all the beautiful land which had before appeared, and this in shattered, broken fragments. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 67 And ah! God Himself must have turned His face aside, at sight of the desolation and destruction wrought by this un- foreseen accident. "And the wise man and his followers?" Where were they? "Drowned." Drowned like so many rats in a trap, or smothered like new-born kittens, within those walls of solid masonry that were "impervious to water." But there were in those days "wise men of the East" and wise men of the West also, and these not only believed, but loved and trusted their God, and at His command they had built for themselves and their families, houses that would float. But when that terrible catastrophe occurred unforeseen by God or man, when the seas refused to be leashed within their former boundaries, many found a watery grave. Others per- ished from exposure, disease and famine, and according to traditional scripture, but one family was saved wherewith to populate anew the small portion which was left to us of this little world of ours. But we have the evidence of our ow^n senses and of tradi- tions equally as well founded, that more than one family of each of the races now extant, escaped this awful doom, by doing just as Noah did by "paddling their own canoes" in safety to dry land. But here again many died of cold, and sickness and hunger, leaving their infant brood to be reared by the wild beasts, among their own cubs, and what wonder if in time they im- bibed their savage instincts and habits? But if Noah really believed his family to have been the only one saved not only of his people and his religious faith, but likewise of his race, and indeed of the whole earth, then just fancy the surprise of his grandson, Tubal Cain, if reared in this belief, when upon his expedition to the caverns which underlie the present city of Toledo in Spain, he found them ready occupied by the Goths, a people more fair of face and possessed of greater physical beauty and strength than were he and his. "What were they all doing there?" Why plundering the store-houses of the dead, to be sure. Helping themselves to that snug little sum which the wise man who had believed but who had not feared his God, had stored 68 LA GRAN QUIBIBA up against the needs of that threatened "rainy day," a plun- dering that has been going on from the date of the abating of the waters of the flood, down to the present hour. Believe me, there is but one link missing in the chain of events which connects the historic with the pre-historic past. This missing link, washed away by the waters of the deluge, has been continually replaced by these very plunderers only to be as constantly removed again by the priests of every race and country, and of every religious faith upon the face of the earth, to the end that they, and through them their church alone, might benefit by the possession of this rich and powerful secret. Why, what else, think ye, was the secret of the nomadic habits of the Hebrews, long after nations less civilized and less godly than themselves had occupied the palaces of those great walled cities found ready-made to their hand? What think ye, was the secret of the growing power and the growing riches of David, while in flight and hiding from the wrath of his lawful King, but the pillaging of the caverns of the cliffs which offered him a safe retreat? Where, think ye, got the ancient Egyptians that wealth of jewels and ornaments, of which they were in turn despoiled by the Israelites; but in ransacking the pyramids and those underground palaces believed by them to be tombs from the one of which the waters of the Deluge had but stripped the earth and sand with which to bury the others? Where, think ye, got Moses the tables of stone, but by carefully and laboriously uncovering them from the inner Temple, the Holy of Holies, of some grand temple hidden away among the fastnesses of the sacred mountain? Else why should that mystical "forty days" have entered into this legend? What, think ye, were the records contained in the books of the wars of the Lord suppressed by the priests; but the true histories of these very pillaging expeditions and of the wresting from the hands of their accidental discoverers, of that flood-buried treasure claimed by the Israelites as their own by right of lawful inheritance? What, think ye, was the temptation resisted by Christ upon the lofty mountain top, but the temptation to uncover that number of these flood-buried cities as yet untouched by the A MUSICAL MYSTERY 69 spoiler's hand, and which had been successfully "located" by John the Baptist in his "prospecting tour" of forty days in the wilderness; the secret of which was theirs by their right of access to these very suppressed records, as officiating priests of the great Temple at Jerusalem, and so to enrich Himself and His followers and to establish at once and upon a firm and solid basis that Temple which would embrace His new doctrines of faith? Else why should that mystical "forty days" have crept into these stories as well? And bringing it down to our own country, and within our own historic past, where, think ye, got the natives both of South and North America that wealth of wroughten gems and gold and silver vessels and ornaments, which no amount of torture inflicted upon them by their conquerors was able to compel their ignorance to reproduce ; but by simply taking them from the secret vaults underlying those vast pyramidal structures used as God's temples from time immemorial? Where, think ye, got Montezuma his crown of solid gold purposely misinterpreted by the priests to have been hewn from some vein of almost pure ore inlaying one of the moun- tains about Santa Fe? And which misinterpretation has proven the ignus fatuus of the mining prospector from that day to this? Montezuma but got his golden crown from the throne-room of one of those flood-buried palaces, or from a cavern of the cliffs, ready made to his hand, or rather to his head. The cliff-dwellings themselves, are but these treasure- houses in which the ante-diluvian wise man, who believed but who did not fear his God, had safely stored away the richest treasures of the earth in anticipation of the threatened deluge used without doubt ages after, by generation after generation, as a safe refuge for themselves and their families in time of war and a safe burial-place for their dead, and which, pillaged time after time, still yield up occasional treasures in antiquities, to the careful, diligent and intelligent searcher. Why I myself know, within the small boundaries of the Territory of New Mexico alone, three of these places, the one of which I believe to have been altogether untouched, and which if carefully uncovered, would reveal a palace as daintily and beautifully wrought and as richly stored in treasure as was the great Alhambra itself, which without doubt owes its own origin 70 LA GRAN QUIBIRA to this same source and upon whose keep is graven the legend that here the key to the mystery was dropped by the hand of man. (But the hand of woman had happily picked it up.) The second of these I believe to have been but lightly and ignorantly touched, and to the third, sacked time and time again, the pillager has by some strange fatality been compelled to restore the greater portion of his plunder. But it has ever been the custom to slay the goose that lays this golden egg. And I myself have seen an old man done to death by slow but sure degrees, that others might benefit by the possession of a secret they believed they had wrested from him a secret of far less value than this. I do not suppose that the scientist will readily accept this simple and truthful statement of facts. It would do away with so many of his brain-begotten "ologies." For instance, ' ' philology. ' ' All mankind being of the same race and origin, spoke the same language. The different tongues, which have branched out into so many others and broadened into dialects innumer- able are but what might be termed an " accident of war," resulting from the necessity for "coining" words to be used for pass-words and countersigns, and for secret and safe com- munication with those of their own race and order who yet remained in the enemy's country. And would modify so many others: "ethnology," "arch- aeology," "anthropology," "geology," "zoology," and even "theology" but the discussion of this belongs not here. * * * For "Allah Achbar!" There is but one God and / am His prophet. But few generations now will pass away when I behoM upon this side of the globe, one grand republic, the indestruc- tible foundations of which are already laid, but which will stretch from sea to sea, from pole to pole ; and upon the opposite side of the globe one great empire, ruled by a fair-haired, hardy man of the North. But crowns moulder and crumble to dust, and but few other generations will have passed away, when man having enslaved electricity and bent it to his will to that extent that he may by its aid clear the oceans as it were at a single bound, and so practically reunites the entire earth A MUSICAL MYSTERY 71 into one body; Science having accomplished its true mission, that of the extermination of the races not by slaughter but by that more peaceful "scientific" process called "amalgam- ation"; I behold but one race of men under one government one vast Republic, one people with one language, one nation with one God one religion; all mankind dwelling in peace and harmony in one country, under the protection of one flag. ' ' 'Tis the Star-spangled Banner, Oh, long may it wave O'er the land of the free And the home of the brave." . "Jesu Maria!" There is but one God and I am His prophet. Woman since the days of Lilith "Lilith?" She'? Ah, you have guessed it. For I am "She." Type of all womankind, heaven-born, queen by inher- itance, my crown a diadem of stars. "He" coveted me and my possessions. We were denied him, then "He" made war to gain us. Ye, who shudder at what ye call the horrors, the casualties of earthly warfare, where man opposes man and dies by needle pricks and minute balls 'mid puffs of smoke and cannons' roar which to me seems as but the thrice-expended echo of some far- off battle what think ye of war in heaven, where they whom ye would deem giants among giants contend, thunder-bolts their missiles, forked lightning darting from eye and hand, 'mid smoke and carnage, and din and uproar such as human mind cannot conceive or human eye or ear a-bear? I was conquered, but not subdued. I rebelled again and yet again, 'til for the sake of peace, all heaven arrayed itself against me. Still would I not submit. Then heaven and hell combined, the one to possess, that it might subdue me; the other to subdue, that it might possess me. Again was I worsted. Then I demanded my rights. And by a jury of my peers, a board of arbitration, was awarded neither to heaven nor to hell, but deemed outcast from both because, forsooth, of overweening pride, a vice perhaps in man but woman's crowning virtue and banished to the earth to learn 72 LA GRAN QUIBIRA submission there of man, believed to be the last and least of God-created souls. But I loved Him, and because of that love I gave Him ready submission for a time. We quarrelled. 'Twas all about the rule of precedence. I claimed priority because heaven-born and meant to be his guide and his instructress in all those secrets of the universe, which had for this very purpose been withheld from man. He demanded "obedience." For in his ignorance, he de- clared himself to be the "lord of all creation," and swore that he would bow my pride and bend me to his will. Fearing that I would claim superiority of intellect he plunged me into the very blackest depths of ignorance and held me there for ages. Knowing well my physical weakness, he yet laid burdens on my shoulders under which a beast of the field might well groan, sink and die. He outraged, debased, defamed me. He called me "Sin," he named me "Death," and when was he ever backward when God Himself reproved, in shielding himself from the conse- quences of his own acts behind that pitiful plea of: "'Twas the woman Thou gavest me. She " And through it all he said: "Make for me a home. Bear and rear my children. In sickness, nurse me. In trouble, soothe me. In sorrow, comfort me." And I gave him unwilling obedience, the very worst form of rebellion, and bore my cross as best I might. For when for woman has there ever been a Simon of Cyrenef Trampled upon, crushed to the very earth, yet through love that one heavenly attribute of which man was powerless to deprive me through mother love, through wifely love, through filial love, and even through sensual love, I arose each time like the Phoenix from my own ashes and today on earth I stand, man's equal. And God who requites, has given to woman through me, as a recompense for her wrongs, that mission which He who came in guise of Man but half fulfilled the redemption of all mankind. Not by weaning from God the affections of His true and rightful subjects, by attempting to share them with Him, so A. MUSICAL MYSTERY 73 setting up a Divided Kingdom here upon the Earth; but by urging a return to that ancient faith upon which all other re- ligious faiths and creeds are founded, but in its purity and its simplicity as when God's own gift to man; and by the re- demption of your Kedeemer, whom ye in your folly in sep- arating His religious teachings from His religious faith have made an unwitting, unintentional usurper of God's own throne, and, for this sin of yours (that of His followers, all of whose sins He took upon Himself) have doomed to banishment from before that Throne and to exile to the earth an exile not in- terminable, but to last 'til such a time as His own prophecy concerning the rebuilding of the great Temple of Jerusalem, be fulfilled in its spiritual and true sense, and He thus be en- abled not only to gather together the whole of His scattered flock, but to safely house it in the fold. Ah! Had ye heard Him lament, as I have done, this long and weary exile from His heavenly home ! Had ye heard Him plead for you, as plead He must at each successive resurrection of the Christian dead 'til every soul that has professed belief in Him shall have gained the strength for its upward flight! Had ye heard Him mourn that of the many who each time are "called so few, so very few are chosen," ye would hasten back along the mistaken pathway of nearly two thousand years, and remembering that up to the very hour of His shameful im- prisonment which ended in a yet more shameful death, Christ, a Jew, not only worshipped when permitted in the great Temple at Jerusalem according to Jewish rites, but officiated there as well according to those rites as an hereditary priest, and en- grafting Christ's new and reformatory doctrines upon that religious faith in which He Himself worshipped (the only tree upon which they can attain to their most perfect growth) begin anew the building of the Temple, rearing the structure of those doctrines upon the solid foundation of that ancient religion, and earn for your Saviour His release. But there is time enough yet. For of the three days in which the great Temple is to be thus rebuilt three days, each of which is "as a thousand years" less than two have passed away. 74 LA GRAN QUIBIRA "And I?" "Why I am but that fore-runner who has been the first to take courage to point out to you the fact that ye have for so long a time mistaken the way. * * # "Jehovah Adonai!" There is but one God, and I am His prophet. ' ' The study of astronomy has ever possessed the greatest fascination for the mind of man, and throughout its entire pur- suit the influence of the other planets, not only upon the earth and its inhabitants, but upon their destinies as well, has been recognized to a greater or less extent. But here again is manifest the folly of man in separating those two whom God having "joined together" meant to advance side by side science and religion. For so soon as with the former the study of astronomy merged into that of astrology, as it necessarily must, the two being as inseparable as the body and soul of man of which indeed they may be said to form the types, then the latter, through her priests crying "necromancy/' "sorcery," has promptly suppressed the knowledge already gained in this direc- tion, and by putting to death those who had acquired it, checked for the time its further progress. But we have now arrived at an age of freedom of thought and freedom of action, in which man may not only acquire all the knowledge of which he is capable, but may make practical application of it as well, with fear of no more serious results to himself than to be hooted at by an incredulous world whose Festuses will cry: "Paul, Paul! Much learning hath made thee mad." And whose grand-dames of the olden school will echo it with: "Timmy, it's cracked ye are wid the larnin'." Yet with us the study of astronomy is still in its early youth, having reached but what may be termed its "telescopic age. ' ' But even here science has far outstripped religion, which even in this materialistic age is still groping about in the dark age of mysticism. The average man strives throughout his entire earthly ex- istence to establish what he calls his individuality, his personal identity. Then by some strange freak of the imagination, be- lieves that when death has separated his soul from his body, the former immediately becomes a bit of aerial nothingness, one A MUSICAL 31YSTERY 7b of a vast "floating population" of a heaven of illimitable space ruled by a God who is but a spirit, an essence, which pervades the whole. Believe me, the God who created material man and material earth is a material God and has a material abiding place. And this, instinct, backed by common sense, must show you is within that planet whence ye receive every possibility of your existence all the good gifts of life ye claim are God-bestowed. And upon the farther end of the roadway leading into this, not only from the earth but from every other planet, as well, dotted with material objects, the astronomer gazes through his telescope, yet not once has it ever occurred to him to attempt to find that other end of this same roadway which leads from out this little world of ours with a view to establish the con- nection between. Through his telescope he views as well the beautiful vari- colored staircase which leads down into the black abyss of Saturn, his he'l, darkened likewise with material objects. And not only has it never occurred to him to search for that first step which leads from out this little world of ours, with a view to establish or to break the connection between, but he does not even take courage from the fact, that by this same stair- way by which the doomed soul makes gradual descent to its punishment, it may, when purified by that punishment, ascend as well. By the aid of his telescope he watches with childlike wonder and delight the erratic movements of what he calls the comets, not once recognizing them for what they really are the heavenly gondolas making their regular rounds freighted with human souls which they transport from one planet to another, and lading at length with the spirits of just men made perfect, carry them home to the sun. Oh man of science ! Why the Persian Fire-worshipper of the East is nearer the truth than thou. Oh learned astronomer! Why is the Sun-worshipper of the Orient and of the Occident as well is nearer his God than Thou. # # * But "Allah Aclibar!" There is but one God, and I am His prophet. Man having conquered the whole of this little world of ours, 76 LA GRAN QUIBIRA peered into every nook and cranny of the great earth, made himself master of all the secrets of the land and of the sea and of the atmosphere he breathes, will now turn his attention seriously to the studies of astronomy and of astrology com- bined, with the full intent to utilize the discoveries made by the former in making for himself a way to and conquering each in turn all of the other planets of the great universe of which the earth forms so small a part. And then I say: "Let him beware!" For when God created man and gave to him the planet Earth as his inheritance, He set a limit to man's progression as well as to his retrogression, and said: "But overstep the bound- aries I have set, and I will take away thine inheritance or sweep thee from oft' its face!" And the limit which God has set to man's progression at this age of the world, is the successful navigation of the air. For the Lord thy God is a jealous God and will brook no rivalry from His creatures. But when man has enslaved electricity, and bent it to his will to that extent that he may use it in such forces as to successfully contend with the electric forces from without, then I repeat: "Let him beware." God never forgets His promises to man, and lest He might, has each time He has made a covenant with him, signed, sealed and delivered it unto him. And never again will He attempt to sweep him from the face of the earth by any of the means He has hitherto employed. Never again by volcanic eruptions of destructive and con- suming fires; witness the Sacred Volcano of the North, sunken to the depths of the ocean, whose waters closing over it hold in check its inextinguishable fires, and freezing, seal it under a sea of never-melting ice. Never again by total darkness; witness Arcturus and the Aurora Borealis. Never again by flood : For when the rain pours down in torrents which seem unceasing, and man turns his affrighted face upward, then God smiles encouragement at him through the storm. And then? Why then a child may count and num- ber the different layers of clouds in which the earth is en- veloped and determine their color if not their composition. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 77 But when man is able to construct for himself a ship with which he may safely stem the electric currents of the air, and surmounting the difficulties presented by each of the cloud- strata in turn, arrives at the outermost rim of this little world of ours, whence he is able to grasp at a single glance the grand plan of the universe, and solving by its movements the problem of perpetual motion, is able even to perfect the "Keeley Motor," and pries into other secrets of the Almighty which He has withheld from man until such a time as he has taught his heart and soul to keep pace with the strides of his intellect, then again I say, "Let him beware." Never again will God attempt to sweep him from the face of the earth by any of the means that He has hitherto em- ployed. He will then simply permit man to become his own electrocutioner. * * # "Jesu Maria." There is but one God, and I am His pro- phet. Man once hit upon what he calls "The Theory of Progres- sive Evolution" and has managed thus far to evolve himself from the oyster, with but one missing link. But over the gap thus formed he stands aghast, unable to span the breach. Here he has stood for years, and here he will stand for generations un- less forcibly hoisted across. Bah! Let me cut the gordian knot! Evolution is not al- ways "progressive." Given man in his most brutal mood a she ourang-outang, and behold the result; tis your missing link. Faugh ! Rather let us take man, as we find him ready made to our hand, and as he himself asserts "The noblest work of God," for man's besetting weakness is vanity. This he carries even into his religious faith, believing that when he has under- gone that impalpable process called "Conversion," and death has relieved him of all earthly cares he may straightway present himself before the throne of Almighty God, and when asked to "advance and give the countersign" has but to repeat this mys- tic phrase "In Thine Image, Oh God" to immediately receive "governmental patent to innumerable rich acres in Kingdom Come." Now just fancy the newly converted African negro, the Hot- tentot, the Ashantee, the Australian Indian, attired in their na- 78 LA GRAN QUIBIRA tive simplicity of sooty skin yatgan or boomerang, or the king of Dahomey himself in trousers a-la-mode, the North American In- dian with his filthy serape and his mass of tangled black hair, presenting themselves in a miscellaneous group at the gates of Heaven and demanding admittance because created "In thine image, Oh God." And from the American standpoint. The imported Chinese freshly laundried (and scorched in the process): "Me likee Joss." The Irish American: "As loike as twin paas, Yer Honor." The American citizen of Teutonic descent: "Mine Gott!" Vat a likeness mitt me." And that "immaculate conception of the nineteenth century, the dude Americanus, freshly perfumed with the odor of ' ' Sanc- tity" with his stand-up" "collah" and his four-in-hand "toye," his skin-tight "pahnts," and his "oye-glass" to his "oye," through which he scans his Creator with a supercilious stare as he says, with a drawl and in his very best air : " Ah ! In Thahn Immudge, 'Ah! e-gad! Ah." And the government official with his hundreds of thousands of yards of red tape which he reels and he winds and he snips and he binds, and eyeing his Maker sternly the while says : ' ' The rules and regulations of this department, sir-r-r-r, requires that we should resemble each other line for line. For other require- ments, sir-r-r-r! See department circular order number two hundred and twenty-nine." Bringing up the rear, leisurely, as befits one who knows his passport to be correct, comes the old Scotch preacher quoting scripture, as usual, where David says, "And I said in my haste, 'All men are liars.' " Eyeing the motley crew with a supercilious leer, he pauses yet longer to apostrophize David with : " So ye said it in your 'haste' did ye David. Faith, mon, and had ye been here ye might ha' said it at your leisure." Apropos of all this is the story of the three travelers in a foreign stage coach, an Englishman, a Frenchman and an Ameri- can. The Englishman enlarged at great length upon the fact that he had frequently been mistaken for the Prince of Wales. The Frenchman declared that he had often been complimented upon the exact resemblance he bore to the portraits of the great Napoleon. Both looked askance at the American, supposing that A MUSICAL MYSTERY 79 he would be led to declare himself the image of George Washing- ton, General Grant, Admiral Dewey, President Roosevelt, or some other American notable of the past, or of the present. Finally the Yankee was heard from. He said: "Wa-al, as I was walking down street to home to Besting the other day, an old friend o' mine I hedn't seen for a long time, Jack Simpsin, mebbe you know him ? No ? Wa-al ! Jack he kim up behind me and slapped me on the back and says he: "GREAT GOD. Is thet YEOU?" Believe me! Some more radical change than is offered by mere conversion will be required before earth-born man may present himself before the face of his Creator and with impunity advance that plea of having been created "In Thine Image, oh God." This science offers to you in the shape of planetary progres- sionphysical, combined with spiritual evolution. Some things even in this world are done by "inspiration." Believe this of the naming of the planets. Then weave for your- self a new theory of planetary evolution of the body or its sem- blance reunited to the soul. I do but outline this. Give your God a name ; you know His habitation. Then say that he who has gained great celebrity here upon the earth as a statesman, or attained by other means to grandest intellectual heights, when death has released him from all earthly cares, and he has undergone a preliminary probation and judgment here upon the earth, may, if deemed fitted, jour- ney straightway to Jupiter, and progressing through the life time allotted to him there, be promoted thence home to the Sun. Say that he who has attained to martial renown, great gen- erals, the good who die upon the battle field, may be sent to Mars, and, beginning life upon that planet at precisely the mental, moral and physical stature that he has left it off upon the earth, may, if he progresses throughout the lifetime allotted to him there, be promoted to Jupiter, thence home to the Sun. In like manner, they who ' ' go down to the sea in ships ' ' and perish there, the wise and good man who not only believed but loved and trusted his God and who yet met death amid the surg- ing seas at the time of the deluge, must journey to Neptune, thence to Jupiter, thence home to the Sun. 80 LA GRAN QUIBIRA Say that the morbid misanthrope he who has attained to great heights in crime, will be sent straightway to Saturn where, if purified by its inward fires, he may hope to be sent from thence even to Jupiter, thence onward to the Sun. Say that he who dies of love (whose heart so far overbalances his head) must take a backward step to Venus, while the frivol- ous, the society belle and beau, may fritter away another lifetime upon the planet Mercury. While some poor inconsequent souls who have gained no heights at all, but rather have fallen a notch or so in the scale of humanity, must make the slow and tedious round of all the planets in turn. And Uranus! Oh, Uranus! Now what art thou? I veri- tably believe that in planetary evolution thou art the Missing Link. * # # "Santo Espirito!" There is but one God, and I am His prophet. There is a story, a beautiful story believe it, for all things good and beautiful are true of one who reigning high in Heaven, in pity for earth-born mortals, blind ignorance of the God whom they professed to worship, having lost the memory even of the rites and ceremonies by which they might render that worship acceptable to Him; and to ward off from them a threatened visitation of the wrath of that God who deemed Man 's blind ignorance wilful, volunteered to stoop from His high estate, and typifying in His own person this very scheme of planetary progressive evolution of the body and soul combined, consented to be born again a little human child to live to manhood's prime, then die a shameful death, in agony both of body and of spirit ; to be buried; then to rise again, and after a stated period of probation and a judgment, the history of which was as those disciples who witnessed it from afar declared, suppressed at Christ's own command, TO ASCEND. But whither? Alas, man's visual organs are but badly trained, and are unable to pierce beyond the lowermost stratum of the atmosphere he breathes, and this, too, is lost in mystery and in conjecture. And all this to the end that sinners might be saved. But alas ! and, yet alas ! that this scheme of heavenly salva- tion is so incomplete. For the sinner, to be saved, must meet A MUSICAL MYSTEKY 81 Him half way and believing, repent Mm of his sins. And what of the myriads of human beings, who living before His time were unable to respond to His call 1 What of the multitudes of those, who believing in and worshipping the same God, are yet unwill- ing to abandon the rites and ceremonies prescribed by other re- ligious faiths ? What of the many who refuse to repent, who re- fuse to believe 1 And what of those believed by every religious faith and creed to be almost or quite beyond redemption the hardened criminal, the willful murderer, the suicide ? Are all these countless upon countless of thousands of earth- born souls to perish? Believe it not. The scheme of heavenly salvation by plane- tary evolution is universal. And if at that last great gathering together, that last great judgment day, one single soul be missing, there need be but one. But this believe me will require a sacrifice greater than that of life alone the sacrifice both of life here and of life hereafter, the sacrifice both of body and of soul. This formed the theme of Christ's agony in the garden of Gethsemane. Think ye that it was the dread and fear of a few hours of mere physical suffering which so racked Him, body and spirit? Believe it not. There for the first time, was presented to Him that grand alternative. And He, born in human semblance, heir to humanity 's ignorance, mistaking it perhaps for a second great temptation, rejected it and chose the lesser part. And where is He who will offer up as a free-will offering, not only his body but his soul, as well, to the end that every one of his fellow-creatures, willing or unwilling, believing or un- believing, may in time by slow but sure degrees, attain to that grand perfection of heart and mind and body and soul wherein they may present themselves before their Maker's face and in confidence of favorable recognition, advance that plea of having been created "In thine image, oh God." "There is no He." Only woman inured to hardship, and to woe, inured to sor- row and to suffering, is capable of deed like this. The offer has been tendered and accepted,, the date of its ful- fillment fixed. "When?" I do not know. My mission is but half fulfilled. 82 LA GRAN QUIBIRA "Where?" God appoints both Time and Place. "How?" There is but one unpardonable sin. Ye who believe that self destruction is equivalent to total self-annihilation, believe it no longer. For there are depths of misery, extremes of torture, outrages both to body and to spirit to which humanity is happily a stranger. These for thee I court. Endless; Eternal; Everlasting. From this there is but one escape. God in pity may with His own hand hurl that lightning stroke, that death-dealing shaft, which plunges into utter oblivion. From this in time this one missing soul may awake, and join the rest, those redeemed ones in the realms of the Blest, restored, for this ; once more a Queen in Heaven. Or if not, then be permitted to begin again with new created souls, close under the wing of the parent Sun, with Venus, Love, the only girl, or upon Mercury, the baby planet. [END OF "OVERTURE."] THE PRELUDE. FIELD OF THE SHEPHERDS. [Courtesy of The Pictorial Ai A MUSICAL MYSTERY 85 THE PRELUDE. TEMA. There had been war in heaven. The rebellion quelled, the insurgents driven backward almost to the uttermost limit of the Universe, stood in solid phalanx awaiting upon this last-contested battlefield, the final verdict, with their leader, Le Ileithe, she who had thrice rebelled against the laws of Heaven, and had thrice refusing to submit herself and her virgin warriors to male authority, standing, proudly still at their head. Thrice, even now, had messengers been sent from the grand council, held apart, offering pardon in return for willing sub- mission, and thrice had this unconquerable spirit, the most beau- tiful, the purest and haughtiest of all created beings, angrily re- jected the overture. "I will never submit! I will rule!! I will not obey," she said, yet each time had generously turned to her followers, grant- ing to them leave to abandon her, if they wished so to earn the promised pardon for themselves, and smiled proudly that none obeyed. The fiat had gone forth. The decree was "Banishment from the courts of heaven." A shudder ran through the forms of all who heard the ter- rible verdict; for if eternal, this banishment was the heaviest penalty that could be imposed upon the heaven-born. But this beautiful creature had been found thrice guilty of that cardinal sin, disobedience. Pity filled the hearts of the judges as well. "Who would be so greatly missed from before the throne of God as Le Ileithe, the most admired and the most radiant of all who were admitted to the presence of the Deity?" Once again, in defiance of all precedent, a messenger was sent, granting pardon upon condition of the utter submission of Le Ileithe and her band. Again her answer was : 11 1 will rule! I will not obey ! !" Then the voice of the Deity was heard : 86 LA GRAN QU1BIRA ' ' Let her have her wish. Let her rule. Let her have domin- ion over that portion of the Universe upon which she stands." Le Ileithe bowed her proud head in mock humility before the Divine Decree; then cast her eyes upon the barren waste about her, made yet more desolate by her own continued resis- tance to the established authority. Then she turned quietly and once more harangued her fol- lowers, urging them to leave her to bear the penalty of their of- fense alone, and to accept for themselves the terms of the promised pardon. She placed before them plainly all the terrible consequences of their further disobedience, picturing to them faithfully the horrors of this threatened cutting-off from heavenly grace, left to work their own way back again with God's unsparing anger upon them. She employed every argument of which she was the mistress, entreating them to return to their wonted submission to the old-time authority, showing how the sacrifice of her own person alone, upon the altar of their belief, would be accepted as an expiation of all offenses, yet prove the victory of their cause as well. Her entreaties which, at the last seemed to be a command, were listened to in respectful silence by all ; but at the close of her earnest invocation, their decision came as if with one voice : "We will not submit! The fate of our leader will be shared by all, has been deserved by all ! We still rebel ! ! !" Le Ileithe thanked them as only she could do, then once again placed herself at the head of her army of virgin warriors with proud yet sorrowful mien, and faced toward the council who had come forth to hear for themselves that she was ready to submit to their will. The movement and look were misinterpreted by all those who yet hoped that this beautiful rebel, favored by the Deity above all others, would submit and consent to the union proposed to her with one of the three suitors who longed to call their own, this impersonation of all things grand, beautiful and courageous. Mars, the first rejected ; and Jupiter, the last ; stepped hope- fully forward, then Saturn, who viewed Le Ileithe (most beauti- ful of all created beings who, to preserve her personal purity had braved the wrath of God Himself) with covetous eyes, joined them and in their wake stood the myriads of suitors of the thous- ands of lovely virgins who called her Leader. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 87 The voice which broke the stillness was gentle and tremul- ous as it said : ' ' Le Ileithe, advance. It requires but perfect obedience upon thy part to the will divine to regain thy place as the first of thy sex and best beloved of all who bow before the throne of God." Le Ileithe 's proud crest lifted itself in haughty surprise. "Who dares again to name submission like that proposed, to Le Ileithe and her virgin warriors ! Le Ileithe, a Queen by right, will rule. She will never obey great Jupiter or any other of those who call themselves her peers." ' ' She aspires to mate with Deity itself. She would be Queen of Heaven ! ' ' sneered Saturn audibly. The smile froze upon Le Ileithe 's face. Her eyes dilated and darkened into midnight blackness. Her form seemed to ex- pand and grow in stature. Her face whitened and grew rigid. "Who knows?" she questioned, in tones of mocking sweet- ness. All who heard were awed into terrified silence by the temer- ity of this dauntless being. The stern pitiless voice of the Supreme Judge broke the sil- ence, by demanding if Le Ileithe had aught to say why sentence should not be passed upon herself and her followers, who had been found guilty of rebellion, having for the third time incited insurrection in Heaven. "Naught!" she answered curtly. The decree was then read, which doomed the insurgents to eternal banishment from the Sun, wherein was the throne of God, wherein His court was held. To Le Ileithe was given ex- clusive dominion over that portion of the great Universe ren- dered desolate and barren by her own continuous warfare against the fixed laws of Heaven. The female rebels heard their doom pronounced, in scornful silence. No so, the lookers-on. Mars grumbled audibly. ' ' She was to have been mine, ' ' he said, and gathered his warriors close about his person. "She should be mine," thundered great Jupiter, and his angry scowl darkened the entire scene, while he called his own servitors round him by his lightning shafts. 88 LA GRAN QUIBIRA "She shall yet be mine," muttered Saturn, his evil scowl adding to the blackness which hung like a pall over all. The darkness was swept aside by a sudden light, which shed a halo over the forms of Le Ileithe and her band. The hand of the Deity cleft the thick darkness, not, as many there hoped, to draw Le Ileithe to himself, but to summon his hosts to drive the murmurers back; and to hesitatingly, as they thought, sign the decree. The hand was withdrawn. A hush fell over all. Yet a tremor ran through the retreating throng as they beheld the work begin, of the cutting off of Le Ileithe 's dominion from the re- mainder of the Universe. The doomed female host stood silent and motionless as stat- ues, watching the work as it progressed, not yet realizing the full significance of that doom. Layer after layer of vaporous clouds were woven and bound about with electric cords round the immense stretch of ground known as "Le Ileithe 's Land." It was only when their sight refused to penetrate beyond these clouds and they could no longer hear the work going on, that the condemned host began to understand, that never again would their eyes behold the loved companions of former days, nor their beloved homes in the Sun. They looked about them; then into each others' eyes, in dread consternation. For what had they given up their birth- right? Le Ileithe, to whom they turned, smiled back bravely upon them although her own heart sank under the added weight of the consciousness that it was to her they owed their terrible fate. Then she viewed the battlefield once again, the scene of her signal defeat, strewn as it was with the bodies of her countless dead. "We of the Sun are immortals," she said, "but these our sis- ter-warriors, who were born upon other planets, were but mor- tals. Their souls, it is true, will take on immortality, but of their bodies, we must dispose. Let us then bury them beneath the ground upon which they were slain in our defence, that their decaying bodies may enrich the soil, that thus they may still aid us in redeeming that of which we are accused of having blighted and which our warfare has, indeed, denuded." A MUSICAL MYSTERY 89 In this she was over-ruled, and graciously acquiesced in the wishes of the many. Certain beautiful white caves which were known to them, were swept and garnished, and the dead prepared for burial. Then at the command of Queen Le Ileithe, who was their high priestess as well, they purified themselves and interred their dead with all due pomp and splendor, uniting in the ceremonies, the best features of the burial rites of all of the planets to which these mortal sisters belonged, and from which death was not excluded, as from the Sun. This sacred duty performed, they set to work under Le Ileithe 's direction to make themselves acquainted with the re- sources of their new possessions, that they might cultivate them. Glad, now, was Le Ileithe, that hers was a winged host, and soon she detailed parties who scoured the whole dominion and brought to her faithful reports of all that was in the land. Le Ileithe, amazed at what was told her, herself made the tour round the earth before deciding upon their permanent hab- itation. This portion of the Universe had been well known to her, but devastated as it now was by her own continual wars, and cut off from the Sun, bound about by electric clouds all seemed des- olate and unreal to her. She seemed to see but dimly through their vapors, yet knew that a strong guard had been placed over her and her female hosts. Angry and wellnigh disheartened at the prospect of an eternity of this, she made her first complaint. She raised her arms and eyes to the Sun, which, shining dimly, as it seemed to her, through a vapory mist, appeared to be a separate body which had become round in shape as was also her own portion of the Universe, and cried in accents of bitter reproach : "It is unjust ! ! Thy decrees are unjust ! ! For when, oh God, did Le Ileithe ever fail in worship or in obedience to Thee ? When thou createdst us male and female, Thou gavest to the female portion of Thy creatures, a jewel to hold in trust; that pearl of great price, to be surrendered only upon the demand of love, innate purity. Because I and my maidens, not loving those chosen to mate with us, in our effort to preserve this gift of our God, refused to surrender our personal prerogative, perfect pur- ity, we are said to have been guilty of disobedience to the Divine behest. My heart, my soul, my every act has ever been my God's. 90 LA GRAN QUIBIRA My body (purity's casket) is my own, and I alone have the right to dispose of it. I will, and have, maintained that heaven- born right by force of arms. That I was forced to do this is God's injustice. Thy injustice, oh God ! ! Thine ! ! ! Thou sayest ; 'My laws are immutable ; my decrees unchangeable. ' Say then, when was this law of Nature (signed by nature's God) which bound me to the sacred trust of my own purity and that of my sex, repealed? And why were we who possess the supposed inalien- able right to know all of the decrees of God and His heavenly court, left in ignorance of this repeal. Oh, God, my God. To whose authority I have ever willingly submitted, Thou hast been unjust to me." A voice cried sternly: "Darest thou, then, oh turbulent spirit, to question the justice of my decrees?" ' ' I dare, and do, ' ' was the defiant answer. "Oh thou just God(?), if this indeed be Thy will, that I and the flower of the heavenly court, be banished because of sus- tained virtue, by right of which alone, we were entitled to a place before Thy footstool ; if this decree be Thine, then art Thou an unjust God. Still Thou art the One, the only God I know; so 'Let Thy will be done.' ' Le Ileithe bowed low in mock humility, then raised her majes- tic form to its full height and stood there the very impersona- tion of insubordination. The very atmosphere about her trembled, then was hushed in awe and fear at this first openly expressed defiance of the Deity that had ever been heard from a subject of the Sun. The hand of God stirred it into movement again, as it cleft the vaporous clouds and raised itself as if to smite the daring rebel where she stood, proudly awaiting an answer, the most beautiful of all created beings sublimely beautiful in her right- eous anger. God 's hand did not deal the expected blow ; instead, sudden glory fell upon all. A golden haze shrouded Le Ileithe 's form and there were those who thought that the hand rested for a moment, as if in loving caress, upon the head of this fair rebel. Be that as it may, Le Ileithe turned agrily aside and her voice trembled with passion as she demanded in accents of bit- ter reproach: "And why has it been found necessary to place A MUSICAL MYSTERY 91 a secret guard of her inferiors, upon Le Ileithe, who has ever submitted to and ever will obey the decrees of her God, whether they be just or unjust 1 ' ' She was answered only by an ominous silence. The light was withdrawn, but not so the guard, whom she could still see indistinctly through the vaporous clouds which floated between, standing at their posts. This was the only time that Le Ileithe made complaint. In proud silence she bore her doom and strove to lighten the hor- rors of their fate to the sharers of her destiny. She did as her descendant, woman, does today, she made "the best of things." Le Ileithe re-organized her band and gave to them their individual and collective duties. With supple hands which were strong beyond the strength of giants, they set to work to clear and beautify the earth ; and to build a temple for the worship of their offended Diety, whose worship they strictly maintained, and habitations for themselves. And all these were of white stone and of burnished gold, for so it pleased their Queen. Their many implements of war were wrought and used to fell the great trees of resinous wood of the forests; to quarry, cut and polish the beautiful snow-white rocks; and to mine and burnish the abundant gold, and precious stones in which their new dominion abounded; and to till the ground which, although shorn of its verdure, was but the richer for the rest their wars had given it, and for the blood that had been spilled upon it, which was later deemed but a portion of its lawful inheritance. In this they were aided by the inhabitants of all other por- tions of the universe, and their lost companions of the Sun. It was an understood fact that no direct communication with these would be permitted to them. But many were the presents of fruit and flowers and food, and seeds and sprigs and rootlets, of sun-grown things that Le Ileithe had been known to love, which were lowered to the earth in pretended secrecy, and much of which found a temporary resting place beneath its soil, later to spring into life upon its surface, gladdening the hearts of the exiles, and keeping green the memory of the home they had lost, and of the loved ones left behind. 92 LA GRAN QUIBIRA As for Queen Le Ileithe, she seemed not to heed; and she never spoke, nor encouraged her followers to do so, of these things which, however, she utilized as, a matter of course. Their wants were few and simple and were well supplied. Le Ileithe accepted and used all the gifts in silence, without comment or speculation, for the benefit of the earth, which, under their care, blossomed like a rose garden; and Le Ileithe, with a curious smile, re-christened the land "Eden" the pleasure garden. And so it was called for ages thereafter. Years passed on; decades, cycles, centuries, under the un- disputed rule of Le Ileithe, the fairest of the fair; the wisest of the wise. They who were mortal and whose inheritance was death, through death took on immortality, and were laid away to rest in the city called beautiful, by the side of their warrior sisters who had died in the struggle for their liberty. This em- bodied a new element in their faith, giving to them the hope that through death all might, in time, return to their home in the sun. The high priestess, Le Ileithe, combatted this, although she felt that it was true. "All that broadens our religion, weakens it," she said, "let us preserve our faith in its original purity and simplicity, bid- ing the Deity's own time and pleasure in ending our exile." Then the tempter entered Eden for the first time. Jealous love had been set as a guard over them. All of the other planets kept close watch upon the Earth. Their rulers served in turn as captain of the guard, and hedged Eden about with their most trusty aids. Soon Le Ileithe knew what she had hitherto only suspected, that Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars were her watchers, and that their chosen guards were discontent, sin and shame, disease and death, who dared now, to approach, to tempt the dis- affected and to deceive. Le Ileithe found herself powerless to prevent what followed. She could only grieve and sorrow over the defection of her vir- gin host, who, in spite of her wise and loving counsel, out of very weariness of the monotonous life they were forced to lead, per- haps, threw away that pearl for which they had so long and bravely fought, and secretly embraced the tempter, voluntarily becoming mortal in their strife for immortality; or rather de- scending to this mortal state that they might, through the agency A MUSICAL MYSTERY 83 of these their tempter guards, escape their endless captivity and thus reach in time the boundless liberty of the sun. Sorrow as she might over this liaison between good and evil ; between virtue and perfect purity, and sin and sorrow, the pure and the corrupt, yet did Le Ileithe take the offspring of this unnatural union to her generous heart and calling this race of giants her own children, reared them as such. She built for them cities and temples and habitations, and schools suited to their needs, and it was noted that the worship of the Deity whose throne was in the sun, and who was the creator of the universe and of all that it contained, was made the foundation of all knowledge, that God, whose anger at the disobedience of their parents, might yet be appeased by their own unquestioning obed- ience to the divine laws as entrusted to her and her priestesses. Years, decades, cycles, centuries passed away, and at length all of Le Ileithe 's warrior host had embraced death through sin, and their commander, Queen and Chief Priestess alone of them all was left upon the Earth alone with her foster-children. The tempter, send by Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Neptune and the rest who had combined to coerce her to their will, crept ever at her side, in the form of the wise, the golden, serpent. Its silent hiss was unheeded by Le Ileithe, who, unmindful of its threatened sting, placed her hand fearlessly upon its reared crest, saying: "Behind me," and held the serpent backward. To herself she whispered: "God's pardon will yet be mine. But it must be a voluntary gift. I will never prostitute myself to gain it. If perfect purity of soul and body does not suffice to gain it, then will I endure forever and ever and ever." Perhaps it was her loving care of the offspring of her err- ing sisters that gave color to the tale that many of these were her own. At any rate, God, who was relenting toward this fal- len favorite, hardened His heart once more against her, turning a deaf ear to her prayers, and refused to recognize her unceasing devotions ; and, giving credence to the false reports of her watch- ers, believed her to be the angel fallen they represented her. Le Ileithe knew and understood, but gave no sign; endur- ing all as she had ever done, in haughty silence. "What was there," they wondered, "that this wise princess and queen of a new-born race did not know?" "Where did her knowledge cease?" 94 LA GRAN QUIBIRA Le Ileithe's face was ever turned toward the sun, like that of a flower, and by its changeful expression they believed that she had schooled her eyes to penetrate the vapors of the fleecy clouds that enveloped Eden, her hearing, to pierce the dense atmosphere in which it was shrouded, and that she both saw and heard what had been forbidden to her as a part of her pun- ishmentall that passed in the sun-sphere beyond. If so, she kept her own counsel and gave no sign that she was secretly partaking of this forbidden fruit. Her voice was raised to it only in her religious rites and then addressed only to* the Deity Himself, as was her birthright, scorning all media- tion. At all of these scandalous tales she only laughed, believing that her purity and innocence would assert itself. And she was right. Years, decades, cycles, centuries passed away, yet that Le Ileithe still dwelt alone of her species, in Eden, was proof of her purity, because of which she could not die. Upon being told that Le Ileithe was still Queen of the planet which had been as it were created for her, God's own curiosity was excited and He said : " I will visit in person this my rebel- lious subject, who worships, yet defies me; who submits to my divine will, obeying without question my behests, in all save this one item, at which she draws the line; yet in her disobedience sets up for herself and her sex a code of morality above that which I have hitherto sanctioned. ' ' Enveloping Himself closely in an impenetrable mantle of secrecy and invisibility, God visited the Earth in person for the first time. Once upon the Earth, God looked about Him in amazement upon Le Ileithe's land, from the sight of which He had steadily turned away His eyes since the day upon which He had beheld this arch-rebel bound by invisible chains to its barren surface, to expiate her crime of disobedience to that special edict' of the heavenly council. The then naked plains were covered with fragrant grasses and flowering trees and shrubs; the naked hills and mountains were clothed in verdure from their base to their summit; yet Le Ileithe had taken the greatest pains to preserve every natural beauty both of form and feature, and the Deity recognized the different spots upon which His eyes now A MUSICAL MYSTERY 95 rested, in His search for she who had, as it were, re-created it out of chaos. Nestling in the valleys and upon the sides of the moun- tains and cresting the tops of the hills, were thousands of vil- lages of the herders of the flocks and the tillers of the fields and vineyards by which they were surrounded, and the temple and palaces of the cities which crowned the mountain tops and were the homes of all known industries, were mimic copies of those belonging to the greater spheres. God gazed in wonder upon all this, and smiled, well pleased. "What has she not guessed of all our mysteries," He thought. "How much is still hidden from her? In time, with- out instruction, in spite of our prohibition, she will have solved them all. ' ' He sought, and it would almost seem^ in vain, for the ruling spirit of this land which she had rightly christened "Eden," and was about to turn away in sorrow, believing that at the last, wearied with long waiting for the smile of pardon He so far had withheld, she, too, had succumbed to the fate marked out for her; when He beheld her emerging from a pool upon a mountain-top ; and, approaching more closely, He saw through the mist in which she had enshrouded herself, that she was fresh from bathing in this sequestered spot wherein she dwelt alone, far from the sight and sound of those who dwelt in the cities and villages scattered over all the surface of the Earth. This was the Sacred Mountain which the foot of mortal had never been permitted to ascend. Its summit was crowned by the great tem- ple, seen by mortals only from afar ; whereon dwelt and wherein worshipped alone, since the defection of her comrade subjects, she to whom all the inhabitants of the Earth rendered homage, and through whom they could alone approach the Deity whom they worshipped in their own temples, constructed after its fashion, according to the same religious rites and observances taught by her. In the center of the flowering forest in which the great tem- ple stood was the limpid sacred pool, where many of the religious rites of the immortals had been celebrated, and it was from the depths of this that Le Ileithe now emerged, her garments still dripping, acknowledged by that God who had so long held aloof from her, to be by far the most glorious of all His own creations 96 LA GRAN QUIBIRA The radiant Le Ileithe slowly mounted the steps of her bath, which was surrounded by steps cut in the solid rock, form- ing a circular basin, which gleamed like pearl in the starlight, and paused before seating herself upon the great stone chair canopied by the same white rock upheld by beautiful carved pil- lars, which filled a segment of the circle, then lifting her eyes and arms toward the heavens as was her wont, she chanted softly an anthem of praise to the Deity whose hand had smitten her. As the pean progressed a puzzled look swept over the face of Le Ileithe. There seemed to be a vacuum in that part of the heavens toward which she turned. In turn, she scanned each portion of the universe, then seemed to recognize the Presence. She bowed her head and mounting the dais upon which the throne- like chair was placed, she questioned: "What is Thy will with me, oh God?" Out from the folds of the mantle of invisibility the hand of God was thrust and rested gently upon the waves of golden hair, to which the water yet clung in drops and sparkled like jewels as if loath to quit their perfumed meshes, while the voice of Le Ileithe 's God questioned softly : ' ' Wilt thou share thy throne with me?" And Le Ileithe 's answer was : ' ' With Thee alone, my Lord. ' ' The interview was long which marked the reconciliation be- tween Le Ileithe and Le Ileithe 's God, and often, as she told Him the story of her wrongs and confessed for the first time her errors, was the hand laid caressingly upon her head, bowed in proud humility before Him. This feminine soul, with all its beautiful (incomprehens- ible) vagaries, so admirable when thus revealed, whose innate purity preserved and strengthened, cast a halo about its posses- sor, was a delight, a new revelation even to its Creator. ^ It was in the very midst of this interview that the Deity, glancing downward, beheld the golden serpent rearing its hooded , crest close by Le Ileithe 's side and whispering its softly-spoken ,, e ^lies into her offended ear. ,.f Le Ileithe 's hand restrained it, but the heel of God crushed ..it to the earth. "Crawl thou ever there, at the feet of her whom 'thou hast maligned and made to suffer injustice and wrong at my P. hand." Dei A MUSICAL MYSTERY 97 This secret interview was but one of many. God seemed never to weary of hearing of Le Ileithe 's works and teachings. She pointed out to Him the temple and the grove-enshrouded pool at the foot of the sacred mountain, the exact counterpart of those upon its summit, where they sat. This was where she gave her instructions, issued her commands to the queens and priest- esses and rulers of the new-born race to which she had been the foster mother. She confessed as to how she obtained her knowledge, by se- cretely watching and listening as it were, at the doorways of the other planets, and by noting the results of this stolen half- knowledge as applied to this new planet under the new and novel regime of woman. As for Le Ileithe, she laughed and laughed again because of her unbounded happiness and appeared to grow in stature and in beauty as it seemed to Him with the light of love shedding an added radiance upon her. And from this union of love divine and love human two children were born. These were Adam and Eve, whose history tradition gives to us but imperfectly. Le Ileithe reared her children secretly and separately, per- mitting them to hold no communication with each other or with the inhabitants of the earth, who were kept in ignorance of their existence. These children were the cause of many dissensions between Le Ileithe and her God. God willed that Adam, the first born, should inherit and rule the Earth. Le Ileithe would not give up her belief in female supremacy and declared that Eve should be first in authority. Le Ileithe set aside to Adam one of the most beautiful spots upon the face of the Earth for his dwelling place. This portion of her dominion was the only one known thereafter as "Eden." Here she reared him in ignorance of his true origin, encourag- ing him in his mistaken belief that he had been formed by the hand of the Deity whose creation he was, from the dust and rock of the Earth. As time passed on, Adam, leaving the age of childhood be- hind him, made demands upon Le Ileithe which it was impossible for her to gratify, and she was forced to satisfy his craving for companionship by bringing to Eden, which she had meant to be 98 LA GRAN QUIBIEA the scene of a life-long but pleasureable captivity to him, his sister Eve, and to join them together in wedlock. This settled one question at least, for they were declared joint rulers of the whole Earth, but made to dwell within the boundaries of Eden, holding no direct communication with their subjects, but ruling them after the manner that was Le Ileithe's own, who still advised and held supreme control. There was but one thing exacted from them and that was strict and unquestioning obedience, to this decree, declared to be that of the Divinity Himself. We possess an incomplete account of their disobedience and of the punishment they endured and entailed upon their descend- ants because of this act, which sprang from the contention for the precedence in authority which went on constantly between Adam, who claimed it because he declared himself first-born of the earth and chosen lord-of-all-creation, and Eve, who, keener of wit or better instructed, perhaps, claimed it as her own right as a daughter of the Sun who ruled the Earth. But who has told the story of the mother's sorrow at this defection of her off- spring, or her passionate anger and discontent at the penalty set for their disobedience, and for the sins it entailed upon their children and their childrens' children to the end of time? God wearied of her tears and complaints and turned unsee- ing eyes and deaf ears to them. She declared that Death was punishment sufficient for any crime they might commit, and this undergone, the offspring of the Deity and His most powerful subject should have the in- contestible right to enter at once into their ultimate inheritance, and taking their place at their Father's foot-stool, rank first among the princes of the sun. God said: "The laws of Heaven are immutable; they are unchangeable, and by them it is declared that all who are born upon the Earth are subject to the penalties affixed for the sins committed upon its surface. Had our children abstained from that of blood-guiltiness, I might have asserted my right to re- peal this, as thou askest of me ; or to grant unconditional pardon. As it is I refuse to interfere. Let them suffer the death penalty of body and soul." A MUSICAL, MYSTEEY 99 "Le Ileithe, Le Ileithe," He cried in stern remonstrance and reproach at her passionate anger, and, as he thought, unreason- ing grief, and anger and insubordination against the will of Heaven. "Call me not 'Le Ileithe,' " she cried in a passion of tears and lamentations, "call me rather, 'Marah,' for am I not 'The Mother of SOITOW'?" Then questioned, as she looked down upon her erring offspring: "Is there no hope? Is there no means of averting this awful destiny, of escaping this terrible doom?" "But one," was his reluctant answer. "When one is found who is willing to take the sins of all upon himself by enduring eternal death of body and of soul, then will the children of Earth regain their right to work their way to Heaven. Truly art thou 'Marah' 'the mother of sorrow;' for where is this redeemer of thy erring children to be found ? ' ' "Would I be accepted as the sacrifice?" she eagerly ques- tioned. There was no reply. The Presence had vanished. God had fled in terror at her daring. She needed no other answer, and at once she commenced her preparations. She retired to her "Holy of Holies," of the most holy temple, where, after performing the most sacred of the religious rites of her priestly office, she set to work to chisel upon the snowy surface of the great altar stone a new code of moral laws and of physical laws as well, founded upon the old, but modified to suit the present and future needs of the loved ones whom she was soon to leave forever. This work of love accomplished, she sped forth upon her mission. In turn she visited every portion of the earth, reveal- ing herself for the first time to all alike. She winged her way from point to point, instructing, admonishing, explaining the doctrine of original sin and how it was their natural inheritance, teaching the plan of salvation which would permit them to be- come the arbiters of their own destinies, as it were, when once she had made the grand atonement. When questioned as to who she was, if she were not Le Ileithe, to whom their rulers and priestesses paid homage, she always made answer: "I am 'The Mother of Sorrow.' Call me Marah." 100 LA GRAN QUIBIEA Her mission on the Earth accomplished, that of bearing to every living soul thereon warning, and the glad tidings of hope of this future salvation, Le Ileithe winged her way back to the sacred mountain, where, after purifying herself, she visited the city called "Beautiful," which was reared in the center of a high valley among its peaks and wherein were the tombs of those of her sisterhood whose vows of eternal celibacy kept, had brought down upon themselves the vengeance of Almighty God ; and which broken, had entailed upon their offspring so terrible a punishment. Long she wandered here, visiting the tombs of each of her dead sisters in turn, reviewing their lives, their temp- tations and sufferings. More than once she cried in bitterness of spirit and in sorrow: "Oh, thou unjust Judge, who forgol that Thou wast father and lover as well ! Yet, ' Let Thy will be done'." Here she renewed her religious vows, then wended her way back to the great temple where she purified herself anew. Then she set to work to build her funeral pyre. About the throne-like chair above the sacred pool, she piled the logs of resinous woods, as she prepared them. She covered each layer with spices, thickly strewn, the gifts of her children, and indeed of all the Earth, and covered all with flowers and the grains and fruits which her own care had fostered. Then she purified herself for the third time, and coming up out of the waters made her way to the temple, where she robed herself in the pure vestment of her priestly office; and all rancor cast aside, she performed in sol- itude, the sacred rites of that office, for the last time upon the Earth. The Earth, which called her "Mother,' and which, if she had not created, she had reconstructed, and which she was about to redeem from sorrow and from sin. Then she came forth in all the glory of her perfect beauty and grace, this most perfect of all created beings, the best be- loved of the Creator Himself, and sweeping away the mists with which she had encircled the sacred mountain and screened her devotions from the sight of the entire Earth, whose inhabit- ants awaited in awed silence, the expected sacrifice, calmly lighted the funeral pyre at its base and as calmly seated herself upon her flower-bedecked throne. Her movements were sublime in their stately grace. She raised her eyes and her arms to Heaven as was her wont and A MUSICAL MYSTERY 101 cried in a voice sonorous, yet fraught with sweetness: "It is finished. Oh, my God, let this, the last act of a willful spirit, atone for all!" And now for the first time the inhabitants of all the greater planets began to understand the scene that was being enacted upon the top of the sacred mountain of the Earth. Their rulers took fright at once at this scene of the atonement, and resolved to rescue this self-appointed victim from the sacrificial altar. The flames rose high and yet more high. The whole of the resinous pile had seemed to ignite at once, but the smoke swept ever aside, leaving Le Ileithe's form and face exposed to view. All of the Earth's inhabitants knelt as if theirs were but one body and cried as if with one voice: "Marah! Marah! Ma- rah!" Mars flew swiftly over the intervening space, crying : ' ' I will save her. She shall yet be mine," and his archers and warriors strove in vain to extinguish the flames, that seemed about to swallow up that beautiful form at one gulp. Le Ileithe motioned them back and after casting that one cold glance upon them, turned her steadfast gaze toward Heaven and commenced her own death-song. Saturn said: "She shall yet be mine," and sent his servant, Death, to claim her. But Jupiter muttered in thunderous accents: "She shall yet be mine I ' ' and sped shaft after shaft of swiftest lightning which each time struck and paralyzed the arm of Death outstretched to claim her. Throughout all this din and uproar, of which she was the cause, Le Iletihe's voice rose clear and distinct in its pean of praise to that God who had smitten her so sorely, for well she knew that she was the most powerful spirit of the Universe; ranking second only to the Most Holy Himself, who alone could claim her against her own will. Ignoring all of the strife around her, her voice arose clear and yet more clear until it reached the throne of the Deity Him- self, and broke in glad accents upon the ear of her offended God. Aroused from sad and angry meditation of which she her- self was the subject, and by the smoke of the incense from the 102 LA GRAN QUEBIRA altar of sacrifice, God saw and heard and understood and inter- posed. He made His way speedily to the Earth. His hand was out- stretched and almost too late grasped the form of Le Ileithe, while that voice which was so seldom heard by His subjects said tremulously: ''She is MINE!" What became of her whose death-song was thus stilled, none knew with certainty, but guessed that the newly-created light which illumined the Earth by night, and before which the stars paled and did homage, was the home of her who had offered herself up as a burnt-oft'ering that the future salvation of her children might be assured. And this was true. And thus, in a manner, was created two new planets for the arch-rebel, Le Ileithe, who for her brave de- votion to her offspring was translated, and the banished princess of the Sun raised from her station as Queen of the Earth to become the Queen of Heaven, and from her throne in the heav- ens, she watches over and fructifys the Earth, making light its dark places, and forms the connecting link between it and its sterner parent, the Sun. This is the true story of the creation of the Earth, and this is likewise the true story of Le Ileithe, whom the Israelites be- lieved to be Adam's spirit wife, that they might better establish the ascendancy of man over woman, who later appeared in the earth-born form of Eve. Slanders against her sex never quite die out, and Le Ileithe, identified with her dwelling-place, is called by many, "The Strumpet of the Planets. " But she, deaf as ever to all calumnies of herself or her sex, moves calmly on her way, deigning no de- fence, permitting the cold radiance which emanates from her presence alone to assert her purity to the pure in heart, who never fail to worship her as their most holy priestess. When man abrogated to himself the holy office of priest- hood, for ages denying it to woman, he purposely misinterpreted this story, yet among men Le Ileithe has, during all the past ages, of the Earth, had her devoted worshippers. The ancient Egyptians worshipped her under the name of Isis and gave her in honest wedlock to Osiris, (The Sun). The Greeks adored her as Ceres, and knew her again as Vesta. The Taltecs worshipped her as "The Serpent Woman," and pictured A MUSICAL MYSTERY 103 her with her right hand borne heavily downward upon the head of the golden serpent, which reared itself to its full height to whisper its temptations, yet failed to reach the ear of the woman, wise beyond the serpent's wisdom. She was the Goddess Hytan- na of the Aztecs, to whom they prayed for peace and plenty. And by many other names has she been known and worshipped in every portion of the Earth throughout all the past ages. THE ROMANZA THE PLACE WHERE JESUS WAS BORN. [Courtesy of The Pictorial American. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 107 ACT I. INTRODUCTORY. CANTO THE FIRST. A FANTASIA "THE GIFTS OF THE GODS." The veil of golden mist was lifted from before the face of the Sun. The gates of pearl were thrown wide open, and the drawbridge lowered across that sea of seething flame in which doomed humanity writhed and shrieked and groaned, under the infliction of that most terrible of all physical torture, joined to that greatest of all mental suffering that can be endured by the jealous soul of mortal, to be forced to look ever upon the perfect bliss of those whom they wronged in other worlds. Then out from the keep within, through the gates of pearl, there issued an angel host, winged, with garments charged to their utmost capacity with the burden of electricity required to bear them safely upon the long journey before them through the air. Across the lowered drawbridge they swiftly speeded, blind to the sight of the writhing, tortured souls beneath them, burn- ing, ever burning ; deaf to their cries, which indeed were hushed as they caught sight of that which was borne in the midst of the angel host, and which they so carefully guarded the soul of a mortal who, having gained heaven by that slow and tortuous route marked out for all, had lost it again by some act of insub- ordination and was being returned to one or other of the planets to begin anew the strife for heaven. At the far end of the drawbridge the host took flight, guard- ing most carefully the golden car in whose depths reposed, gleaming brightly through its fleecy wrappings, that formless, shapeless, yet beautiful thing an immortal soul. There was some slight stir among the host as the leader di- rected their flight toward Jupiter, and not to Saturn, as were their orders ; but all obeyed the signal and sped quickly and yet more quickly as was their need if they performed their mission within the allotted time. 108 LA GRAN QUIBIRA The accustomed sounds of the upper air were hushed at their approach. No lute or harp or cymbal sounded. But the leader of the angel host shuddered when she noted that the swift movement of the guardian band drew from the silenced instru- ments weird melody, sweet, but oh, how sad. Great Jupiter himself came forth to meet his unwonted guests, accompanied by Queen Juno. The leader took them aside and hastily told the story, be- seeching them to bestow upon this unfortunate soul the best of all their gifts, and to see the host safely upon their journey at least so far as Mars. "Is this the soul of a male or of a female?" asked Jupiter curiously. "Who knows?" was the reply, "but it seems significant to me that we of the convoy are all female. ' ' "Perhaps it is 'She,' my rebellious Queen, who escaped me, who thought to quell her turbulent spirit and unbending pride, and who by that one grand act eluded me and gained the Sun at a single stride, as it were;" and his brow clouded. "Well, of whatever sex this soul be, I will help it on its weary way, by be- stowing upon it the very best gift that mortal may possess ; and that is 'moral courage.' " And he dropped into the golden car a diamond of wonderful size and brilliancy. "And I," said Juno, "will give to it rare and unequalled beauty." "And," she added, a little spitefully, "beauty un- conscious of itself." Then she placed a great pearl beside the diamond. "A dangerous gift," muttered the leader, "yet I, the guard- ian spirit of this soul which had been degraded from the Sun to the Earth, thank thee both most heartily, and accept thy proffered escort so far as Mars. Let us hasten onward to Saturn, for there we are to be joined by the evil spirit who is to share my guardianship." The guardian host sped swiftly on, as before, expecting no trouble, until Saturn was left behind. The winged steeds were quickly harnessed to the golden chariot, and Jupiter and Juno mounted the thunder-laden car, and surrounded by the suites of both, and many Herculean forms beside, followed in their wake. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 109 They needed not to halt at Saturn, for the errand of the an- gel host was already done, and from Saturn a giant form equip- ped and clad from head to foot in mail, had come forth to meet the host. "Thou wert expected;" was the curt greeting. "I am the evil genius of the soul thou hast in thy keeping. This is the gift that Saturn sends." Then he unrolled a great electric stone, and started in surprise that the spirit in the bottom of the car shot forth at once the rainbow hues of all of its gifts in turn. "What glorious spirit is this," he inquired, "who has fallen from grace?" Again the answer was: "Who knows?" ' ' Humph, ' ' muttered the mail-clad figure as he noted for the first time that his was the only male figure among the host, and caught sight of Jupiter following in their wake. "I think it must be 'she' herself, and if so, Saturn will be disappointed that he was not there to obey the summons in person." And he sent back a courier with orders to bring the greatest possible force that the planet could muster, that he might in Saturn's name take forcible possession of this carefully- guarded prize. Soon the dark host appeared, and well it was that Jupiter had allied himself to the guardian angels. For, without the protection and the aid of his clouds and shafts and thunderbolts which held back the reinforcements of evil spirits, they must have lost their prize. As it was, each step of the journey to Mars was hotly contested. Battle after battle was fought by them in mid-air for its possession, an unusual occurrence upon the new birth of a soul, but customary upon its self-sustained flight after death. With the aid of Jupiter and the warlike Juno, who took great pride in upholding the power of her own sex, the good kept the ascendancy over the evil and held safely their sacred trust, until Mars, beholding the contest from afar, came forth with all his warrior host to do battle for the right, and to present his own birth- gift to the expected soul, known to be that of some great sprit whose identity was shrouded in mystery, the better perhaps for its safe escort to the Earth, for had it been certainly known, every planet would have claimed it as their own and waged war for its possession. 110 LA GRAN QUIBIRA "Can it be 'she'?" mused Mars, as he listened attentively to the story and to the prayers of the commander of the heavenly host, then aswered: "Be it whom it may, I will give to it what the rest have done, the best of my possessions. This is the em- blem of my calling," continued he, as he threw into the golden chariot an enormous ruby that had adorned his helmet, which was also his crown. "Its name is 'physical courage.' Does it not glow like the flames of War 1 ' ' ' ' Or like the flow of life-blood, ' ' thought the guardian spirit, though she spake not the thought, but thanked the eagle-beaked warrior and thankfully accepted his safe escort on their further way, thanking Jupiter, whom she no longer needed. But Jupiter, interested in the novel scene, and curious, as was Juno, to know whose was the soul so jealously disputed, de- clared his intention of accompanying the escort to its destina- tion, and of seeing this great soul, which he guessed to be that of no stranger spirit, to its new sphere, the Earth. "For," said he, "It has been ages since I last visited that far-off planet." then his brow clouded and he reviewed in thoughtful silence the scene of his last visit to the Earth. The face and form of Le Ileithe, surrounded but not hidden by the smoke and flames of her funeral pyre. The smoke of its incense was in his nostrils and once more he seemed to hear the voice of that glorious spirit in its death-song. Again he reviewed the contest between his own forces and those of his rivals, Mars and Saturn, for her rescue and possession. Again he saw the hand of God as it snatched her from their grasp. "If I were certain that it were 'she,' " he soliloquized, "I would be tempted to steal her from their midst. But were I to be mistaken," he added, "I should court the same punishment as ' she ' for no good purpose. No ! I will wait for her coming, for if indeed it be ' she, ' she will rise to my sphere in time." They found the good old Neptune in tears, awaiting their approach, of which he had been warned. His tears were for the unfortunate soul who had been reduced from the court of heaven to the very lowest sphere. But his birth-gift was ready. This was an immense emerald, "the signet of the sea," he said, "which will unlock all the secrets of the sea. This is my own birthright, the insignia of my rank and office. But it is also a A MUSICAL MYSTERY 111 talisman and should this prove to be 'she, ' as I fear, it may shield her from evil." "Old Nep. is in his dotage," commented Mars, as, after dropping his gift and a few tears into the car of the soul, which V Arrowed an added radiance from the scintillating splendor of its gifts, Neptune, in his dolphin-drawn car began to plough his way toward the seagirt island which formed the center of his dominions and Mars laughingly added as he took in the passing scene: "All green and watery alike." In silence the convoy approached the mysterious Uranus, whose ruler none knew in person. Some said that the Sub-Deity who presided here was a female, whose identity was hidden by a thick mantle in which it was always veiled; and others that the Goddess was blind, she having had her eyes removed because she had dared to pry into the secrets of the Almighty. Be this as it may, all thought it was the voice of a female which answered their hail, and the request made by the guardian spirit for a boon and a blessing upon an erring soul about to begin a new life. The voice was sweet, solemn and earnest as it pronounced the asked- for blessing, adding words of advice and warning aside to the guardian, fraught with the weight of sad experience. A band of lovely seraphim making wierd and mournful mel- ody as they floated toward them, brought the gift of this strange Deity to the expectant host. This too was a talisman. A thread- like chain of finest gold, woven in letters which formed some mystic phrase, and from it was suspended three tiny charms, a heart of gold delicately wrought and frosted over; a cross of fin- est jet tipped with pearls; and a crown formed of a single sap- phire, which seemed to have caught and held fast the golden rays of the sun. Then the mysterious Uranus stepped forth with slow and faltering steps to bestow the gift with her own hand, as was required of each of the gods and goddesses in person. There was something awesome in the stern majesty of her form and bearing, as Uranus advanced with slow, hesitating grace. She ran her fingers lightly over, first the car and then its occupant, touching each in turn as she dropped her own offering among the rest. As she touched the latter she started suddenly and demanded: "Who is this? Is it 'She?' ' Many were the speculations regarding the mysterious Uranus, among the hosts as the great armies of the planets moved rapidly toward Venus. 112 LA GRAN QUffiIRA Venus, peremptorily summoned from her toilet, came half laughing, half scolding, in graceful dishabile, and poured the contents of a well-filled jewel casket pell-mell into the car. There were all sorts of gems, set and unset, but pearls, and turquoises, and amethysts predominated. Then she ran hastily back saying : " There's love, and beauty and truth and if this soul should prove to be of the sex we suspect and especially should it prove to be indeed ' She ; ' then will she need all these good gifts to en- able her to steer safely through the life to come." She left be- hind her Cupid, who refused to follow her and who joined the guardian hosts, amusing all with his graceful antics. Climbing the side of the golden car, he began an incipient flirtation with the disembodied soul which scintillated and sparkled in its depths. From this time forth the company forgot all fear and ran- cor, and with music, mirth and dancing they hurried on to the planet Mercury. Mercury himself, needing no bidding, sailed forth to meet them, trusting to no other hands, the magnificent opal which was his own gift, and whose changeful hues bore a just likeness to the sunny- tempered god who came to meet them with dancing feet, and floating curls. His volatile spirits seemed to infect them all, driving out all suspicion and dread. "Sans Souci," he cried, "This is my foster child, and I give to it the capability of cast- ing sorrow to the winds; of finding enjoyment in little things; a thoroughly happy nature. ' ' "May it not be drowned in Neptune's tears," cried the laughing Mars. Mercury, likewise, joined the company, and admonished by the guardian spirit they hastened their movement toward the earth. Enshrouding themselves in darkness after leaving their friends, they whose mission this was, hurried to their ultimate destination, as was their need. For it was now long past the ap- pointed hour and the young wife of Emil Zorlange was well-nigh exhausted by the pangs of labor. The rival spirits of good and evil made their way to the bedside of the dying woman and were silent and stealthily fol- lowed by Jupiter, Juno, Mars, Mercury, and Cupid, who had re- fused to be left behind, so curious were they all as to the identity of the great soul who had been cast down from Heaven to Earth. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 113 The two guardian spirits who were to hold this unknown soul in trust, and to become the sponsors of its every act, and who had eyed each other curiously throughout the whole of the perilous journey they had just accomplished, each wondering who was the other, now hastily unmasked and unhelmeted. "Thou?" and "Thou," as in each other they recognized the most powerful of opponent spirits. Then as they as hurriedly unwrapped their joint charge, they cried out in wondering chorus : ' ' She, ' ' although they had been half certain of this fact before. But there was time for naught but the hasty completion of the work they had on hand. The great soul was crowded without more ado into the tiny body for which it was destined, and con- fined within its narrow prison-house with difficulty. And just in time, for the young mother lay as it seemed, at her very last gasp. Another moment and they would have had to contend for the possession of a homeless spirit, hand to hand, to determine whether or no it would be forced to fight its way backward to the sun, or become at once the victim of evil who would then also hold its good angel captive. The soul bound within the narrow compass, the good spirit hastened to bestow the gifts she had secured for her protege and found to her dismay that the evil Genius had by his touch dimmed the beauty of all, and impaired their lustre by casting over them the glance of sly suspicion. The last act of this restless spirit in the world from which it had been banished had been one of rebellion. Its first act in its new sphere was one of rebellion also. This glorious spirit, finding itself confined within so small a casket, looked out in anger and resentment from starry eyes, and fighting the air with tiny, clinched fists, gave forth a shrill war cry and held in close captivity the fore-finger of the delighted Mars. The cry was so unexpected and so belligerent, coming from so small a specimen of humanity, that all were convulsed with laughter. The tiny babe lying beside its unconscious earth- mother, seemed startled at its own vehemence and smiled as it closed its eyes in sleep. The guardian angel smiled too, yet shook her head in mis- giving that the insubordinate spirit could not be conquered, and leaning over the child to shield it from the further touch of evil, she breathed a few words into the mother's ear. 114 LA GRAN QUIBIRA Again the feeble war cry broke defiantly upon the air, and this time the visiting host who had presided at the scene fled lest their irrepressible laughter might be heard. The evil genius went with them, smarting under the taunts of the good spirit, leav- ing Emil Zorlange 's little daughter to the charge of her guardian angel during her infancy, but leaving every infantile disease to prey upon the tiny form in turn. This was the vision which the young mother saw as she lay hovering between life and death, called back to life by the war cry of her babe, and by the summons of the guardian spirit, who had whispered "Come back. Thy child hath need of thee." The war cry of the child brought into the room forms more realistic than those who had vanished as the mother awoke to consciousness. Emil Zorlange 's amused yet anxious face appeared at the door of the adjoining room; while the doctor and nurse came closer to the bedside laughing outright. "Zorlange," said the old doctor, "this is certainly the tiniest, daintiest and most spirited bit of humanity that it has ever been my good fortune to assist to take its first step into this world. Just look at her. She has more of the fairy about her than of the nineteenth century child of the period. Was ever anything so perfect?" He asked, turning back the blanket in which it was en- veloped, and disclosing the tiny babe, naked except for its swad- dling band. "She looks like a toy perfectly sculptured in pearly wax. And oh, what glorious eyes. And what spunk," as the tiny object of his admiration gazed back at him defiantly, and fighting the air with feet and doubled fists, emitted a third war whoop, then smiled again as if at its own vehemence. "I will watch that girl's career with interest, and venture to predict that she will make a stir in the world " A MUSICAL MYSTERY 115 CANTO THE SECOND. Emil Zorlange was born in Philadelphia of Quaker parents. His father, as his name indicates, was a native of France. Or- phaned at an early age, he had been sent abroad to school. He had intended to live abroad as well. Settling for a time in Lon- don, the young poet met and carried off the prize par-excellence, the beauty of the season, a German Countess without domain. About this time "the Quaker poet" as he was called, fell under suspicion as being the leader of a dangerous seditious fac- tion. The suspicion, absurd as it was, gained ground somehow, and Emil Zorlange was requested to leave the kingdom. If a jealous desire to separate the lovers was, as some sus- pected, the cause of the young poet, who knew as much about politics as the babe unborn, becoming a political suspect, the scheme failed, for the dazed, yet wrathful dreamer carried the beauty of the London season with him to America as his bride. That was two years ago, and this was their first born. This little waif from fairy land, as the happy father called her ; this tiny radiant being, was formally christened "Marguerite." The voyage across the ocean had seemed to tax the strength of the beautiful young bride too greatly, and her health, which had failed at that time grew no better after the birth of her child. The tiny Marguerite grew like a slender flower, fragile and lovely. Heir to all the ills of childhood, she outlived them all, but twice was she snatched from the hands of death who had laid hold upon her by the fond mother who breathed her own life breath into her child. They called her "Pearl," but oftenest, "Daisy," she was such a wee blossom of babyhood. Daisy never forgot the scene of her mother's death bed. The child was but five years of age. The mother had, two years before, given birth to a beautiful strong-limbed boy, who was the delight of all. But always the gentle mother's eyes rested with more wistful tenderness upon her first born. The child, with 116 LA GRAN QUIBIEA her slender stalk of a body which looked as if the first adverse wind might break it, with her April day temperament all smiles and tears, her firm, decisive will and defiant air was a source of never-ending wonder to her, and she could not help but feel that some unwonted fate would be her portion. The little Ernest sickened with one of the ailments peculiar to childhood and the delicate mother watching her darling, sick- ened too. In spite of all her care the beautiful boy died, and with this stroke the mother's life was ended too. She strove hard to rally from the blow, but it was too great a strain upon fcr strength. Clasping her little one to her breast she said : ' ' Emil, I am going with Ernest. I leave you Daisy for your consolation and companionship. Watch over her and care for her tenderly, remembering that she is not like others." The promise was given; the last "good-bye" spoken and Marguerite Zorlange slept the sleep that is said to "know no wakening. ' ' Daisy had been brought to bid farewell to the fair young mother. ' One hand she rested upon the marble brow of the little brother whom she had so fondly loved, while the other was held by the dying mother, but Daisy's eyes were fixed with strange in- tensity upon seeming space. "Didst see them, fayther," she asked, as Emil Zorlange strained his last remaining treasure to his bosom: "Didst thou also see the beautiful angels as they reached down and took my mother and brother Ernest in their arms?" There were two mothers and two Ernests, the ones who lie asleep here, and those who left, laughing and throwing back kisses to use when the angels bore them away and said : ' Come, come to us very soon.' " A MUSICAL MYSTERY 117 CANTO THE THIRD. "PASSION FLO WEES/' It had been a day or two previous to this that the little daughter of the hired nurse had begged that she might be per- mitted to take wee Daisy with her to the public school. Thinking that this change might distract the attention of the child from what was passing in her home, permission was granted, and the two set off in high glee. Upon the route to the school, the child- ren passed by a beautiful garden, whose luxuriant growth over- run its boundary fence. A lovely white rose nodded its per- fumed head just above them and Daisy, notwithstanding the frightened warning of her companion, sprang upward, and at the third bound secured the prize. A heavy blow from a stout cudgel caused the child to utter a shriek of dismay and pain. But it was a noticeable feature of Daisy's character that she never gave up anything that she undertook, so she held fast to her rose in spite of the pain, and turned angrily upon the old man whose hard face appeared above the palings: "How dared thee?" "And how dare thee," shouted the irate old man; "How dared thee to steal my rose?" "It is mine:" said Daisy stoutly. "Why," said the old man, "The young one can lie as well as steal." ' ' The rose nodded to me and said, ' Come and get me, little Daisy. I am thine. Come and get me.' ' "Oh," groaned Cyrus Brooks: "What is the world coming to when a midget like that can tell such falsehoods? But what is the matter with your hand, sissy," he asked with some fear in his voice? Great tears were in Daisy's eyes as she said reproachfully: "That is where thou struck me, thou bad, bad man." The old man scrambled hastily to the top of the fence, and reaching over, raised the child gently and set her down upon the other side in the very midst of the forbidden garden. " I am old and cranky, ' ' he said, and added, apologetically : "I spend all of my time in the cultivation of the beautiful, and 118 LA GEAN QUIBIRA am plagued by the boys and girls of the school who steal my choicest blossoms; but I would not willingly have hurt any one like that, and certainly not so lovely a little mite as you. Why, now that I look upon you, you are as sweet as my peerless white rose," and caressing the bruised and bleeding hand of the child, he carried her to his wife that she might dress the wound, telling her the story and berating himself soundly for his own cruelty. Mrs. Brooks bathed and dressed not only the bleeding hand but the tear-stained face as well, delighted to serve so dainty a morsel of humanity, exclaiming over the beauty of the child, her grace and sweetness, but a little sorrowful that Daisy persistently held fast to her flower, crying passionately: "It is mine. It is mine. ' ' Cleansed and soothed and petted, Grandpa Brooks, as she already learned to call him, carried the child into the garden and loaded her with flowery treasures, especially the blossoms from the rose tree from which the theft had been committed, the chef de auvre of his own hybridizing, and which, having no name as yet, he delighted the child by christening after herself, the "Mar- guerite Zorlange" rose. The old man was not sparing of his floral offerings, but cut for the child a great bundle of his choicest flowers and when she finally fell asleep upon the mossy grasses under the great rose tree, it smote him to the very heart to see that she still held close the rose that had been the cause of their dispute, while his choicests blossoms were dropped carelessly at her side. This wee bit of stubborn humanity who was not to be turned from the desire of her heart, was a revelation to him and sug- gested thoughts which placed the actions of the others in a new light and he could not but wonder if there had been another ob- ject in their theft of his flow r ers, as he had always considered it, than the mere wish to annoy him. The school children were amazed next morning to hear the voice of the surly old gardener call out to them, as they passed by : "I say boys. You are quite welcome to all of the flowers that bloom upon the outside of my fence." And great was his own amazement that the answer was: "Thank you, sir. We would like a few to present to our teacher, and will not disturb the rest, they look so pretty grow- ing where they do." It had never once occurred to him that they had taken them because they really loved the flowers, and not, as A MUSICAL MYSTERY 119 he had supposed, out of that mischievous desire to tease him that they might hear him scold and swear. You may be certain that after this the teacher's desk was never without a fresh bouquet, not taken from the outside of the fence, but cut from the stalks by Grandpa Brooks' own hand, and presented by the boys and girls in regular routine. It was wonderful how rapidly the passion for the cultivation of flowers grew in them all. Each must have his or her own garden filled with growth from seeds or cuttings from Grandpa Brooks' nur- sery, and many were the solemn consultations held in which their curly locks were brought into close proximity to the grizzly locks of the counselor. 120 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE FOUETH. "EQUAL EIGHTS." "Daisy," said Emil Zorlange, leading his little daughter into the house: "I will not permit thee to play with such dis- reputable company. Remember, I forbade. thee to seek the com- pany of this little black again." "Fayther," said Daisy, with an inimitable drawl, the little mimic insisted upon using the ' ' plain language, " " Fayther, Thu- cydides is a very nice boy." "Thucydides," echoed the father, "And is that the ap- pellation of the little black?" "Thucydides," repeated Daisy in stout defense of her play- mate, "is a very nice boy and is so pretty and shiny that I call him 'a sooty little angel' and kiss him and ask him why he came down the chimney and soiled his pretty white wings and dress instead of coming straight down into the yard? and he said that it was because he was in such a hurry to see me. ' ' "And such is feminine vanity," said her father in disgust, then turning to Daisy's nurse he said: "Janet, see that thy young mistress does not leave thy sight. I do not like that she should be left to seek such companionship. Ugh ! And she owns to having kissed the negro boy. ' ' ' ( Fayther. I have heard thee say that there should be no dis- tinction between men. because of difference of race or color. I love Thucydides. And I will play with him when I choose. ' ' For the first time in her life, Emil Zorlange shook his daugh- ter and spoke harshly to her. ' ' Thou wilt keep from all such low associates, ' ' he said. ' ' No negro is a fit companion for the daugh- ter of a gentleman. I forbid thee to have him here again. Dost understand? Thou must obey me in this." "No," said Daisy quietly, "I will not obey. And," she added with true Quakerish simplicity of argument, "all men are born free and equal. Thucydides is my brother. I love the Black. ' ' Emil Zorlange was non-plussed. He looked at the child for a few minutes and arrived at the sensible conclusion that the only way to prevent her from getting into further mischief, was to A MUSICAL MYSTERY 121 occupy her thoughts and time with something which would show her the difference of station without offending her sense of jus- tice; for despite his Quaker belief and origin, he was a firm be- liever in "Caste." At length he said : ' ' Daisy, thou wilt ever be the mistress of thy father's house. Suppose that thou beginnest at once. From this moment thou canst take charge. Give Janet her orders for the day." Nothing loth, the delighted child issued her orders in a domineering manner most distasteful to Emil Zorlange's gentle- manly instincts, and for which he promptly reproved her. ' Then Daisy coaxed. But this she was told was equally out of place. The child thought awhile, then saying: "I understand per- fectly what thou meanest by the relation and duties of the mas- ter or the mistress to their servants, ' ' she gave her order for the third time in a manner that delighted her father, and Janet as well, the mother's nurse, who had succeeded to the care of the children as they came and was looked upon as housekeeper par excellence since the death of Mrs. Zorlange. Daisy never forgot her first lesson in housekeeping^ and thus at six years of age, she was installed as mistress of the establish- ment. And never was house ruled after better fashion. It was the wonder and admiration of all who visited it, and it accom- plished what Emil Zorlange had hoped that it would ; it kept his little daughter out of mischief by occupying her time and at- tention, and gave her beyond every thing else, the true idea of the rights and privileges of the different classes, which were to be used, but never by the superior, to be abused. 122 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE FIFTH. "COWING THE BULL." Daisy was about eight years old. Left to her own devices, but over looked with tenderest care by her father, whose sole companion she was, and by the good nurse Janet whose idol she was, she developed many little originalities of character and habits which delighted both, and which were fostered rather than corrected. She governed the house, ordered all its equipments, ordered the dinners and bought all the household necessities, selected her own clothing and above all she insisted upon attend- ing the public school. It was upon her way to school after her mid day lunch that Daisy, who had taken the shortest cut from the rear gateway of her home down an alley which led to the street beyond, espied a great black bull upon the opposite side of the way. Daisy was much terrified at the very particular notice taken of her by the bull which she was obliged to pass. But she was a brave little creature and would not turn back. She fixed her eyes steadily upon those of the bull and backed away. The bull regarded her as steadily in turn, then seeming to take sudden umbrage at the child 's gaze, he put down his head and gave forth an angry roar, stood for a moment as if reflecting, then lunged forward to at- tack her. "Run. Run for your life, my child. This way quick, quick and quicker." Daisy needed not the bidding, for at the first angry bellow of the infuriated animal, she had turned and sped like a lapwing toward the carpenter shop from which the warning voices had come. Fleet of foot, she outstripped the bull and stood panting and breathless beside the group of men who, alarmed at the as- pect of the enraged beast, hastily closed and barred the door. This was well. For, a moment later the brute threw his full weight against it and prodded the stout wood with his horns and hoofs, time and time again, then walked surlily away, in dignified disgust. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 123 It was not until he had given up the attempt to force the barrier that even the stout-hearted men breathed freely, and throwing open the door began to question the child. "It was the color of your coat, my little ' Bed Eiding Hood,' that threw him into such a passion," said one. "But why did not you run at first ? " he asked curiously. "I thought that I could cow him," answered Daisy simply. "I have read that if one fixes their eyes steadily upon those of an angry wild beast, they can be cowed by the steadfast gaze." Such a shout of laughter as went from those hardy men is seldom heard. "Were you not afraid, my little maid?" "Oh, yes," said Daisy, "I was very much afraid, but I wanted to know for myself if the story were really true." The men looked in amazement at this slender little "Will o'-the-wisp" form standing so quietly there, which seemed as if the first strong wind might blow away; at the delicate face in which the color came and went in fitful waves ; the great starry eyes that dilated and contracted with wonder and terror at the thought of the intractable brute, at the firmly compressed lips, and at the attitude of quiet self control, and said: "This child is a truly wonderful creature. There is something in her." The story followed her, and for years Daisy heard very often of her futile attempt to "cow the bull." Strangers frequently left the group of idlers who thronged about the hotels along the principal streets of the place through which she passed upon her way to school, and turning upward to their gaze the delicate flowerlike face of the child, and looking down into the shy fright- ened eyes, would roar with laughter as they accosted her, crying in wonder: "So this is the little girl who thought that she could 'cow the bull,' " much to the wrath of that small experimentalist. 124 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE SIXTH. "HAYCYON DAYS." It was the first day of the school year. Teachers and scholars had separated and gone to their respective rooms, and had taken the seats allotted to them. Miss Prentice herself, busily talking to a pupil from another room, called out in the midst of her ex- planations: "Miss Zorlange," then as no one responded to the call, she repeated in a tone of impatience, "Miss Zorlange." Daisy Zorlange looked around her in great surprise. Then, as no one else answered to the summons, and the other occupants of the room were motioning toward herself, she arose and slowly came to the front. Daisy was twelve years old now and as she stood there she made a pretty picture. The September breezes which swept in at the open windows swayed the light draperies which encased her slight form, and in gentle caress tossed the light curls play- fully about. Her skin was of that strange pearly tint which looks somehow as if the soul were lighting up the countenance from within. Her star-like eyes were fixed for the most part upon Miss Prentice's scowling face, but turned at times toward her school mates as if in search of sympathy. All the time she was thinking of her new teacher: "How very beautiful she is. I wonder, oh I wonder why she hates me so, ' ' for the child met only scowling frowns, instead of the smiling loving glances her own sweet and dainty prettiness should have inspired. Then she repeated: "I wonder why they all hate me so?" At length Miss Prentice turned to her and asked crossly: "Why did you not come when I called you?" Daisy made a little deprecating gesture and smiled as she said: "No one ever addressed me as 'Miss Zorlange' before. I did not understand that it was I whom thou wanted." "Humph," said Miss Prentice, "And what do they call you?" "Daisy," replied the child simply. A MUSICAL MYSTEBY 125 " 'Daisy,' indeed," snarled the teacher as if personally ag- grieved, ' ' I wonder why people cannot give their children a name and not some silly nonsensical name of a flower or bird or gem ? ' ' ''Thou might call me 'Marguerite,' " suggested Daisy sweetly with so exaggerated an effort to please, as to set the school girls to tittering. "Is your name Marguerite?" inquired Miss Prentice with some asperity. "It is a ah synonym, is it not?" inquired Daisy, a mis- chievous sparkle in her downcast eyes. "The child's a fool," muttered the irate spinster, to the de- light of Daisy who then looked at her pitifully and repeated to herself once more : ' ' How very beautiful she is. But I wonder why she hates me so. ' ' And frightened at her asperity cast her eyes about her again in search of the sympathy she did not re- ceive. Every where she encountered only sour faces. "Miss Zorlange," repeated the teacher in a tone that might have meant that she felt personally aggrieved in the matter, ' ' I, myself do not approve of making such distinctions among pupils of the same classes, but I have been requested by the superinten- dent to say that Miss Zorlange, the youngest by two years, of the school, has passed the most successful examination of any pupil of this, or indeed of any previous year and that from the second class of the grammer school, she standing 9.99 the highest per- cent as it is said, ever attained by any pupil who entered the high school." This was said with such a degree of acrimony as to effectually veil the real object of this public compliment. And Miss Prentice added spitefully: "I do not believe in prodigies. There is generally something to offset all their remarkable talents. I dare say now that this young lady's former schoolmates know of something to her discredit. ' ' "She steals flowers," said Juliet Delmar, despite the numer- ous cries of "For shame, Juliet Delmar. For shame." For it was to Daisy's theft of the "Marguerite Zorlange" rose in her infancy that Juliet referred. "I thought as much," said Miss Prentice, coolly ignoring all explanations. "Miss Zorlange, you may go to your seat. No. Not there," as Daisy would have resumed the seat she had left. "You will share Miss Carson's desk." This was pointed out to Daisy, to whom Miss Carson was a stranger and she found to her dismay that the seatmate whom 126 LA GRAN QUmiBA she was to have for the future was the oldest and grimmest look- ing girl in the school room. She obeyed however, without com- ment and seated herself beside the object of her terror, casting such timid, frightened glances into the hard set face that it sud- denly relaxed into an encouraging smile, at which Daisy flung her arms about Miss Carson's neck and sobbed as if her heart would break. "Miss Carson," called out the teacher sharply, "remove Miss Zorlange from the room and remain with her until she can remember the duties required of a young lady of this Grade." "She is but a little child, and has been too hardly dealt with," said Virginia Carson, as she led the sobbing Daisy from the school room into the dressing room outside. A few minutes later, Howard Gould, another new pupil, found them, and forgetting for the time the errand upon which he was bound, stopped before the twain and cried: "Oh, what a lovely child. Where did you come from, Titania?" "From Fairy Land, of course," sobbed Daisy, "Where else?" Thereupon, Howard, forgetting the errand that he had been sent upon, took the little girl in his arms and soothed and petted her and with kisses and caresses soon changed her tears to smiles. The trio lingered in the hallway until sharply summoned to the school room. And there was cemented a friendship which lasted throughout their lives, and this day marked an era in their three lives as well. It was through many a pang of jealousy that the love of Virginia Carson was given to Daisy, but it was all the stronger for that, and the injustice done the child awakened a sort of motherly instinct of defence in the heart of the elder girl. Virginia was twenty now, yet this little girl of twelve far outstripped her in their studies. Virginia, it is true, had not possessed the advantage of steadily attending school and was ex- tremely slow of progress, yet it was her intention to fit herself to become a teacher. It seemed to her little short of marvelous how, when with throbbing head and knitted brow she vainly strove to solve some knotty problem in mathematics, Daisy, with a merry laugh would ask her a pertinent question or two and lo, the clouds of doubt were swept away and all was made clear as crystal to her. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 127 Daisy's tact as a teacher was beyond question. She never did her pupil's work, but by a few well worded questions, made the crooked path straight that she might travel it by herself, and so remember the route, the better to make good her way the next time. The two were descending the stairway together upon the sec- ond day of the school term, when they were halted by no less a person than superintendent Kingsley, himself. "Now, my little Minerva," he said, placing his hand gently upon Daisy's curly head, "Tell me why you did not finish the solution of that Arithmetical problem upon examination day ? Do you know that had you done so your per cent, must have been 10, as your papers would then have been perfect?" "It was long past lunch time and I was very hungry," was the reply. "So I began it correctly and put down the result, I supposed that it would do as well as if the work were all written out. How dost thou think I got the correct answer without work- ing the thing, I should like to know?" ' ' Sure enough, my dear. Well, if you will come into my room here and write out what you omitted then. I will place it upon the records as the only really perfect work ever accomplished since the founding of the school. And this, by one of the three scholars who have passed our rigid examinations and entered the high school at the age of twelve. I can tell you my little miss that most of your elders passed in by the skin of their teeth, as it were, this year. There were lots of 'posers' among the ques- tions. ' ' Daisy did as she was requested, then ran away from all quer- ies and compliments, muttering something not altogether respect- ful concerning "Old Cent-per- cent. " Upon the demand of the superintendent, Virginia related the occurrence of the first day of the term in Miss Prentice's room. ' ' A mean-spirited jealousy. I will set that right. The child shall have her dues. It is but a just reward for her bright wit, and she is as lovely and lovable as she is intelligent. Miss Car- son, I bespeak for her your protection and care, ' ' and he laughed heartily at Daisy's ready wit in christening himself, "Old Cent- per cent." Poor Daisy! Superintendent Kingsley fulfilled his promise and to the horror of the shy child, she was called upon next 128 LA GRAN QUIBIRA morning to face the united school, and to endure the complimen- tary remarks of the superintendent, given at full length before the audience of both sexes, which out-numbered five to one the first which had heard the first announcement so grudgingly given. It was hard to tell whether this, openly spoken, did Daisy harm or good. The girls who shared the same study-room were indignant that the youngest of the class should be given the precedence over them, no matter how justly, for feminine respect for justice is but slight. And it was long before Miss Prentice forgave the child for the public rebuke which she, herself ^ had received upon her account. With the boys it was altogether different. They were filled with wonder and delight at the lovely prodigy whose lessons seemed to come to her by some sqrt of instinct instead of having to be courted with the long and assiduous attentions which they were all obliged, without exception, to bestow upon their own. The inevitable ball club organized that day, was chris- tened without a single dissenting vote ' ' The Daisies, ' ' and Daisy Zorlange was chosen Umpire of all their games. The rival club, formed later, who had chosen the handsome dark-eyed Juliet Delmar for its toast, applying to Daisy for a suitable name, she suggested, with a teasing glance at the sallow skin of her bete noir, "Buttercups." And in spite of Juliet's angry protest they were charmed with the name as approximately opposed to the name of the rival club and from the time of their first organization these rival clubs were known as ' ' The Buttercups ' ' and ' ' The Daisies. ' ' Daisy's school life must have tried the soul of any save Daisy's unconscious self. The child was like a butterfly or bee finding sweetness in every flower. She had no suspicion of the jealousy of which she was the object, but believed that she her- self was always in some inexplicable manner to blame. Though she sometimes was wounded to the quick by the poison tipped arrows aimed at her devoted head, this very unconscious- ness proved her surest shield from harm, for it was simply im- possible to hold out for any length of time against this sweet un- consciousness. Yet the child had a very hasty temper, which found ready vent in saucy taunts, and never waged a war of words, but that Daisy won the battle. A MUSICAL, MYSTERY 129 CANTO THE SEVENTH. "A WAVE OP HER FAIRY GOD-MOTHER WAND." It was nearly three months after the opening of the school year when Daisy Zorfange coming hastily into the school room found her seatmate, Virginia Carson, of whom she had grown ex- tremely fond, alone at their desk and weeping bitterly. Upon her peremptory demand for an explanation Virginia told her story. The eldest daughter of a poor, hard working, country Clergyman, who had died two years before, she had become the mainstay of the entire family. Her mother who had long been an invalid had written to her but now that she must return home at Christmas as she could not longer afford to keep her in school, her younger sisters and brothers making demands upon her that could not longer be ignored. Virginia, who had hoped to educate herself for the position of teacher in the city schools, and so, not only to raise herself above the drudgery of manual labor, but to be able thereby to earn a more liberal support for her family, was in despair at thus having to give up all her hopes for the future. She had hoped, she said, to find some employment for her unoccupied hours that would enable her to pay her own way at school, but every effort to secure this had signally failed, and she sobbed anew at the certainty of having to give up her plans for the future. "Never fear, my child," cried Daisy, gleefully. "I will be thy Fairy Godmother, and smooth away all obstacles. Thou shalt remain at school, and degenerate into an old maid school marm, if that is the height of thy ambition. So dry thine eyes. Thou shalt yet oust Miss Prentice if thou lik 'st. Thou art much more agreeable, although thou canst never hope to be so handsome as she. But all this has been sprung upon me so suddenly and un- expectedly that I must have a little time to think over the situa- tion. It as now three days to Thanksgiving Day. In three days therefore I will come again and tell thee that which will make thy sorrowful heart rejoice. As a Fairy Godmother I am always an immense success. So ' dry up ' now, and if I fail I will give thee leave to cry from Thanksgiving to Christmas." 130 LA GRAN QUIBIRA Virginia did not give much credence to the promises of Daisy, but felt cheered at the prospect of dining out, for Daisy had just invited her to eat her Thanksgiving dinner at her own home, and was especially pleased at the prospect of visiting Daisy. How it came about no one could tell, but it had ever been the habit of the whole school to look upon and treat Daisy Zor- lange with that patronage which is usually bestowed, and es- pecially by youth, upon the very poor in purse. The child's simple dress and yet more simple manners seemed to confirm the impression that hers was a state of the direst poverty, although a shade of suspicion often rested upon Miss Prentice's scowling brow as she noted that the material of the simple dresses seemed of the finest texture, and more than once she thought that the yards upon yards of lace used so abundantly upon them looked as if it might be "real." But the child skillfully eluded every question about herself, and their patronage was often offensively intruded upon her. Daisy seemed to enjoy the situation and took every occasion to encourage it. When questioned she an- swered only by a laugh. It was Daisy's habit and often an ir- ritating one, to laugh at all things. "I will call for thee myself at four," said Daisy, and promptly at that hour she knocked at the door of the little attic room occupied by Miss Virginia Carson in a squalid looking down town boarding house. "I hope that thou art not going to wear that brown thing," was her unceremonious greeting. ' 'Why, thou art all of a color and will set my fayther's teeth on edge. There, never mind," she added as Virginia, in consternation, confessed that it was her "Sunday best" and that she had no bright ribbons with which to relieve the sombre effect. "I was only teasing thee. The plainer the setting the more brightly the finest gems shine. Fayther will be in raptures with the one I present to him as a Thank-offering, or I am much mistaken." Virginia's eyes opened wide with wonder as Daisy uncere- moniously bundled her into a waiting carriage and gave her or- ders to the coachman. They alighted at a plain, unfashionable up-town mansion and were ushered at once into Mr. Zorlange's study, where Daisy, with the liberty of the mistress of the house, introduced her schoolmate, without delay to her "fayther," and after removing Virginia's wraps, hastened away, leaving the two A MUSICAL MYSTERY J31 to make aquaintance as best they might. Nor did she return un- til dinner was announced; then her eyes shone with gratified triumph as they fell upon the twain for she knew that her mis- sion was fulfilled and that Virginia's Fairy Godmother had gam- ed her point. The dinner was a grand success. Emil Zorlange was more pleased than he had been for many a day with the plans which his daughter had made for the future of them all. For she had proposed that Virginia become an inmate of the house as com- panion to herself, and so relieved of the burden of providing for herself, be enabled to complete her schooling. He was charmed with Virginia's staid, old-fashioned manners, which somehow suited her plain and homely features, but more than all was he delighted with the good sense of his mad-cap little daugh- ter, in choosing this uncompromisingly stiff blossom from all the beauties of the " rosebud garden of girls" for her own particular friend and companion. If Daisy and her "fayther" were pleased at the turn that events had taken, who shall estimate the pleasure of Virginia herself when she was consulted as to the arrangements made for her future. "Thou art to live here as my elder sister and companion, free of cost to thy mother and to share all educational privileges with me. Neither schooling nor board nor clothing will cost thee anything whatever. Thou wilt have the benefit of my instruc- tions in music, and dancing, and painting, and will be present at my lessons in all. But should thou develop a decided talent for either or all, thou art to have as I have, the lessons first hand from the very best masters, that thou may'st in every way be fitted to fill the post of the principal of a school or that of gov- erness in some private family, of good standing, where," added Daisy, "thou may'st marry the son and heir of the house, with the promised fatherly blessing of my fayther; and all this in re- turn for taking an elderly sister's care of me, which, I warn thee, is not so easy an occupation as it would appear to be on the sur- face. Thou dost well to cry, my dear, the official position offered thee will prove no sinecure, I assure thee." Virginia's happiness knew no bounds. With but a single wave of her wand her fairy godmother had smoothed the thorny path of life for her and made it possible for her to realize all of her beautiful dreams for the future. 132 LA GRAN QUIBIRA If she had loved Daisy before, that love now deepened into absolute idolatry, and not even the fact that Howard Gould's dark eyes held that lovelight which she jealousy coveted for her- self, when they rested upon Daisy, could dim or cloud that wor- ship of her young and heedless benefactress. All of the arrangements were made as far as could be done without the sanction of Virginia's mother. It had been decided not to tell that good lady until Christmas time aught save that if she would permit her daughter to go on with her schooling, she would be able to do so without any cost to herself. Daisy only stipulated that the secrets of fairy land be re- spected, upon pain of banishment therefrom; and Virginia read- ily promised that never a hint would she give at school, of the manner in which their home life was conducted. For none of her schoolmates had as yet penetrated farther than the little re- ception room which was known among them as Daisy's par- lor. Virginia never returned to the dingy boardinghouse she had left. Daisy declaring that having once been made a guest of fairy land, none were permitted to defile its hallowed precincts by bringing even the dust of such a place into it. Then at once commenced the grand preparations for what Daisy always thereafter termed "the Carson's Christmas/' Guided by the confessions which she extorted from Virginia, Daisy seemed to understand every need of the family. The en- tire family were invited to the house of a friend for the fort- night preceding Christmas, and the two girls superintended the remodeling of the cottage during their absence. As Daisy put it: "First we will raise that mortgage; then we will raise a dust and settle things all around." The house was painted, inside and out; the windows were remodeled and newly glazed; the parlor, that sacred precinct of all village cottages, which is seldom or never used, was abol- ished altogether here, and under Daisy's direction converted into a bed-chamber and sitting room for Mrs. Carson, who was a hope- less invalid by reason of acute rheumatism. From this a hall had given entrance to the cottage. The front door closed, and turned into a window, made of this hallway a snug little room for Nan- nie, to be shared upon the occasions of her home Sittings, by Virginia. A grand entrance was made instead into the large central apartment, in which a beautiful parlor cooking stove, the A MUSICAL MYSTERY 133 gift of Mr. Zorlange, was placed. The old-time kitchen was con- verted into a boys' snuggery and sleeping room for Harry and Robert Carson; and the dining room into a guest chamber, for the family, during the winter months, at least, would take their meals in the large sitting and cooking room; and in the summer time upon the side, vine-shaded porch. Daisy was in her element. She was "born to command," she said, and she engineered things to suit herself, evry one giving to her willing obedience, and upon Christmas Eve the wonder-stricken family were introduced to their fairy godmother, who had changed the rusty, inconvenient little old cottage, into what appeared, from the changes wrought by her magic wand, a spacious mansion, newly furnished with every beauty and modern convenience. Its pantries, closets, cupboards and even bureaus, were stored with Christmas cheer, houselinen and pretty clothes for all. ' ' How little it takes after all, fayther dear, to make so many people happy," quoth Daisy, as she placed the bills in Emil Zorlange 's hands, who declared, as in duty bound, that he him- self had had twice the worth of the amount as indeed he had had in the pride he felt in this little daughter who delighted in such wholesome pleasures as those of making others happy; in- stead, as would have been the case of nine out of ten reared in the same manner, of selfishly absorbing all the good gifts of life. 134 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE EIGHTH. It was strange how that petty jealousy jmrsued the care- less, fun-loving child, whose only crime was that of having, as it were, stepped across a whole year's study, thus entering high school, far in advance of her class, and so had been at the early age of twelve years transformed into a young lady, by school courtesy, at least. Yet with all, Daisy Zorlange was a prime favorite; with all except her black-browed teacher, Miss Pren- tice; for she was a veritable imp of mischief, ringleader in every escapade so dear to the heart of every school girl, and school boy as well, generously taking the blame upon herself when detected. Yet it was noticed that Miss Prentice, herself, appealed to Daisy when she had occasion to question the truth of any matter, for it was an established fact that Daisy Zorlange never attempted to screen herself from blame behind even the whitest kind of a lie. Daisy's truth- telling propensity became proverbial. The class in ancient history recited in this room. Howard Gould was reciting that portion relating to the Eegira of Ma- homet, and when asked to spell the word declined to attempt it, frankly admitting his own inability to do so. One after another signally failed in the correct spelling of the word. Howard final- ly decided that Juliet Delmar had the correct orthography of the word when she spelled it ' ' H-e-j-i-r-a. " Daisy, when asked, spelled it " H-e-g-i-r-a, f ' and Howard then declared himself as follows: "Yes, of course, if she says so," and defended his posi- tion from the laugh that ensued by saying that he had noticed that Daisy Zorlange never expressed an opinion without being certain that she was correct, and that he was on that account willing to accept her as the best authority upon the question under discussion. Miss Prentice admitted that she herself, had observed this also. And it grew to be the fashion to end any debate in which Daisy took part with: "Yes, of course, if 'she' says so." On the first day of June, it was whispered about among the pupils in Miss Prentice's room, that a beautiful floral offering A MUSICAL. MYSTERY 135 was on its way to the school-room to be presented to the most beautiful girl in the room, and that this question was to be de- cided by ballot. And sure enough, directly after the noon re- cess, there appeared a large basket of lovely pearl-white roses, whose perfume filled the air. The voting commenced prior to the regular school routine. Even Miss Prentice herself, showed great interest in the counting of the ballot. The choice was apparently between Juliet Delmar and Daisy Zorlange, and Juliet won. ' ' Oh, ' ' cried Daisy, ' ' please let me present it. I will make such a pretty speech. ' ' "You do not seem to be in the least degree disappointed in the result," said Miss Prentice, curiously. "I," laughed Daisy, "why, I cast my vote for Juliet. It was awfully good of some of the girls to vote for me. but I do not think that any of them meant it, except to tease Juliet, for all must know that neither they nor I can be compared to Juliet, in beauty, at least," she added, archly. More than one of her schoolmates hung their heads, re- buked by Daisy's generosity, ashamed that that strange spirit of jealousy had led them to deprive her of her just dues. For in their hearts they acknowledged Daisy's face to be the very pret- tiest that the sun ever shone upon, and the very unconsciousness of the child gave an added beauty to her fair face. "Wait just one moment," said Virginia Carson, staying Daisy's hand, outstretched for the floral prize, "perhaps the donor may have something to say in this matter. Here is a card among the roses and upon it is written: 'To Marguerite Zorlange from Grandpa Brooks. ' ' "Why," said Daisy, "I thought they looked like the 'Mar- guerite Zorlange' roses. But it is odd that Grandpa Brooks should have sent them to the school-room and not to the house as usual. There is always some token of remembrance of the day from him and from Grandma Brooks, too." And diving down into the basket Daisy fished up a small casket of equisite work- manship, within which reposed a jewelled comb and a beautiful bracelet of coral. "I cannot give thee these, Juliet. I always keep sacred a present. Nor can I give thee my basket of roses, for fayther always expects to see them upon the dinner table upon this an- niversary of the day when I ' stole flowers. ' But I will give thee two of the prettiest, and make Miss Prentice a present of two 136 LA GRAN QUIBIRA others, if she will promise me to wear them to the Governor's reception tonight. ' ' Then she coaxed of the latter in a whisper : "Let me come and dress thee, wilt thou not?" Miss Prentice looked the graceful figure before her over from head to foot. Daisy Zorlange was the best dressed girl in the school. Her belongings always seemed as a part of herself and the whole effect was exquisite. "W-e-U, I think you may, for once," she said, hesitatingly. Juliet was not so quiescent, but deliberately plucked to pieces the roses which Daisy offered her, notwithstanding the openly expressed protests of the others, who cried: "Oh, do not destroy the roses, Juliet." And, "Give them to me, Juliet, if you do not want them," and, "Daisy, do not let her pull those beautiful flowers to pieces. Give them to us instead. ' ' But Daisy, looking sorrowfully at her precious roses, re- plied : " I gave them to Juliet, and she has the right to do as she likes with them. I presented them to the prettiest girl in the school," she added teasingly, " but the ugliest one has torn them to pieces. It requires smiles to make thee even good-look- ing, Juliet Delmar. Don't thee think so thyself, friend?" and ignoring Miss Prentice's sharp call: "To order, young la- dies," she snatched a hand mirror from Juliet's desk and thrust it before her face. Juliet looked amazed at the dark and scowling countenance which met her sullen gaze, then laughed and nodded assent, as Daisy asked: "Is not that the very ugliest creature you ever saw?" as her own smile was reflected in the glass, Juliet was even more startled at the transformation, and to Daisy's query, ' ' And is this not the very handsomest ? ' ' replied : ' ' No. For you are not only the prettiest girl in school, but the best and sweetest, too." And with the smile still upon her lips, but a tear in her eye, she stooped and picked carefully from off the floor every leaf of the discarded roses, placing them between the leaves of a favorite book, and signified by a gesture, her intention of keep- ing them always, as a token that she would never forget the les- son of this hour, tossed a kiss to Daisy as a peace-offering, then subsided into her usual calm as if she had just heard the oft- repeated command to do so. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 137 CANTO THE NINTH. "THE ENCHANTED PALACE." When Daisy arrived at the rooms of Miss Prentice, that even- ing, for the purpose, as she declared, of making her teacher the best dressed and consequently the most admired guest at the Gov- ernor's ball, she found that lady in a very pefulant mood, hav- ing just come from under the hands of her hair-dresser. "I told him to do it in a Grecian knot," she explained, "but this is rather too much of a good thing." "There are Grecian knots, and Grecian 'note,' " laughed Daisy, as she viewed the tightly twisted coils, "and this must be one of the 'nots.' No, do not undo it. Let me improve upon thy handiwork, and give to it the classic turn, ' ' and, with a few dex- trous turns of her own deft fingers she shook and loosened the heavy waves, and held the loosened knot in place by rubber bands that were invisible, giving a careless, negligent effect to the heavy mass of magnificent ebony hair that was most beautiful. And when she had placed the comb of glimmering pearls among the rich masses, so that it seemed to form its sole fastening, the disconsolate hair-dresser was thrown into raptures, declaring that the little girl was nothing short of a witch, and acknow- ledging that he had learned from her a new and most valuable lesson in his art. "I really do not know what to wear," said Miss Prentice. ' ' I know what thou wilt wear, ' ' declared Daisy, taking down a heavy, cream-colored satin, from its peg in the wardrobe, which she had been ransacking without leave, then tossed over it a shawl of filmy white lace. Under her supervision and with her help, Miss Prentice's maid robed her in these. Her mistress grumbled loudly at the total absence of color. Daisy heeded not, but tabooed everything that was not white or cream in the toilette, and forbidding all jewelry except the comb and a rope of large pearls about the smooth throat, fastened the drapery of snowy lace with the Mor- guerite Zorlange roses, and producing a bouquet of the same, sur- rounding a sprig of scarlet geranium subdued by a mass of feath- ery green, she pronounced the toilette complete and perfect. 138 LA GRAN QUIBIBA Miss Prentice was still dubious in spite of her maid's rhap- sodies, and her brow contracted in a heavy frown. She was a color-worshipper, and the absence of all color was displeasing to her. However, she had promised to permit Daisy to dress her as she pleased, and she could not retract her promise at this, the eleventh hour. She was somewhat reassured by the very out- spoken admiration of Tontine, her hair-dresser, who, having begged leave to see her when her toilette was complete, was pa- tiently waiting her appearance in the lower hall, and in admir- ing wonder greeted her with: "You will be the belle of the ball- room, madame. That child has transformed you into a Greek goddess. ' ' "Let the eyes of the other guests be thy mirror, tonight," said Daisy, ' ' and thou wilt be better pleased with thy dress than thou hast ever been before. I pronounce it a chef de auvre, and I am an authority in matters of dress. Thou art so bright and rich in color thyself, that thou canst not bear illuminating, but must be toned down instead. But go on. Thou art late, very late. And I will hear the rest of thy grumbling tomorrow. I invite myself to breakfast with thee what dost thou say to ten o'clock? It will be Saturday, and thou canst lie abed as late as thou lik'st." And promptly at ten next morning Daisy presented herself, at Miss Prentice's bedside, followed by a maid with a breakfast tray laden with coffee and rolls for two. Miss Prentice drew the young girl's face down to her own and for the first time, kissed her. "So the despised toilette was a success?" asked Daisy, laughing. "A most decided success. I never had so much admiration in my life, and ," but here she broke down and Daisy cried in triumph: "Oh. It is a love story. Tell me do tell me all about it." "You are very young," said Miss Prentice, doubtfully, "but as it was all due to your exquisite taste in the selection of my ball dress, I think you have the first right to know. ' ' "Engaged." Daisy clasped her hands and rolled her eyes in ecstacy. "It was the dress that did it," laughed Miss Pren- tice. ' ' He confessed that he would have spoken long ago, but that my loud taste for colors in dress daunted him. He is an artist, A MUSICAL MYSTERY 139 but says that he prefers the cardinal tints upon canvas, and not in a lady's dress." "But thou hast not told me who is the happy man. I know all the rest. Thou wast doubtful of thy toilette, and looked wist- fully into every face for signs of disapproval, and instead thou found thyself the most admired of all. In short, by the aid of thy perfect toilette, thou hast achieved a grand social triumph." "Now you have guessed it," was the reply. "I never had so many compliments in so short a space of time before, nor un- derstood what was meant by the term being ' well dressed. ' My fiance is Paul Selwyn, the artist. We will be married soon and he has stipulated that I shall not have an article in my trousseau which has not been inspected and approved either by himself or Daisy Zorlange, whose taste in dress he declares to be beyond question, 'perfect!' And I am too happy to disobey," she added laughingly. "I congratulate thee," and Daisy stooped over and kissed her. "I know Paul Selwyn quite well. He gives me lessons in painting. ' ' Miss Prentice looked amazed. "Why, Paul Selwyn is a wealthy man, surely he has no need to teach. ' ' "He is a friend of fayther's, and at his request, teaches me." "Oh," said Miss Prentice, doubtfully, "you are being fitted for a teacher, perhaps. And your father goes to the extravagance of procuring the best instruction for you. ' ' ' ' Perhaps, ' ' echoed Daisy, with an amused smile. Then she said: "Thou must come and spend the day with us tomorrow. Thou and he. Fayther will be delighted to meet the fiancee of Paul Selwyn, and will send him word." "I suppose," said Miss Prentice, that evening, to Paul Sel- wyn, "that it will not be in good taste to wear anything but my shabbiest gown to poor Daisy's dinner?" "Why?" he asked, in amazement. "Oh," she answered, "the little darling belongs to the 'poor and proud' class, and they are so very easily offended, you know. ' ' The artist threw back his head and laughed, but only said: "Please me by wearing your best gown tomorrow, your hand- somest dinner dress and your most precious gems," then added, quizzingly, "I want my friends to see what a 'stunner' I have 140 LA GRAN QUmiRA won." Then he laughed again as she acquiesced, saying: "If you are certain that it will not offend. ' ' 'What Miss Prentice found at the Zorlange's no one knew, but it was observed upon Monday and for many days thereafter, that she cast many a side glance of seeming wonder and amaze- ment at Daisy's demure little figure, and raised her eyebrows significantly when her glance met that of the prim and circum- spect Virginia Carson, who to the disgust of the remainder of the girls, was as close as an oyster concerning what went on at her new home. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 141 CANTO THE TENTH. "TRmBOLITZ." Two years had passed since Daisy Zorlange had entered the high school with such dubious eclat. All the trials and tribula- tions incidental to school life had been passed through by her as successfully as childhood's ills. Daisy and her class had been promoted to Miss Torrendycke 's room. The trials which Daisy had been called upon to endure before she had made her peace with Miss Prentice were as naught compared with what she was compelled to submit to at the hands of her new teacher, who hated her and took no pains to conceal the fact. "Trilobitz," Daisy called her, to her face, to the infinite amusement of the school girls, with so perfect an intonation that the maligned spinster could not be certain that it was not the orthodox ' ' Tor- rendycke." It was Miss Torrendycke 's pleasing habit to assert her own authority by making her pupils do those particular things that were most distasteful to them. Two pupils shared the same seat, and desk. Daisy Zorlange wished to sit with either Virginia Carson, or Ella Howell, one of her particular cronies. But no; seated in the customary alphabetical order as Miss Torrendycke had said would be the case, Ella and Daisy must have come together; but Miss Torrendycke said that Miss Zorlange must occupy one of the front row of seats, so that she would directly under her own eye. Daisy smiled. For long practice and experience had taught her that there was more real fun to be had out of mischief prac- ticed directly under Miss Torrendycke 's own eye and nose as well than in any obscure corner of the school-room, and she was congratulating herself upon this, when, to her dismay, Miss Torrendycke appointed Lotta Moore to a seat at the same desk. Now Lotta Moore was one of the few girls in the school with whom it was impossible for Daisy to get along. To keep in favor with Miss Torrendycke, Lotta spied upon and betrayed her com- panions, upon every occasion. 142 LA GRAN QUIB1RA Daisy, whose mischief was always open and above board, hated treachery of any description, and grumbled openly; but hoped that Lotta would herself object to the arrangement, as the dislike, she knew, was mutual. Not so. Miss Moore declared herself pleased with any arrangement that her dear teacher chose to make. There was only one thing for it. Daisy determined to rid herself of her obnoxious seatmate, and set to work to make the place too hot to hold her. Trick after trick she played upon her, but Lotta bravely stood her ground, revenging herself by betraying all of Daisy's escapades to Miss Torrendycke, for that incarnation of mischief had been right in her calculations when she counted her chances of detection to be less, the closer she was under the eye of her teacher ; and her daring was the admiration and envy of the other scholars in the room. Mrs. Governor St. Aubyn and her two youngest daughters deigned to pay a visit to the school one afternoon. Daisy Zor- lange had been indefatigable in her efforts to make that seat so uncomfortable that Lotta Moore would ask to have another. This particular day her pranks had been continuous, and the rest of the girls were watching the result with unfeigned interest, for many a wager had been laid among them as to how long the "goody-good" Lotta would hold out. Three times upon this selfsame day had she slyly (no one could truthfully say that they had seen Daisy commit an error of deportment) piled up the books in Lotta 's compartment of their desk in such a manner that a noisy downfall of books and slates would be the inevitable re- sult of the slightest touch of their owner. Thrice had the falling books scattered innumerable bits of torn paper all about. Thrice had Miss Moore been sharply reprimanded for her carelessness, and made to pick up each separate bit of the torn papers, and the girl was simply furious. Behind her open book she made most hideous grimaces at her tormentor. Daisy watched her opportunity, and when she had, without seeming to do so, drawn the attention of visitors, teachers and scholars by staring with wide-open, startled, eyes set upon Lotta, she, in the very midst of one of Lotta 's grimaces, (and they were most hideous, for the girl was extremely ugly, as I think most 'goody-good' people are) reached across the aisle, Miss Torrendycke having bidden them both to take the post of digrace upon the front seats used for recitation, and snatching the book A MUSICAL MYSTEEY 143 from before her face, disclosed it to the view of all, in all its hideousness. Poor Lotta. The laughter that greeted this display, fol- lowed by hisses, was too much for her. And when Miss Torren- dycke asked the pardon of the sweetly-innocent Miss Zorlange for having reproved he.r for the fault of another, she capitulated an! begged most earnestly that she be permitted to change her seat. "If you both wish," acquiesced Miss Torrendycke. Daisy declared herself charmed with Miss Moore's company, but added as a double intendre: "If Lotta is not satisfied 144 LA GRAN QUffilRA CANTO THE ELEVENTH. It was the habit of Daisy's teachers to permit Miss Zorlange to leave the schoolroom once or twice each day, for a run around the square on which the school building was situated. So when Daisy felt one of the nervous headaches to which she was sub- ject, coming on, she rose and quietly left the schoolroom without the ceremony of each time asking permission. She never abused this privilege. Her pallor testified to her need of fresh air, and a few minutes' walk would restore her to herself. From one of these hurried walks she sprang into the schoolroom with a bound, slamming the door behind her in her haste, with flying curls and dancing eyes and feet. But upon Miss Torrendycke 's "Why, Miss Zorlange," she raised an admonitory finger and stayed her dancing feet, cast a last reproving glance upon them. then straightened herself stiffly and stood with folded arms, and solemn countenance, facing her accusatory judge, as it were, for Daisy knew what to expect. "Miss Zorlange," said Miss Torrendycke, "are you aware that such unseemly haste in entering a room is very unladylike indeed." "Yes'm. Yes Miss ' Trilobitz ', " replied that young lady, shaking her head and upraised finger at her rebellious little feet, as if they alone were to blame in the matter, "Yes'm. But thou seest that I could not help it. It was all the fault of the 'New Boy'." Daisy was delighted to have aroused the spinster's cur- iosity. From the very outset, she had in defiance of Miss Tor- rendycke 's will, exerted a strong magnetic influence over her, and nothing pleased the mischeivous elf so much as an opportunity to lead her on to some ridiculous conclusion. "This is how it was, mum. I was coming along the upper landing, keeping the 'Rules and Regulations' in my mind (this statement caused the whole school to snicker) "when," continued Daisy, sublimely unconscious, as it would seem, of the sensation which her unblushing effrontery had created, "when I heard some one coming up the stairway. I looked over the balustrade and A MUSICAL MYSTERY 145 thought that it was Howard Gould, ' ' casting a look of reproach at that young man, who was one of the class upon whose recita- tion she had broken in, "and then," (this sorrowfully, for the benefit of the sniggerers), "I quite forgot the 'Rules' and drop- ped a pebble on his head. He looked up, and it was not Howard at all, but a 'New Boy' a brand new boy," she repeated, with emphasis. _^Vell, the 'New Boy' started up the stairs in pur- suit of me, jfer I ran away, terribly frightened, and we had a lively race, I can tell thee, 'up stairs, and down stairs and in my lady's chamber.' I ran finally to Mr. Kingsley's room for his protection. Mr. Kingsley always does protect me, you know," she added, maliciously. "Well, Mr. Kingsley's door was locked, so the new boy caught me, and then he introduced himself to me by name, and told me all about himself, and then he asked me my name, and, ' ' said Daisy with the most exaggerated air of con- scious rectitude, "right then I remembered that it was against the rules to. talk in the halls, and I ran away again, just as fast as I could and the new boy after me. Now, I should not wonder if he were there yet. ' ' And with a swift, backward move- ment she flung open the door, and there, indeed, stood a crest- fallen youth who beat a hasty retreat, upon his exposure, amid the jeers and laughter of the scholars. ' ' This must have been Mr. Kenyon, who comes late, but there have been several additions to the school during your week's absence, Miss Zorlange. The term 'New Boy' is most objection- able." "Yes," said Daisy, "he said that his name was George Ken- yon. But if I were he I would rather be a 'New Boy' than a an ' Addition. ' Would not thou ? " This question was not put in words, but by the uplifting of her eyebrows, and a queer little pucker of her lips, and was ad- dressed to Willis St. Aubyn, whom she had just espied in the class and who was also a newcomer in the school. Willis assented with a bow and smile, his eyes resting in un- feigned admiration upon Daisy's bewitching face. This pantomine was interrupted by Miss Torrendycke, who was becoming suddenly conscious that she had been betrayed for the twentieth time into committing an indiscretion by the fun- loving Daisy. She said sharply: "Miss Zorlange, you will stop in the superintendent's room as you leave school this afternoon, and report to him that you have once again broken the rules. ' ' 146 LA GRAN QUIBIRA "Yes'm," said Daisy meekly. "Yes, Miss Trilobitz," adding under her breath, "and my little romance counts for naught." "And for insubordination,' (she had caught the sound but not the sense of the aside) "you will take your stand upon the platform here." "Oh, Miss Torrendycke, " protested Daisy, "Oh, Miss Tor- rendycke, ' ' but to no purpose, then made her way slowly to the appointed place. Poor Daisy! She was paying dearly for her fun. In five minutes she looked ready to drop from weariness. She could run or walk or dance all day, but to stand in one position tried her beyond her strength. Willis St. Aubyn, noting the girl's weariness, deliberately rose and placed for her a chair. ' ' The young lady appears ready to faint, ' ' he explained, and Miss Torrendycke, noticing her pal- lor, was for once ashamed of her own harshness, and said: "Go to your seat, Miss Zorlange. I quite forgot your recent illness and did not mean to tax you beyond your strength. ' ' "I have always said that I would never fall in love until I was past twenty-one, ' ' said "Willis, when they left the room, quite ignoring the fact that it was against the rules of the school tc talk in the halls, "and now here I have 'been and gone and done it.' I am over head and ears in love with that dazzling bit of sunshine you call, 'Daisy Zorlange.' ' "Willis St. Aubyn," was Howard Gould's reply. "I love you better than any friend that I have ever had. But I warn you not to trifle in any manner with Daisy Zorlange. I love her too, and that better than life or friends. But I would not even for the sake of possessing her love in return, awaken her suddenly from her childish ignorance and innocence. Until the time comes for her to awaken of her own accord, I am content to act the part of an elder brother, and I warn you that you shall feel that brother's vengeance, should you wrong her in any way." Willis was indignant, but laughed lightly. "Good elder brother," he said, "I have no intentions regarding your sister which are not, in the highest degree, honorable. I mean to have your bewitching sister for my wife, and that as soon as I can win her consent, and win it I will," he added, confidently, "in de- fiance of all opposition, even her own. ' ' Then he said, more ser- iously: "Of course, we are all of us but children yet, and mar- riage is quite out of the question. And you are right, Howard, A MUSICAL MYSTERY 14? she is much too charming as a child, to be transformed into a young lady, yet. But be generous, my friend. Let ours be a friendly rivalry. It is agreed, is it not, that each shall wop this fair maid after his own fashion, not in any manner prejudicing the interest of the other?" Howard looked searchingly into the frank, blue eyes of his friend, then with a sigh and a deepening pallor upon his pale face, and a fear at his heart that Willis would indeed win her from him, he took the outstretched hand and kissed the proffered lips of his boy friend, and so was sealed the compact which made them amicable rivals for the love of Daisy Zorlange. Later in the day, the boys, crowding about Daisy and Juliet Delmar in consultation about a public game to try the skill of the rival ball clubs, "The Daisies" and "The Buttercups," Wil- lis said laughingly, "Miss Daisy, let me present to your ac- quaintance another new boy, who is the happy possessor of a very romantic name. Miss Zorlange, Mr. Orville Roumaine." ' ' Awful Remains 1 ' ' quoth Daisy, with her mischievous habit of making sport of every person and everything; "Mr. Awful Remains, I am pleased, yet terrified, to make thy frightful ac- quaintance ; " and with her unerring instinct in character-read- ing, Daisy thought to herself : ' ' That boy has the most beautiful, yet the most evil countenance, that there is in all the world, I do believe. ' ' The darkly handsome face of Orville Roumaine glowed with anger for a moment, but he forgave the mischief-loving girl. Orville Roumaine had a Aveakness for pretty girls and Daisy Zorlange was too beautiful to be blamed and not courted. Yet this absurd soubriquet clung to him until, upon the same author- ity, it was changed to "The Traveler," because of his fondness for "romancing," as Daisy put it, about his experiences in the many countries and places he had been. Orville Roumaine was the son of the English general of that name, who had lost his health in India, in which country the boy was born. After the death of his wife the General sold his commission and taking the boy with him had traveled in every country and every land. He had lately come to America and by some chance or perhaps mischance, Orville Junior had drifted into the high school at the capital of this thriving State, and into the lives of those whom he would one day harm, as was the will of Daisy's Evil Genius. At least this was what she thought, for 148 LA GRAN QUIBIEA Daisy had been told the fantastic vision which had come to her fair young mother at her own birth, and she said: "Surely this is the male child over whose birth, upon the opposite side of the globe, Saturn was called upon to preside in person, leaving his 'sub' to appear at the scene of my own birth. Well, Mr. 'Aw- ful Remains, ' forewarned is forearmed, and I will have as little to do with thee as possible." This is, of course, but a digression, for after the laugh raised by Daisy 's play upon the name of the other ' ' New Boy ' ' had sub- sided, Willis St. Aubyn continued: "Mr. Roumaine has been chosen the new leader of ' The Buttercups, ' and just in time for the Carnival, too." It was the custom of the school to make the experiments of the class in chemistry public, at least so far as admitting the whole school, if they wished to attend them. Daisy Zorlange al- ways attended these more for some place to go, as she frankly confessed, than for any benefit she hoped to derive from the ex- hibition, for those beautiful starry eyes of hers were what is termed "near" of sight. Nothing, however, would induce her to touch the electric dynamo, to receive that electric shock which threw the others into spasms of painful delight, as she dubbed it. Upon the particular day of which I write, notwithstanding her open protests, Mr. Twirl, the principal of the school, under whose supervision all chemical experiments were made, gave a sign to Orville Roumaine, and he drew the refractory Daisy sud- denly into the magic ring. Mr. Twirl threw on a double force of electricity. All the members of the circle writhed and shrieked, and laughed, with the one exception of Daisy Zorlange, whose falling body broke the magic ring as it dropped apparently lifeless upon the floor, to the consternation of teacher and pupils alike. The boys, whose idol Daisy was, sprang forward and raised her prostrate form, then turned angrily upon the delinquent Twirl, and Willis St. Aubyn demanded without that show of re- spect he was accustomed to yield to the principal of the school : "How dare you sir, to inflict this upon any one against their will?" In answer to this protest, Mr. Twirl declared that he believed it to have been but a pretense upon the part of the young lady, A MUSICAL MYSTERY 149 that she could not bear the application of the electric force thus applied. "And you chose to murder her, rather than give up your own point." It would seem that this indignant accusation of the lad was just, for they worked in vain to restore Daisy to consciousness; and midst sorrowing faces for in spite of their jealousy and their propensity to domineer over her, Daisy was the prime favorite of all her schoolmates Willis St. Aubyn and Howard Gould bore her unconscious form to a carriage, and took poor Daisy's seemingly lifeless form home to her father's house. It was many hours before she could be restored to conscious- ness. She experienced no serious injury from this electric shock, but instead reaped the benefit of always having her own sweet will afterwards at school, and reawakened the jealousy of her schoolmates when it was remarked that when Daisy Zorlange planted her little foot firmly upon the floor and said: " I will not," she was permitted to "not" without question. 150 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE TWELFTH. "THE SONG OF THE WELD BIRD." The Commencement exercises of the high school were largely attended. The public schools of C . were at this time so good and thorough in their instructions their superintendent, Mr. Kingsley, having the reputation of being one of the most pol- ished literateurs of the State, that the schools under his control were patronized by all of the first and wealthiest families of the place. The exercises for that year were held in one of the most spacious churches of the city, the accomodations of the school building not being sufficient, and the new high school building, with its grand chapel and hall, not yet being completed. Gertrude Grey, the valedictorian, grumbled audibly when she found that one of the features of the evening's exercises was to be a quartette rendered by Willis, Howard, Virginia and Daisy. "If Daisy Zorlange is to sing," she said, "the whole evening will be spoiled for anything else. Who will listen to the speeches and essays after that ? ' ' Daisy's hot temper had been already aroused. The dresses of the girl graduates were, of course, to be of the customary white, and to make things more effective, Miss Torrendycke had requested that none of the other members of the school should wear white, but dress themselves in as bright colors as possible. Daisy had provided for her own wear a lovely rose-colored tissue ; but at the eleventh hour Lotta Moore had told her that she had mistaken the request, which was, that all, without exception, should wear white, unrelieved by any color. Daisy, with a sigh, re- nounced her new gown and donned her white, but with her usual desire to be found fault with for a cause, she relieved the mon- otony of the effect by wearing a shoulder sash of blue ribbon. This she caught up on the shoulder and again at the waist, by a full-blown, crimson rose. In this toilette she made a very pretty picture of girlishness loveliness, but brought down the wrath, as Lotta had anticipated, of Miss Torrendycke, upon her de- A MUSICAL MYSTEEY 151 voted head. This was during the first intermission, and Daisy explained the situation, adding wrathfully that Lotta Moore's chief aim in life seemed to be to make mischief between her and someone else. Her bright face and the ribbons and roses, and her gleaming pearly neck and arms, so relieved the monotony of her dress that Miss Torrendycke quite overlooked her act of diso- bedience. But she went on finding fault until the girl felt in- clined to all manner of acts of insubordination. Daisy was seated next to Lotta Moore, and directly behind them were the seats of her two boy lovers, 'Willis and Howard. No hint of love had been given to Daisy by either, but they watched over her as devoted brothers might, and were fearful of awakening her from childhood's dream. Daisy loved them with all her heart, but no suspicion of the truth of their re- gard for her, ever crossed her mind. Now, each, in turn, en- gaged her attention, while Miss Torrendycke questioned the other. The quartette was called, and the four singers were greeted not only with applause, but with rather broad smiles. The piece selected was a very difficult one, and especially the soprano was full of run, and trills, and quavers. ""What are they all grinning at," demanded Daisy, sotto voce, as she lagged behind the rest, unwilling to take part in this public exhibition. "They think that you cannot sing the part," said Willis, "I heard some of them laughing at the idea that a little girl could sing the prima donna part. ' ' This had the desired effect of putting Daisy upon her mettle. "Oh!!" she ejaculated, and at once gave her customary preliminary twitter, and plunged into the song. Glances of wonder were exchanged all over the house, and then a dead silence reigned. The audience seemed turned to stone. Daisy, losing sight of everything but the music, forgot her own shyness, and with her head poised upon one side she listened as does a bird, charmed with its own sweet notes. It was a trick of Daisy's three worshippers, to subside into a voice accompaniment to Daisy's songs. The young voice rose higher and higher, until it seemed to reach the heavens, and to descend from thence, and 'lie first verse ended in a perfect cascade of rippling trills, which were 152 LA GRAN QUIBIRA all Daisy's own. Only a few softly candenced notes were struck by the orchestra, whose leader had risen and was gazing at the child with adoring wonder. But during that time, the entire audience, arose en masse, as silently as if moved by one impulse. Daisy saw not and heeded not, and the whole mass of people stood motionless and silent while she literally flooded the room with song. The song ended. The silence which followed was first broken by Daisy, who said aggressively : "So thou thoughtst we kids could not sing the number, eh!" And she would have shaken her little fist at the assembled multitude, but that Willis, whose eyes were ever upon her, caught, and smiling, held it fast. The silence once broken, such a thunder of applause arose that Daisy, who had started to her seat, was very much fright- ened, and it was with great difficulty that she could be induced to sing another song. Finally she gave an arch and successful rendering of the "auld Scotch ballad," " 'Twas within a mile o' Edinboro' Town." As Daisy finished, the leader of the orchestra came forward and kissed the hem of her gown, saying, with reverent air : ' ' It is the divine spirit of music herself, of whom I have dreamed, but for whom I long have sought in vain." Then they crowded about the child, and kissed, and car- ressed, and complimented her, without stint. "Your singing is like that of the wild birds," exclaimed a noted musician. "Like them, you have only Nature's training. With cultivation, your voice would become the wonder of the age. ' ' But Daisy declined to ' ' cultivate, ' ' saying, that when people got tired of the " caged-birds ' songs," she would give them the wild birds' song, and make them feel that they breathed the fresh woodland air, laden with the perfume of the wild flowers and of the new-mown hay. ' ' Perhaps you are right, my dear. Still you should have the advantage of a really good teacher, and I will myself overlook your voice culture if you will permit me to do so." Daisy thanked him, but said : ' ' Signer Yorkestan is my in- structor. He thinks with my fayther, that my voice should have all its natural beauties preserved and that it must not be forced in any manner while I am so young. So he forbids me to sing except when I feel so inclined." A MUSICAL MYSTERY 153 There were stares of amazement, for Signer Yorkestan re- ceived but two or three pupils and asked an almost fabulous price for their instruction. The furore subsided and the exercises were continued. Next intermission most of the scholars kept their seats and chatted together. Governor St. Aubyn came to the group about Daisy and began teasing her with: "So my sweet singing-bird and Queen of Fairy Land is the little girl who lives upon 'our street,' and who objects to saying that she lives upon 'my' street."- "My street,' said Daisy, emphatically. "I believe that upon the occasion of our last dispute upon the subject we compromised by agreeing to call it 'our' street," said the Governor, laughing. "I hope," he added in the orth- odox manner, but with fun gleaming in his eyes, "that you are as ' good as you are beautiful. ' ' ' ' No, ' ' said Daisy, ' ' I am nothing so tame and commonplace as 'good.' I am," and she shook her index finger instruc- tively at him, "I am a 'something' in five syllables less or more. Mostly, I am a participle, I think. But I know that I am 'un- ruly,' ' intractible, ' irresponsible,' 'incorrigible,' 'the very in- carnation of disobedience and insubordination,' for Miss Tor- rendycke says so, and 'Trilobitz' has been so long upon the earth that she ought to know all about everything, and she thinks she does. Ask her to name the other awful things I am. Here she is; coming to 'nag' me a little for a change. Nothing invig- orates her so much as to make me the recipient of her surplus spleen. But do not ask me to subside into a mere 'goody-good.' there are too many of that sort now," and she pointed mis- chievously to the prim, precise figures of those of her school- mates, who, anxious to please, sat rigidly upright, looking with shocked surprise at Daisy Zorlange's lolling and careless at- titude. The Governor laughed heartily and was turning to <-peak 1o Miss Torrendycke, when the adoration in Howard G:uld's dark eyes, as they rested upon Daisy's face, caught his atten- tion. "Ah!" he exclaimed, "So that is the way the land Hes, is it, my lad?" Howard's face flushed hotly, but he replied honestly: "That's the way the land lies in this quarter, Governor." "What's the 'way the land lies'?" demanded Daisy, squirm- 154 LA GEAN QUIBIRA ing under the touch of the hand of Miss Torrendycke, who turned to the Governor and said: "I hope that that you are administer- ing salutary reproof to this, the most refractory of all my pn- pils. ' ' To which the Governor answered coolly, while Willis and Howard, always ready to shield the sensitive chill from all knowledge of the unfair treatment to vlrh she was subjected upon every occasion by her teacher, oc^upi'H! her attention, while the Governor did not attempt to restrain his laughter as Daisy deliberately told off upon her fingers, each syllable of the long word used by the fault-finding "Trilobitz," "I find the child very charming," and deliberately turned to chaff her anew. But Miss Torrendycke was not to be so easily ignored and began at once to say the most disagreeable things possible to the girl. Willis stooped over and pressed his lips to one of Daisy's curls. "Ah! And that is the 'way the land lies with you,' a^o, is it, my boy?" Willis raised his blue eyes frankly to his father's face and replied earnestly: "And that is the 'way the land lies' with me also, daddy." "What is the 'way the land lies'?" demanded Daisy once more, and receiving no answer she grumbled: "I think that if I were the Governor, I could afford to talk plain 'United States.' What dost thou think is to become of the youth of this great and glorious State if its Governor sets the bad example of talk- ing in riddles ? ' ' inquired she, mischievously mimicing Miss Tor- rendycke 's dictatorial manner to a nicety. But the Governor was greatly interested in this love affair, of which the girl herself was apparently the only one who was ignorant of "how the land lay." "And you sometimes fight and pull hair, etc.?" ' ' Never, ' ' replied the .boys. ' ' This is a case of amicable riv- alry," and the two lads clasped hands warmly. The Governor turned away laughing. "Wait awhile," he said. "It will be no different," said Willis, "we settled all that long ago. Each is to do his best to win, and that without preju- dicing the cause of the other. It is to be a fair contest from first to last." Miss Torrendycke, still further irritated at the abrupt de- A MUSICAL MYSTERY 155 parture of the Governor, and willing, as usual, to vent her spleen upon Daisy, said severely: "Miss Moore has just given me a very different account of the matter of your dressing yourself in the color I forbade you to wear." "Miss Moore is a liar," was the calm reply. "I never take the trouble to lie, as thou knowest." "Your language and behavior are altogether unsuited to a young lady." ' ' I am not a ' young lady ; ' I do not want to be a ' young lady ' and I won't be a 'young lady,' that's flat, at least, not yet," cried Daisy, defiantly, throwing herself back in her chair. Neither had noted the fact that the house had been called to order and that they were becoming the center of the observation of the entire assembly. Miss Torrendycke was furious when she found this to be the case, making most unfavorable comments upon Daisy's conduct. "The old 'cat'," said Willis, spitefully. Daisy was restored to good humor at once and turned to him with a beaming smile. "That is what I call her," she whispered. "How didst thou know?" "What will you give me to repeat it so that she will hear?" asked he, coaxingly. ' ' What dost thou want ? ' ' "That rose upon your bosom and a kiss," said Willis, boldly. "Very well. The price is high, but I will give it." And she took the red rose from its fastenings and pinned it upon the lapel of Willis' coat, then put up her lips and was much surprised that he did not take the proffered kiss for which he had bargained. This, in the face of the attentive multitude, was a little too much, even for the cheeky Willis, and Howard and the rest were in ecstacies at his discomfiture. ' ' Not now. The pay is more than I deserve, ' ' he whispered to the pouting Daisy. "Keep the kiss for me until I ask for it. And mind that you do not give it away in the meantime." The mollified maiden nodded assent. The speeches 'and music went on. But during the remain- ing exercises the eyes of more than one mother turned from their own daughters, sitting there so stiff and decorously proper, to 156 LA GRAN QUIBIRA the form of the beautiful, graceful girl who "would not be a young lady not yet," and wished their own were a trifle less stiff. Even Gertrude Grey was mollified, for by the time the val- edictory address was reached, all were attentive and apprecia- tive. And Daisy, leaning her head backward upon Willis St. Aubyn's shoulder, fell fast asleep. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 157 CANTO THE THIRTEENTH. "THE REFRACTORY SONG BIRD/' The high school was to hold a grand carnival of song, and dance, and games. Everywhere busy preparations were being made for the great event. Practice was going on, both indoors and out. Among other features of the entertainment was a cantata. This was to be rehearsed in the chapel of the school. A call had been made by Mr. Fyfe, the new singing master, for all who were to take part in this cantata to present themselves at re- hearsal. The soprano, par excellence, Gertrude Grey, failed to make her appearance upon this occasion. Mr. Fyfe fumed and fretted until some one amused him by saying: "Why do you not let Daisy Zorlange take Gerturde's place?" Mr. Fyfe laughed. "Miss Zorlange is not here either," he said. "Nor do I be- lieve the child would be able to fill the place of our first so- prano. Her voice, if she has one," a little spitefully, for he was much chagrined at the defection of Miss Grey, since he wished to insure perfection in one particular duet. "She sings like an angel," cried more than one indignant voice, "but she scarcely ever sings at all when Gerty Grey is here. Gerty is so jealous of her, and so mean to her always." ' ' And oh, ' ' coaxed Juliet Delmar, " if we can get Daisy Zor- lange to sing, I want to play the accompaniment myself." Then she added: "That is the only thing I am not jealous of Daisy Zorlange in. I cannot sing at all, and if I could, I could never hope to sing like Daisy. No other human being can. But I am the best accompaniest in the school and if Daisy can be per- suaded to sing I claim the privilege of playing for her." And Daisy, coming into the room at this juncture, she made the re- quest of her in person. ' ' Old Fyfe thinks that you cannot sing that duet in Gerty Grey's place. Just look at that unbelieving sneer upon his divine countenance, will you?" This had the desired effect, firing Daisy's quick temper, 158 LA GRAN QUEBIBA and she accepted the chair which Willis St. Aubyn offered, next his own, with a shy blush and smile, and shared his proffered singing book as well. Juliet placed herself at the piano, and after an elaborate prelude, and in the midst of an expectant silence of the other occupants of the room, the duet commenced. As the young girl's voice rose clear and yet more clear in unison with the rich tones of Willis' baritone, all held their very breath to listen, as if they feared to lose a single intona- tion. As to the singing master, his amazed countenance would at any other time have raised a hearty laugh, but it was a rare treat to hear Daisy sing, and they did not at that moment, care one straw for what was in the mind of old Fyfe. That worthy forgot, after the first few bars, to beat time to the music, and stood, the very impersonation of rapturous awe. It was Daisy, herself, who broke the profound silence in which the song concluded, for Juliet was too true a musician to destroy the effect by supplying any superfluous chords. "Why, Willis," she exclaimed, "What a grand voice thou hast. It is a treat to sing with thee ; and so easy that one could not help singing, thou knowest." This was Willis' opportunity. "I would be glad if I might be permitted sometimes to practice with you." "Why not?" said Daisy, "Howard and Virginia and I practice every evening when our lessons are done, for my fayth- er's edification, and thou canst join us tonight if thou lik'st." Willis was triumphant, and turned to Howard, who had steadily refused to introduce him to the home of Daisy upon his own responsibility. But Howard only smiled, well pleased at the turn affairs had taken, and replied: "I told you that it would come about in time, of its own accord. Everything rights itself in time to the patient waiter." And so began that series of evenings spent at the Zorlange's, which lasted throughout their entire course of study at the high school. The two boys brought their books there regularly each evening and studied with the two girls until their lessons were mastered, under the careful eye of Janet, with Emil Zorlange himself to untie all knotty points for them. Then one or other of them read aloud while others occupied their hands with A MUSICAL MYSTERY 159 some light work, and the evening of every day in the year was ended with music, and wit-sharpening games and chats upon the leading topics of the day. Emil Zorlange never tired of the youthful, out-spoken com- ments, whether to the purpose or wide of the mark, as they were apt to be, especially upon the political questions of the hour. Meantime, Daisy was receiving the congratulations, and compliments of the school girls, and her astonished music teacher, who declared that she should not only sing first soprano at the Carnival, but in the regular class practice. Daisy refused. "I am not permitted to use my voice at any set time," she said. "I can only sing when I feel inclined to do so." " 'Little birds who can sing and won't sing, must be made to sing'," he quoted, oracularly. "If I say that you must take Miss Grey's place, both at this rehearsal and in class, you must obey, must you not ? ' ' ' ' No, ' ' said Daisy, ' ' I will not obey. ' ' Then she said, as if in defense of her position: "My fayther will take me out of school if thou shouldst attempt to coerce me in the matter of singing. He will not permit me to strain my voice in the least while I am so young. ' ' You may be certain of the delight of the school girls in the discomfiture of old Fyfe. 160 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE FOURTEENTH. "THE POETRY OP MOTION." The day of the Carnival arrived. The school, in carriages, were escorted to the beautiful grove at Marble Cliff, by what would appear to have been the entire musical force of the city. The test game between the two ball clubs, "The Butter- cups" and "The Daisies," was first on the programme for the day. The umpire of the winning club was to be crowned Queen of the Carnival, by a wreath of that flower from which the club took its name. The floral crowns rested upon a moss-covered table, side by side, and were much admired by all. It was impossible to say which was the prettier, the crown of gorgeous buttercups, or the chaplet of simple white daisies. "Why, Juliet! How perfectly gorgeous thou art, to be sure," exclaimed Daisy, stopping directly in front of Juliet Delmar, whom she had not before seen. Juliet looked up and an angry retort was upon her lips, but Daisy's wide-eyed admiration was too genuine to be mistaken, and she was instantly mollified. "I am glad some one has the sense to appreciate my dress," she said. "Miss Torrendycke has just been lecturing me upon it. She declares that my vanity has led me into an error of extravagance, and that my dress is unsuitable in the highest degree." "Oh bother 'Trilobitz'," said Daisy, consolingly: "why, that old fossil would give the half of her scant remaining years to be as young and as beautiful as thou art at this moment. My taste in dress is, I should imagine, quite as good as that of 'Tril- obitz,' and I say that the orange-colored satin and black lace drapery that thou hast on is the most becoming thing that thou couldst wear. What matter about the material. It is the effect one looks at in dress, and I declare that to be perfectly 'gorgeous,' as I said." Daisy's own costume was, as usual upon such occasions, of A MUSICAL MYSTERY 161 simplest white, of some gauzy fabric, with yards upon yards of filmy lace arranged in the prettiest apparent disorder upon it. No one was ever quite certain whether Daisy Zorlange's toilettes were the simple inexpensive things they seemed, that certainly was the effect aimed at, or were of elaborate richness; but Daisy's poverty was usually acknowledged to be beyond doubt, and weighed down the balance in favor of the former. Most people settled the disputed point by declaring that the girl, or those who chose her gowns, had matchless taste in dress. The ball game was well contested. But "The Daisies" won, as usual, and crowned their Queen with much eclat, who, in turn, insited upon crowning the disappointed Juliet with the crown of buttercups, and upon honoring her by detaining her at her own side, calling her her captive queen, and in sharing ev- ery honor of the day with her. The grounds were crowded with guests. At lunch, Governor St. Aubyn and his guards appeared upon the scene. The boys had laid a wager that Daisy Zorlange could not catch a ball nine times out of ten, tossed from a certain point. The wager was to be paid in kisses. The Governor, listening to this by-play, courteously offered to "hold the stakes." "Come, Falconer," said he to his aid in a low ' ' aside, " "we are about to have a dis- play of ankles, and if the ankles are as perfect as the face above them, the display will be well worth seeing." "You will not see much of Daisy's ankles, I promise you, daddy," whispered Willis in his ear. "You had better keep your eyes uplifted to her lovely face." The Governor had the grace to blush at having been over- heard by his younger son. "But, I say, daddy," laughed Wil- lis, "you are a poet, you know, and if you really want to know what is meant by 'the poetry of motion,' just watch Daisy Zor- lange's tout ensemble, face, ankles and all, and you will tinder- stand what the phrase means in all its perfection. ' ' The Governor muttered something about "impudent young rascal," but, to Willis' delight, stood his ground. Howard Gould, as the best "pitcher" of the school, tossed the ball, and purposely, although unfairly, a few feet above her head. But Daisy, with the lithe, and active grace of a fairy, bounded lightly from the earth with movement so swift that it scarcely ruffled her plumage, or lifted the curls upon her 162 LA GRAN QUBBIBA forehead. That dainty figure, poised in midair, was like the movement of some exquisite toy that rose and fell with grace- ful regularity, for Daisy was chary of her kisses, and never failed to catch the flying ball, although two other skillful pitch- ers succeeded Howard, whom they accused of not having done his best. "The very 'poetry of motion' indeed!" cried Governor St. Aubyn, in raptures. "I would have liked Bert Sy den- ham to have seen that, and tried to put that flying fairy upon canvas for me. I would not grudge half my fortune for such a picture." Daisy, overhearing this, became, for the first time, conscious that she had been making a public display of her graces, and nettled, she declared that the Governor, having offered to "hold the stakes," should receive and hold, subject to her demand, the ten kisses each, that she had won from the three "pitchers," Howard Gould, Orville Roumaine and George Sutton. The boys, entering into the spirit of the thing, proceeded to promptly pay their debt to her trustee, with scowls, and protesta- tions, and grimaces, which threw the bystanders into ecstacies of mirth. Daisy's feat had proven such an unbounded success, that Juliet Delmar must needs try her hand, or, to speak more to the point, her two feet at the same game ; and the boys, nothing loath, tossed the ball anew. The effect was most pronounced. Most of the school-girls, and lady visitors, slipped away, giggling and blushing. "My stars!" cried the Governor, "What a display." Juliet Delmar was beyond question a very beautiful girl of eighteen. But her tall and elegant form was scarcely sylph- like in its boundings from the earth, and she could not, some- how, manage her skirts, which caught the wind and allowed rather too much of her lower extremities to be seen. She seldom caught the flying ball and had to stoop to find it; a most unbe- coming attitude for one so tall and so well corseted. Poor Daisy crept close up to her and said gently, "Oh, Juliet, do quit. Why, you show your ankles and things. ' ' But Juliet only cast a spiteful glance at her and went on, not heeding her, or the remonstrances of the others near at hand. Finally the Reverend Mr. Sinclair, a bachelor of the olden A MUSICAL. MYSTERY 163 school, climaxed the display by taking Miss Torrendycke by the arm, and, dragging her near, he pointed to Juliet's bouncing figure and said sternly: "Madam, as that young lady's teacher, you are bound to check that unseemly display, and to reprimand her for her very unbecoming actions." "Why," was the angry reply of Miss Torrendycke, as she struggled to free herself and to turn her horrified gaze away, ' ' I saw you watching the same performance by Daisy Zorlange with the greatest pleasure but a few moments since. Why should you find fault with Miss Delmar for the same thing? For my part, I see no difference." ' ' The difference is that the one was the graceful and modest movements of an innocent child, while this is the indecent dis- play of the mature charms of a young woman. Madam!" he yelled excitedly, grasping her tightly with one hand, and waving the other tragically toward Juliet, "Madam! Do you see those legs?" The shrieks of laughter which followed this, and Miss Tor- rendycke 's apostrophe, of : " Oh. You brute, you ! ' ' "Which, being interpreted into Latin," shouted Willis, to his daddy's pride and delight, "would be/ et tu, brute/' aroused even the obtuse Juliet to the consciousness that she was making herself the laughing stock of all. "I cannot see why they should laugh at me any more than at Daisy Zorlange, ' ' she complained to Lotta Moore, as the two walked away. "Your capers can scarcely be compared to Daisy Zorlange 's poetic grace of movement," was the answer. "As the Reverend Sinclair put it, you indecently showed your legs." 164 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE FIFTEENTH. "THE RIVAL QUEENS/' The cantata was received with the wildest applause, al- though Willis St. Aubyn grumbled loudly at having to sing the favorite duet with the black-eyed, elderly, Miss Grey. (Gertrude was nearly twenty.) Daisy took part only in the chorus. The day 's entertainment closed with its grandest feature, an original ballet. Both music and steps had been composed for the occasion. It was called "The Rival Queens." Indeed, each performance of the day was but a part of a whole, and Daisy Zorlange and Juliet Delmar, the queens of "The Buttercups" and ' ' The Daisies, ' ' represented the rival queens of the ballet. Supper was over, and the spectators fought amicably for the best places. The stage was cleared and lightd with a soft radiance from some hidden source. The orchestra was in its place, and so were the dancers. But the dancing master, who was the leader as well, and who had arranged the whole ballet, was very late. So late, in fact, that the musicians, anxious for the display of the new melodies, began to play softly, one after another, snatches of the most beautiful of these, and the perform- ers stepped impatiently to the music, although they knew that this was a sort of betrayal of the secrets of the play. Friends mounted the stage to chat with the pretty girls. The Governor said to Daisy: "Do you know, my little friend, that I am just wild to spin that waltz the orchestra has only hinted at, with you 1 ' ' Daisy coaxed the musicians to strike up. It was a most in- spiring air, and Daisy and the Governor, who was a most ac- complished dancer, in spite of his age and corpulence, spun thrice around the platform before their sport was brought to a sudden end by the appearance of the tardy master of ceremonies, who soundly berated the musicians and the Governor, too, for tiring out the principal performer. The two principal parts of the ballet had been taught to both Juliet and Daisy, and the ball game was to decide which part each was to take in the ballet. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 165 The theme could not have been better chosen had the history of the principal actors been its foundation. The fairies are patterned after human prototypes. A queen had been born in fairyland, but after the king, her father, had been laid away to sleep, for the century it would re- quire (according to fairy creed), to renew his youth and come among them again, to rule, for only youth and beauty were per- mitted to hold sway in fairyland. The daisy was chosen as her emblematic flower, and, as was the custom of fairyland, the young queen bore its name. (Had the ball game terminated differently the name of the queen must have been Buttercup instead, and Juliet Delmar must have taken the precedence.) The queen mother died in giving birth to the child, and so great was the grief and consternation of all at her premature death, (it was the custom in fairyland for the mother of a new- born sovereign to linger until her offspring was of an age and strength to take the reigns of government into their own hands), that little attention was for the moment paid to the wee blossom itself. And while the attention of all was centered upon the mother, this wee queen was stolen from her cradle by a malign- ant fairy who had not been bidden to the birth feast nor asked to bestow a gift upon the newly fledged flower, and carried away to her lonely habitation, where she was placed under the jail- orship of a great black beetle, with orders to make away with her as soon as possible ; and in her stead was placed another, a child of her own, but whose size and darkly beautiful face seemed not to the taste of all. The first offense committed by this false queen was to cast aside the modest crown of daisies, and to assume one of gorgeous, golden buttercups, as being more becoming to her style of beauty. This so angered her godmother, who had her doubts and sus- picions aroused, that she at once guessed the truth, and then and there she began what seemed to be a hopeless search for the missing fay. The stolen queen, herself, grew and thrived in spite of the close confinement under the stern guardianship of the black- browed beetle. And that sense of superiority, which is inborn, made her desire to rule, but there were none to govern here ex- cept her stern jailor, and he tried in every way that he dared to 166 LA GRAN QUIBIRA shorten her existence, and so leave the coast clear to her rival, who inherited beetle blood, and beetle instincts. Many times this wee spirit in her endeavor to escape from her prison house was tempted to slay the great black beetle with her own hand, and many were her opportunities for doing this, but a something, not to be explained, an inborn fear of staining her hands with evil blood, restrained her. So she resolved to bide her time and embrace the first opportunity to escape into the outside world from which there seemed to come to her, whispering counsels to guide and to comfort her. The truth was that her identity had been suspected, and that which she herself believed to be instinct, or the whisperings of fancy, were, in reality, the voices of friendly followers, who but waited for her wings to strengthen, to offer her their submis- sion. But the secret was bravely kept. For ignorance of her state was the only security for her personal safety. So that not even her own godmother knew her whereabouts, and only sus- pected that she lived without knowing with any certainty. She suspected, from the evil disposition of her bogus god-daughter, that some fraud had been perpetrated, without knowing it to be so, and some of the scenes between the furious old fairy and her domineering god-daughter, who could brook no control, were both amusing and effective. The true queen, born to rule, as she felt, and to conquer all the obstacles placed in her path, performed her first great feat, in outwitting, and, in a manner, conquering, the huge beetle who was her arch-enemy, and once outside his dominions she was instantly joined by an army of fairies, which delighted her greatly, for she had before this believed herself to be alone of her species. It would be impossible, here, to describe the intricate wind- ing's of the story upon which the ballet was founded, or to por- tray the scenes of the play. Two thrones had been erected upon opposite sides of the stage, and each, together with the dais upon which it stood, was entirely covered with rich, velvety moss, studded thickly, the one with pure white daisies, the other with golden buttercups. Each beautiful queen had her devoted followers, and many were the vicissitude of the war for precedence. Sometimes the true queen, who, however, was known as the insurgent, gained her throne in triumph, and, at the last, almost alone ; her A MUSICAL MYSTERY 167 armies either deserting her for a time or being almost extermin- ated. And then came the test of the true and false. This was the beautiful winged waltz, (the one which Daisy had taught to Governor St. Aubyn). The true queen floated about, apparently above the ground, light as a tuft of thistledown, while it was discovered, for the first time, by the rival courtiers, that, while the movements of the grandly beautiful Queen Buttercup were elegance and grace combined, she was yet unable to poise her- self above the earth. Great indeed was the discomfiture of her allies at this; but they themselves, as in duty bound, delivered their false queen up to justice. She was, of course, forced to abdicate her throne in favor of the true queen, by whom she was uncrowned and bound in daisy chains; while her throne was torn in pieces and the moss and knots of buttercups, into the center of each of which a single spotless daisy was inserted, were distributed among the spectat- ors as souvenirs of this grand Carnival Day. The ballet, which introduced every new step, and supplied some newer ones, proved to be the grand event of the grand Car- nival, and the new airs and new steps became the rage for a long time to come. The delighted dancing master was declared to be a wizard, for it would seem that he had forseen even the most trifling event of this eventful day, and set it to music and . motion. The Daisy throne was preserved in all its beauty, and was awarded to the victorious queen; and kept its verdure and its sweetness and freshness for many a day thereafter in the Zor- lange home. 168 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE SIXTEENTH. "THE DEDICATION." The new high school building was not ready for occupancy until after the middle of the next term. There was to be no sort of celebration of the great event of taking formal posses- sion of their new quarters, as the scholars had hoped. The stud- ents gathered up their books and were to march, in quiet state, so Miss Torrendycke and the other teachers had said, and take silent possession of their respective departments. Everybody was disappointed, of course, for the average school girl and boy is greatly addicted to display. There came near being a mutiny. Daisy Zorlange tipped the wink, as it were, and gave a few commands, in a whispered aside, to some of her allies in mischief. "Daisy Zorlange to the rescue," was the muffled warcry, as they watched and followed her every movement. Now, it so happened that Miss Torrendycke 's room was the first ready for the flitting, and the girls, bonnetted and caped, following Daisy's example, shouldered their school-satchels like knapsacks, caught up their umbrellas (it chanced to be a rainy day) and prepared to march. "Now, young ladies, observe the greatest possible silence, and decorum," quoth Miss Torrendycke, sharply. "Yes'm," said Daisy, and at once slipped from the rear rank to the front, giving rapid orders as she went. Then, before Miss Torrendycke could interfere, Daisy called quickly: " 'The Soldier's Chorus.' Forward! March!" And the umbrellas came down in a well-timed chorus: "Thump, Thump, Thumpety, Thump. Thump, Thump, Thumpety Thump, Thump." Expostulation was of no use. Nothing could be heard but the measured tread of the insurgents, and the "Thumpety, Thump ' ' of the umbrella band. Down the stairs, and out into the street, marched the troop. As they left the building, at a signal from their dauntless A MUSICAL MYSTERY 169 leader, they joined their voices to the umbrella accompaniment, and the other rooms, filing into their places, took it up and the air resounded with the grand chorus from "Faust:" "Glory and love to the men of old. Etc., etc., etc." The effect was grand. The school, numbering two hundred pupils, and the teachers, laughing and scolding, joined in. Peo- ple rushed out of their houses, and bare-headed, joined in the procession. Passing carriages joined the train, while their oc- cupants joined in the chorus. They marched by the hall in which the brass band was practicing and they instantly took up the air and headed the procession. Orville Roumaine, who climbed like a monkey, had at the beginning, mounted the flag- staff and secured the colors, then took his place as color-bearer to the army. And Daisy, tying her fur muff upon her curly head, kept her own place as drum major, using her umbrella most skillfully as a baton. The enthusiasm grew. Houses were left tenantless and un- protected, while every man, woman and child of that quarter of the city joined in this triumphal march, and not a single voice in all that vast throng was silent. Governor St. Aubyn had been up to see the newly com- pleted building, and was chatting with the superintendent of the schools, when from down the street there came a sound as of the return of a victorious army. Looking out of an upper win- dow they soon commanded a view of the whole procession. It was not difficult to tell who was the leading spirit of the whole proceeding. ' ' By George, ' ' said the Governor, ' ' That girl was born to be a general." Daisy's quick eye, catching sight of the two figures at the upper window, her quick wit introduced a new and striking fea- ture into the impromptu parade. At her command, the whole procession filed in review before the Governor and his staff of one, and saluted him as in duty bound ; then, making the circuit of the square, turned and mounted the staircase, four abreast. The cheers that arose both from within and without the build- ing were literally stunning. Daisy and her allies broke rank and acted as ushers to the crowd, the half of whom could not find seats in the immense hall. Then Daisy gravely said that no true American assembly 170 LA GRAN QUIBIRA was ever held without speeches from the notables present. So in turn she introduced in a few mischievous words, first the Gov- ernor, then the Mayor of the city, who, bare-headed, had joined the procession, and then the Superintendent of the Public Schools; who, each in turn, said a few pithy words appropriate to the occasion. Daisy then called loudly upon Miss Torren- dycke, who refused to respond, and all called loudly for a speech from the ringleader herself. And Daisy, the shyest of mortals, but drawn completely out of herself by her love of mischief, mounted the rostrum and in a most ludicrous manner recited : "There was a little girl And she had a little curl, A-hanging down over her forehead, And when she was good, she was very good indeed, But when she was bad she was ' horrid. ' ' After this the school formed in line again and accompanied by the admiring crowd they took formal possession of their various study and recitation rooms, while the upper hall was cleared and impromptu tables constructed, for the Governor had ordered luncheon to be served for the whole number of students and such as cared to be their guests. Near the close of this repast, Daisy gravely presented to the superintendent, a frame containing a printed placard, with a pretense of needing an explanation. Entering into the spirit of the thing, Mr. Kingsley read aloud: "The Rules and Regulations of the School. ' ' This was received amid shouts of laughter, for it was found that each and every one of these rules and regula- tions had been already broken by officers, teachers and scholars, alike, upon that memorable dedication day. The day was well nigh ended, and Governor St. Aubyn ten- dered the use of his own carriage to the tired general and her aids. The Governor and Mr. Kingsley stood at the window, watching the pretty scene below. Daisy's particular cronies, Ella Howell, Virginia Carson, and Howard Gould, had taken their places in the carriage, and only waited for Willis to tie Daisy's bonnet strings, to be off. But those bonnet strings seem- ed to be as refractory as their owner and refused to be tied. Just as Willis thought he had them secure, Daisy would bend her head and take a bite from a luscious peach which had been given A MUSICAL MYSTERY 171 her, and the work had to be done all over again. Finally, Willis took courage to tell her that if she wouldn't stop eating, the bonnet could never be tied. "Oh," cried Daisy, with well assumed innocence. "Why! why didst not thou tell me before ? ' ' And she threw away the pit of the peach, perked up her pretty chin, and, the knot safely tied, nimbly eluded Willis in his attempt to take "toll" in the shape of a kiss, and sprang into the carriage, leaving him to follow as best he might, amid the laughing taunts of the lookers-on. "A pretty picture, truly," said Mr. Kingsley, adding: "I wonder which of those two lads will win the prize?" "Mine, I hope," replied the Governor. His friend, remembering a certain little conference he had held with Willis St. Aubyn, said "I hope so too." Neither of the two boys had ever hinted to Daisy of love, remaining true to their original compact that Daisy was to be left to awaken from childhood's dream after her own fashion. But a few days after this Willis, meeting her alone upon the landing of one of the staircases of the new school building, was seized with a isudden longing and reminded her that she owed him that kiss she had promised him at the school exhibi- tion. Daisy was about to comply by prompt payment of the de- mand, but something in Willis' face made her flush a little and gaze at him with startled eyes, then she turned suddenly and ran away. Willis felt that he had committed a blunder, and it was a long time before he could, by using the greatest tact, gain her confidence again. 172 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE SEVENTEENTH. "ACCUSING SPIRITS." If, for once, Daisy Zorlange had been given her dues, she was made to pay dearly for it at school. Juliet Delmar never forgave her the victory she had won on that memorable Carnival day, and Miss Torrendycke made her own hatred of the girl more pronounced than ever before. Poor Daisy. "Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown." And the weight of that wreath of daisies was made an almost insupportable burden to her. She was corrected so sharply and so severely for every slight offense, condoned in another, that she was irritated into committing innumerable other offenses. Even her firm allies, Virginia, Howard, and Willis smarted under the sense of the injustice done to Daisy. Many, however, were the pranks with which she tried the patience of her teachers. The class in geometry had recited in Miss Prentice's room. Daisy taking a most decided dislike to the study beforehand, from hearing it there, tried to take advantage of the permission usually granted to avoid the study by taking another instead. This per- mission, accorded to others, was refused to her. She took no interest, however, in the study and by some strange combina- tion of circumstances, she had never been called upon in the class to draw a figure. One day when the class was fully three-fourths through what she was pleased to call "Loomis' Patent Brain-Muddler," she was nonplussed by having the teacher, say suddenly, "Miss Zorlange, please draw the figure upon the blackboard for the class." "Can't, "drawled Daisy. "Please go to the blackboard and draw the circle," com- manded Mr. Tuckham, sternly. "Can't," replied Daisy. The reproof upon Mr. Tuckham 's lips was stayed vy a viol- ent knocking from no one could say what precise quarter. "Thump, thump, thump." And very noisy "thumps" they were, too ; so noisy that recitation was impossible while they continued. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 173 ''What is the meaning of this," demanded Mr. Tuckham. No one answered. But most of the class turned to Daisy Zorlange, as if she, being at the bottom of all mischief, could solve the riddle. "Miss Zorlange," questioned the bewildered Mr. Tuckham, "What is the meaning of all this racket?" Daisy stared in wide-eyed amazement. "Somebody's knock- ing," she suggested, in an "I guess" sort of way, which threw the class into convulsions of laughter. "I wonder I really do wonder if there were any of them there," she soliloquized in a meditative manner. This gave the clue to the mystery. And one of the girls said: "I saw some of the girls go down into the basement just before school was called at noon. ' ' Ignoring Miss Zorlange 's suggestion, made in a ludicrously deprecating manner, that it might be "spirit rappings," one of the boys, whose steps were hurried by the continued "thumpety, thump, thump, thump," ran to Mr. Twirl's room and getting the key to the door of the cellar stairway, promptly set at liberty a half-dozen of about as angry spirits as could well be found, all of whom were accusing Daisy Zorlange. "Oh!" said Daisy with the most exaggerated gesture of astonishment, "Oh! And were they really there? You see," she added in explanation, "Mr. Twirl let me have the key only upon the condition that I return it just as soon as the bell rang. I had no more than got to the bottom of the staircase when the second bell did ring, then I called to the girls and hurried as fast as possible up the stairs. Then I called again, and, no one answer- ing back, of course I locked the door and carried the key back to Mr. Twirl, as I had promised." Daisy's innocence of all intent was too plainly written upon her face to be questioned by Mr. Tuckham who, we may as well confess, was the only one there in the least deceived by her ab- ject apologies. And he sharply reprimanded them for their unfair accusations, as well as for their unseemly and noisy be- havior, which had disturbed the recitations of the geometry class. "Miss Zorlange. You will now draw that circle upon the blackboard." ' ' Can 't, ' ' reiterated Daisy. ' ' Don 't know how. ' ' 174 LA GRAN QUIBIRA "Do you mean that you have studied geometry for more than a year and yet do not know how to draw a ' circle ? ' ' "I remember trying my hand at it a long time ago, but," and she gave vent to a doleful sigh which convulsed the class again, and with a sort of sniveling whine: "I need encourage- ment, that's what I need. And finding none, for thou never called upon me to draw a single figure in recitation, I failed. ' ' "Miss Zorlange," said Mr. Tuckham, in real alarm, "I am very sorry if I have in any means been remiss. Go to the black- board, and I will teach you not only how to draw the preliminary 'circle,' but also the entire figure of the lesson of today." Well, Miss Zorlange went to the blackboard and received, to her pretended astonishment, a bit of crayon with a string at- tached. She evidently tried very hard to manipulate this tool successfully. But the thing she drew upon the blackboard could never have been mistaken for a "circle" even by the lenient Mr. Tuckham, who at length lost patience, not at the delinquent, be it remarked, but at the ridiculing class which was in a con- tinual uproar at the sight of the monstrosities which continued to creep from under that bit of crayon, and at Daisy's innocent and anxious inquiry after each futile effort, "Will that do, Mr. Tuckham?" At length he said: "You will now go to your own study room, Miss Zorlange, and learn how to draw a "circle," so that you will be able to place one upon the black- board at tomorrow's recitation." And five minutes later Daisy was absorbing the attention of the occupants of Miss Torrendycke 's room in her efforts to learn how to draw a "circle." It was most wonderful what magnetic power this girl possessed. When she chose, she had a faculty of leading every one on to their own discomfiture. Next day when called upon, Daisy hastened with graceful alacrity to the blackboard, and with a grand flourish she drew a circle that was the very perfection of circles. There she stopped, acknowledging with the greatest frankness, that this was all that she had been told to learn of the figure and that, consequently, was all she knew about it. Mr. Tuckham was very angry. "Miss Zorlange, you will return to this room at noon and I will teach you how to draw the figure." A MUSICAL MYSTERY 175 Brimming over with mischief, Daisy made her way thither at the appointed time. When reprimanded by Mr. Tuckham for her apparent stubbornness, she took on such an air of injured innocence, that it quite deceived the unwary bachelor, and he patiently drew (by installments) every portion of the intricate figure, himself, and each time let it stand at her request. "Ah," said he, admiring the completed work. "That is well done, Miss Zorlange. The figure you have drawn would do credit to the very best pupil in my class." "The figure th-ou hast drawn," echoed Daisy softly, but with so much significance in her tone that the teacher, exam- ining the figure more closely, found that every line (barring the circle itself), was his own handiwork. He then turned to his refractory pupil in great wrath: "Miss Zorlange," he exclaimed, ignoring her softly spoken, "It is so much better than I could do, thou knowest," "Miss Zorlange, I will not have you in my class again. You shall be reduced to the algebra class, and begin at the beginning in geometry next year." But Daisy took her stand, and maintained her ground as usual. "She would not leave the geometry class. It had not been her fault she had been for so long a time overlooked that she had lost all interest in the study, from which she had begged so hard to be excused." The question was referred to the School Board, and com- promised after this fashion: "Miss Zorlange was to recite in both the algebra and the geometry classes, and not lose her grade," and Mr. Tuckham was obliged to submit to this decision. 176 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE EIGHTEENTH. "THE HAUNTED SCHOOL- ROOM. " The new high school building had not been occupied long before something which seemed inexplicable happened. The afternoon session had been called. The young ladies in Miss Torrendycke 's room were taking their seats somewhat noisily, and it was observed that Juliet Delmar stooped forward to make some urgent request, as it would seem, of Daisy Zorlange, whose desk was directly in front of her own. Daisy appeared to hesitate. Then she snatched up a Bible, used in chapel by the devout Juliet, and said : ' ' Swear ! Swear upon thy solemn oath never, never to tell, and I will do it." Juliet placed her lips to the sacred volume and said: "I swear. ' ' Then the entire room became quiet, for this was one of the hours devoted to study, there being no recitations in the room at that time. The silence was broken by the sound of a voice, singing softly. Every one looked up in astonishment, Miss Torrendycke as well, who sharply commanded: " Silence!" But the music continued without a break. Miss Torrendycke said: "Young ladies, this will not do. Whoever that is who is singing, come forward at once." No one stirred, and after several ineffectual remonstrances, Miss Torrendycke slowly left her seat .and made the tour of the schoolroom to determine if possible whence the mysterious music came. She halted from time to time near some suspected delinquent. You may be certain that Daisy Zorlange was one of these. She spoke to Daisy, and Daisy answered. Yet, but for the instant of her reply which drowned the sound, the music sounded clear and distinct, and after her reply not a muscle of the girl's face moved. Every one was interested and mystified. The tunes, which changed from time to time, could be plainly distinguished and followed, but it was as if the air was hummed by some sweet voice without the words. A MUSICAL, MYSTERY 177 There was such an undercurrent of excitement at last over this mystery that it was impossible to control it. Miss Torren- dycke softly trod up and down the aisles, but every effort to trace the music to its source proved abortive. Then Daisy Zorlange commenced a sort of double panto- mime. I have said that Daisy possessed rare magnetic powers, and now, having succeeded in fixing the eyes of the company upon herself, as it were, she inclined her curly head as if in- tently listening, raised her finger to her lips as if to insure profound silence, then proceeded to trace with it the location of the mysterious singer, whose song went on in tireless tones. Thrice the accusing finger was pointed and shaken at one or other of the girls, who stoutly denied the soft impeachment, and at length was so positive in its accusation of Lotta Moore, that it was thought to be unquestionably she who was creating all this disturbance. Lotta simply howled with indignant protest. "It is she, herself," she cried. "Who but Daisy Zorlange, I should like to know, could execute those trills?" There was something in this. Miss Torrendycke made her way once more to Daisy's desk, and questioned her, but with the same result. Daisy looked at her with such innocent, reproachful eyes, asking her how it was possible for her to suspect her, and with- out a single muscle of her face relaxing as the song went on, that it was impossible to longer doubt her. Then she said that it must be some one outside the school- room, and the windows were raised and heads thrust out, all to no purpose. The room was upon the second floor, and high above the ground. Other and lower rooms were visited, and questions asked. But no one as yet could determine the origin of the music, which still continued with unabated sweetness and force. The excitement ran higher and higher, and spread throughout the entire building. Teachers and scholars from the other rooms flocked in to listen with bated breath to the mysterious music. Many crowded close around Daisy Zorlange, suspecting, as usual, that well-known spirit of mischief was at the bottom of the whole affair. But her innocence became so apparent to all, that they were ashamed of their unjust sus- picions, and Daisy kept up her detective by-play with the utmost 178 LA GRAN QUIBIKA success until she had fully half a dozen of the girls she liked the least in tears. Then she said in an awe-stricken voice: "It is the voice of an angej." And after she had seen, to her delight that some of the girls who were Catholics, crossed them- selves, and muttered an "Ave," she corrected the impression and raised a laugh by saying: "But an angel would hardly be singing 'Shoo Fly,' you know." Well, the mystery deepened, and was left unsolved. The school was wild with excitement. Some were laughing and some crying, and some praying, while Juliet Delmar was carried home in a violent fit of hysterics. The school was broken up for the afternoon. The story got out, and the newspapers were full of the tale of the haunted schoolroom. Reporters and others visited the school daily in the hope of hearing the "spirit music," but all in vain. The sweet singing having wound up after the successful rendering of "Shoo Fly," in true orthodox fashion with the "Long Meter Doxology, " refused to be encored. It was fully ten days after this that Daisy, coming into the schoolroom from one of her "runs around," stopped just within the door in profound astonishment, for there upon the front seat, that of disgrace when not in use for recitation, sat that pink of propriety, Juliet Delmar, weeping bitterly. "Why, Miss Torrendycke, " she demanded with her cus- tomary abrupt disregard of all rules and proprieties, "What- ever has Juliet done?" And Miss Torrendycke replied, as in duty bound, "Miss Delmar knows who did the singing the other day, but refuses to disclose the name of the singer." ' ' But Juliet, why don 't thee tell, and not sit there sniveling like that?" "You made me swear that I would never tell," whined Juliet, "and I cannot break my oath." "Oh," said Daisy, "I give thee leave to tell." Then as Juliet shook her head, sorrowfully murmuring something about her sacred oath, Daisy turned to Miss Torrendycke and said, "It was I who did it." "Impossible," was the reply, "why, I stood close beside you and the sound seemed to be just as far away as before." A MUSICAL MYSTERY 179 Daisy raised a warning finger to insure silence, tucked her head upon one side, and began some twitters and trills, which as Lotta had truthfully said were only possible to herself, and this with her lips parted in a saucy smile without moving a muscle of her face. "Wonderful." "Beautiful." "How very odd," were the exclamations from the other girls and Miss Torrendycke herself laughed heartily for once at this, the very worst of Daisy's escapades, remembering perhaps the number of others who had been taken in by the trick. "Now," said Daisy, "Juliet may go to her own seat, may she not?" "Miss Delmar must remain where she now is." Juliet set up such a doleful howl at this, that the whole school was convulsed with laughter. But Daisy's tender little heart was touched, and she pleaded. "Now, please, Miss Torrendycke. Thou seest, Miss Torrendycke," she added pathetically, "she is not used to it, and I am. Please let me take her place." But Miss Torrendycke said, "No," and Juliet set up another laughable howl, and accusing Daisy as the author of all her troubles, she sobbed piteously, while Daisy went slowly and sadly to her own seat. At recess the girls nocked about Daisy who became the wonder and pride of the hour. All took sides against the spite- ful, unforgiving Juliet, who had practically betrayed the con- fidence of her schoolmate, a capital offense in school-girl code of honor, and shamed her for being so selfish and hateful to the generous Daisy. But Juliet never forgave Daisy for escaping the reprimand she had been called upon to receive herself. "But why did you not confess it to us, Daisy? You need not have kept us in the dark. We would never have told on you," protested Howard and Willis. ' ' I would only have got thee into a scrape, as I did Juliet -, besides I never told Virginia. Only Juliet and I knew that 1 am something of a ventriloquist." 180 LA GRAN QUIBIBA CANTO NINETEENTH. "VASHTI." Shortly after this the high school held its fall picnic. This they called an "October walk." A long walk to some neighbor- ing wood through which a stream ran, and where fishing, danc- ing, both dinner and supper beside a huge camp-fire, and a stroll home in the moonlight were the order of the day. A few hundred yards above the present picnic grounds, the banks of the rapidly running river were very steep and high, and across them the river was spanned by an open trestle- work railway bridge. It was well known that Daisy Zorlange (in school-boy parlance) would never "take a dare." Once today Juliet Delmar had dared her to pluck a flower which grew upon the steep and unstable bank half way down to the water's edge, and Daisy, in spite of remonstrance from wiser heads had brought up the flower, her fleetness and lightness of foot carrying her safely through the dangerous enterprise, where a heavier person must inevitably have been hurled into the raging stream, the foothold being so uncertain, every shrub being up- rooted, in the attempt to hold by it. Yet a little later Daisy's and Juliet's heads were seen in close proximity, and soon to the horror of all, there stood Daisy Zorlange 's slender figure clearly outlined against the sky upon the bridge, springing from tie to tie, above the stream which was very deep and dangerous at this point. A groan went up from all except Juliet Delmar, whose black eyes glittered in triumph. "Quick! Quick, Howard. Get the boat," cried Willis, bounding forward with all the speed of a trained runner. Howard needed no further explanation. These two always understood and worked together when Daisy Zorlange required protection. He sprang into a canoe, cut it adrift, and was pad- dling toward the bridge in less time than it has taken to relate the circumstance. The wind had risen suddenly to a perfect gale, and it was A MUSICAL MYSTERY 181 clear to the horrified spectators that Daisy was becoming dizzy and frightened as well. Willis simply flew, leaving the others to shout encourage- ment, saving his own wind for the terrible effort before him. When he reached the height he discovered a danger threatening the girl that was not dreamed of by the others. The afternoon express train was nearing the curve at the farthest end of the bridge at full speed, and just as he sprang upon the first tie of the bridge the whistle sounded. Shrieks and groans resounded from all sides. The doom of the two seemed inevitable. "Throw yourselves into the water," called out the rowers, for all the boats had followed in Howard's wake. "Throw yourselves into the water and we will save you." But they either did not hear or paid no heed to the warning. Daisy had caught sight of Willis, and felt instinctively that she was saved, but the wind was so strong that she dared not move. Happily she had not heard the whistle or the rumbling of the approaching train. "Now may God help us both," was the prayer of Willis, as he bounded forward right into the teeth, as it seemed, of approaching death. And God did help, for Willis reached the daring girl and snatching her aside, stood with her upon a narrow ledge con- structed for the bridge tender's benefit, holding her skirts tightly around her, just as the train swept past them, its whistle shriek- ing again and again upon the air, for the engineer had just spied them. It stopped upon the other side of the bridge, too late to have saved them but for Willis St. Aubyn's presence of mind. It was long after this ere Daisy realized the full extent of that day's peril, for all there tried mercifully to make her forget it, and somehow there were many who suspected that the envious Juliet Delmar had had a hand in the mishap. Soon Daisy, forgetting her fright, was deep in a game of Grace Hoops. She was running at full speed when Juliet Delmar, sitting sullenly beneath a neighboring tree, put out her foot and tripped Daisy up. Daisy fell heavily, but bounded up and snatching a thorny stick, she began in a fury to belabor Juliet over the head and face. Miss Torrendycke interferred, and the angry Daisy turned 182 LA GRAN QUIBIRA upon her. "It is all thy fault," she said. "Thou encouragest her to do these things to me. Oh, thou wanst her to kill me, I do believe. She dared me to go upon that bridge only that I might be killed, and failing there, she has now made me break my ankle." And then Daisy fainted. All was confusion. Juliet, smarting under the blows, none of which had been dealt amiss, declared that it was only one of Daisy's dodges. But time passed on and the young girl lay as if dead, and it was thought best to hurry her into town to a doctor. So the Governor's carriage was called into requisition for a second time and Virginia, Howard and Willis accompanied her home. Daisy did not rally, and the three discussed the situation mournfully. "Daisy is so generous," they said, "and so tender-hearted that it could only be a mean spirited jealousy that would hold spite against one of so sweet a temper." "We seem to be the only true friends she has," said Vir- ginia. "And we will stand by her to the last," they all declared. It was many weeks ere Daisy was able to walk about. In the meantime her birthday occurred, and her classmates sur- prised her by bringing many little offerings. Daisy, always grateful for any little attention from her mates, was delighted with her gifts. That which was meant by all to be merely a call of congratulation was prolonged and converted into a reg- ular birthday fete at her own and her father's request, and notes were sent out to tell the parents of all Daisy's classmates that they were to spend both afternoon and evening with their invalid friend. Each had brought some trifling present, a book, a bouquet, a new song or piece of instrumental music, and there was a handsome piece or two of jewelry, the gifts of Howard and Willis, who, as the rest declared, "Could well afford it." Then there was a new piano, the gift of Emil Zorlange, himself. Daisy received her guests, bolstered up in a large easy chair, her broken foot resting upon another chair. All were warned not jolt or jar this, lest permanent injury might be the result, and Virginia, Howard and Willis surrounded her, as in duty bound lest further mischief should befall their idol. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 183 Juliet Delmar came very late, and tossing a bunch of scarlet cypress flowers into Daisy's lap she muttered some com- monplace congratulations and moved toward one of the windows. Here she stood for some time watching enviously the group around the invalid. "How glad you must be, Juliet," said one, "that Daisy was not lamed for life by that fall you gave her. Only think, the doctor says that she will be able to dance as beautifully as ever, that is, if she is very careful not to move her foot. And, ' ' they added in a lowered tone: "Isn't it just dreadful? He says that any sudden jar may undo all his work, and Daisy become a cripple." Perhaps he caught the malicious gleam in Juliet's eyes or it may have been instinctive, but Howard Gould, unseen by the others, raised Daisy's injured foot from its resting-place and placed it gently upon his knees, several inches above the chair upon which it had before rested. Virginia had been called away, and Willis had turned to speak to some one in his rear, at which juncture he caught a look of terror in Daisy's eyes as they rested as if charmed upon Juliet's face. Willis turned swiftly but not in time to prevent Juliet Delmar from deliberately kicking the chair ap- parently from beneath Daisy's foot. Daisy, with a piteous little cry, fainted, while Willis St. Aubyn, with white, set face, placed his hands upon Juliet's shoulders and forced her before him from the room and out of the house. ' ' The She-Devil ! I suppose that she has finished her work and that Daisy is crippled for life." "Not so bad as that," was the reply of Howard, and he asked Willis to replace the chair, and together they replaced the injured foot upon it. When Daisy recovered consciousness her first words were: "Where is Juliet Delmar?" and when told that she was safe from that young lady's hands, she fell to blaming herself bit- terly for her own unjust suspicions, and begged that Juliet be recalled. Then she penned a pathetic little note, and Willis was sent to deliver it. He returned to say that Juliet was out, but that the note would be delivered to her as soon as she returned. But Daisy fretted and fretted to such an extent 184 LA GRAN QUIBIRA that a second messenger was dispatched to Juliet's home. This messenger was told that Juliet had sent home word that she would not return until very late, having had an invitation to spend the evening with a friend. There was no help for it, still Daisy fretted, seeming to miss Juliet more and more from the school-circle, and when the new songs were practiced in the evening, she declared that they would have been perfect had Juliet been there to play the accompaniments. Every one wondered, when the truth was known, and said that Daisy must have had a prescience of what was befalling her schoolmate. As for Juliet Delmar, when the door of the Zor- lange house had been closed upon her, she was seen no more by her friends and companions. She had, as it were, disappeared from off the face of the earth. Yet despite this untoward cir- cumstance they spent a delightful evening, with music and song and story-telling, in which they were joined by Emil Zor- lange, whose love for his little daughter made him interested in her young associates, and all were surprised when Janet appeared and bore her young mistress off to bed. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 185 CANTO TWENTIETH. "WHEN ROBERT WENT A 'WOOING." Daisy Zorlange's schoolmates were not her only intimates. There was not only her school set, but the neighborhood set, among which she was most popular. Next beyond the Zorlanges, across an alley way, lived the Sedgewicks. Nell Sedgewick was one of Daisy's particular cronies. Running in one day, Daisy found her in tears. "Why, what is the matter, Nell?" she asked, "Is it because Willie Brown has gone away? Take heart, my dear, I will see that thou hast another sweetheart. Thou mayst have thy choice among mine own." "It is about Willie. Ma says that we ought to be ashamed of ourselves to kiss a boy. And oh, she did say so many nasty things. Now, you know you did, Ma." "Oh," said Daisy, reflectively, "so it was wrong to kiss Willie Brown good bye, was it? Now I would just like to know why?" Thereupon Mrs. Sedgewick began a long tirade, ending with the statement that she had never kissed one of the other sex when she was a girl. "Why," questioned Daisy with eager curiosity, "how did Mr. Sedgewick court thee?" "I never permitted him to come nearer to me than across the room," declared the lady unwarily. This was enough for the mischievous girls. Daisy tipped the wink to Nell and the two stationed themselves upon opposite sides of the room. They then began a scene that beggars descrip- tion. "Good evening, Miss Nancy," was the greeting of Nell, as Robert Sedgewick. "Good evening, Robert." Then Daisy, with an absurd assumption of dignity in her part of Miss Nancy, waved the impetuous Robert backward, saying coldly: "No nearer, I beg of thee," and the two ex- changed a ceremonious hand-shake with the width of the room 186 LA GRAN QUIBIRA between them, to the unbounded delight of Anna and Charlie Sedgewick and the unbounded discomfiture of Miss Nancy her- self, now Mrs. Sedgewick. Then across the room there followed a most commonplace conversation, or at least it would have been most commonplace, but for the ludicrous pantomime with which it was interspersed. Daisy was a born actress, and under her lead, Nell was scarcely her inferior. When Daisy caught on to the very earliest opportunity, and said with a comical mingling of the sentimental, love-sick maiden with the brisk, business-like air of the spinster-in-search-of-a-hus- band: "Robert, I am too old a bird to be caught with chaff. Have thy words a meaning?" she literally "brought down the house." As soon as the ci-devant Robert could recover her own breath she replied: "Miss Nancy, they have. I would thee wed." Miss Nancy simpered, at which the house was again ' ' floored. ' ' The manner in which this scene was conducted to a success- ful issue by the two mischievous girls was highly entertaining and was received with repeated and rapturous applause from the small but select audience. And when Daisy, combining shrewd business ability and elderly spinster dignity, veiled under a thin coating of maidenly modesty, permitted the impetuous Robert to call her his "Own," with unnecessary vehemence, and re- sponded to his: "I thee embrace," by clawing the empty air with extreme tenderness and bestowing upon it resounding smacks, the audience was "floored" for the third time. "Oh! oh!" shrieked Anna, sinking into a chair and rock- ing herself from side to side. "Oh! oh! oh!" yelled Charlie, rolling upon the floor in a paroxysm of laughter. ' ' Oh-oh ! Oh-oh ! ' ' howled Mrs. Sedgewick in chorus and in a perfect frenzy of tearful wrath. And "Oh!" sounded a deep bass voice, and there upon the threshold appeared the real Robert, who demanded an explana- tion of this screaming farce. Daisy and Nell never flinched, but continued their amorous pantomime with renewed zest, choosing A MUSICAL MYSTERY 187 to consider the repeated exclamations as an encore. The audience was simply incapable of speech, so the explanation demanded by Mr. Sedgewick had perforce to be given by Mrs. Sedgewick, who was literally beside herself with anger, between her snivels and sobs and snarls, mingled with loud complaints of the out- rages to which she had been subjected by her disrespectful off- spring under the lead of that miscreant, Daisy Zorlange. Robert Sedgewick was a grave and reserved man who was seldom seen to smile, but when he understood the true meaning of the ridiculous scene and its cause, he added his mite to the good lady's discomfiture by laughter loud and long and by say- ing: "Served you right, Mrs. Sedgewick. How absurd of you to put such nonsense into these little girls' heads! What poss- ible harm could there be in their kissing their playmate 'good bye?' " and this was all the consolation Miss Nancy received from him. "But Willie is a boy," exclaimed the girls in pretended horror, at which Mr. Sedgewick laughed again. "And," broke in Charlie, pertly, "even you, Pa, must ac- knowledge there is some slight difference between a girl and a boy." "That's just what Mrs. Sedgewick said," and Daisy nodded approval. "Daisy," said Anna in a stage aside, "Daisy, I congratulate you upon your unparalleled success as an actress. I never be- fore in all my life, heard Pa laugh aloud. ' ' "Now, Robert," coaxed Daisy, "confess. Didst not woo and win the proper Miss Nancy after the same improper fashion that is in vogue at the present time, and when she made thee happy by saying 'yes," didst not seal thy engagement with the orthodox, altho' highly improper kiss and embrace?" "Sure," said Mr. Sedgewick, entering into the spirit of the play. "It was something after this manner," and he threw his arms around the form of his scolding spouse and imprinted a resounding kiss upon her reluctant lips. "Ye-o-u-w," was the response. Every one laughed except Daisy, who said flatly: "That's another. Not content with thy prevaracation which betrayed thy innocent daughter Nell and me into ' actin ' up ' in that shameless manner, of which thou hast good reason to complain, thou must 188 LA GRAN QUIBIRA now needs make believe thou received thy loving Robert's tender embraces like a squalling, spiteful old cat, such as must have made even the most doting love run away. No, Miss Nancy, even thy 'betrotted' would have taken to his heels, dooming thee to everlasting spinsterhood. Then" this with a pathetic wail, "there would have been no Anna, no Nell, no Charlie, no fun no NOTHIN'! Now Ma-a-o-u," began Daisy, severely, by a queer little twist of her mouth making the long-drawn-out ap- pellation such a successful cross between the rather broad title of "Ma" by which the Sedgewick children were wont to address their mother, and the mew of a spiteful kitten, that the remain- der of her reproof was drowned amid the shouts of laughter with which it was received, none so loud as that of the sober Mr. Sedgewick. ' ' Te-he ! ' ' From Mrs. Sedgewick, who at last was waking up to the fun of the situation. If that were a laugh, the look Daisy gave her compelled her to strangle it at its birth, it said so plainly: "This is a serious matter for thee. There's no fun in it for thee, Miss Nancy, not one bit!" "Now Pa-o-u-w " began Daisy, and with the same con- tortion of her saucy lips she blended the title bestowed upon him by his young hopefuls with a clever imitation of Miss Nancy's cat-like squall. The remainder of her remonstrance was again lost in the laughter this excited. "Te-he." from Mrs. Sedgewick. Again that laugh was nipped in the bud by a glare from Daisy, which said plainly : "I repeat, this is no laughing mat- ter. Thou hast chosen the role of Injured Innocence, now is the time for thee to cry/' There was such alacrity displayed in her obedience to Daisy's unspoken command to weep, and such a howl set up by their badgered parent that the undutiful Sedgewicks laughed again and the undutiful husband joined his voice to theirs. Only Daisy 's face was without a smile. She mused aloud to their fur- ther mystification : "Now I wonder, was that going to be a laugh, or was it going to be a sneeze?" This by-play was interrupted by Anna who called out: "Why, there goes Willie Brown now. Girls ." "0, then we must have those kisses back, it will never do A MUSICAL MYSTERY 189 to let him carry them away with him. Why who knows to what awful use he may put them? He may in his ignorance even give them to another BOY. Come Nell, if thou hast any sense of shame at the distress which our disgraceful conduct has in- flicted upon thy 'Ma-a-u-w' thou wilt take back those kisses by force if need be. Come Kits !" and away Daisy flew, with Nell, Anna, and Charlie at her heels, while Mr. Sedgewick hastened to join them and Mrs. Sedgewick followed slowly, sniveling as she went, in fear lest that awful look upon Daisy's face might forbid her presence among the fun-loving crew. The troup pounced down upon the unsuspecting Willie, just as he was about to enter the carriage in which his mother awaited him, and, overwhelming him with a perfect torrent of invective and abuse, proceeded to take back the kisses of farewell they had given him. That unhappy youth was so dazed and bewildered by the sudden onslaught that he offered no resistance either by word or ac- tion. ''Girls, girls!" expostulated his laughing mother, "remem- ber that he is the only son of his mother who is a widow, and spare him to me alive at least." Daisy's only response was: "I remember now that I gave him two kisses," and she proceeded to wrench the second kiss from the lips of the boy with the vim she would have used in extracting a refractory tooth, while Nell, in duty bound, followed suit. "I've had no chance yet to kiss Willie goodbye, so I'll kiss him now," and this Anna did. "I never kissed him at all, 'cause he's a BOY," Charlie simpered, "but I want to, oh I want to so bad!" whereupon he hugged and kissed the limp and nerveless youth with such lov- ing zest that it drew forth a round of applause from the gather- ing crowd. "T-he," from Mrs. Sedgewick. Daisy turned upon her a glance of sharp reproof. The look repeated the warning threat : "Do not dare to laugh. This is no laughing matter for thee," and once more Mrs. Sedgewick 's laugh died "a bornin', " and was buried away under an aval- anche of sobs and tears. "What's the matter with that woman?" questioned some one among the crowd. 190 LA GRAN QUIBIRA "She is trying to be funny," said Daisy with a tone of severest reproof, which was interpreted into a threat by Mrs. Sedgewick, whose tears flowed afresh. "And Daisy won't let her," added Nell. But Daisy paid no further heed. She was looking upon the forlorn and crestfallen Willie Brown. "Yes," she said reflectively, "I certainly did give him three kisses," and she prepared for a fresh attack. "No you don't," yelled the youth, his terror at length giv- ing to him both voice and action. "No you don't!" and he fled toward the waiting carriage, into which he sprang, and slunk into a seat beside his laughing mother, who congratulated him upon the fact that he had escaped with his life. The coachman promptly slammed the door, mounted his box and drove rapidly away with Daisy's intended prey. "Why, he's run away!" said Daisy, with an air of innocent surprise. "He was in a hurry to catch the train," drawled Anna. "I don't think that boy will ever let any more girls kiss him ' good bye, ' if he does, he '11 wish he hadn 't, ' ' Daisy added. "I guess," commented farmer Tucker, as he remounted his load of "spuds," "I rayther guess he wishes he hedn't neouw." " 'Neouw,' and 'Ma-o-u-w,' and 'Pa-a-u-w,' and 'ye-o-u-w, ' " mimiced Charlie. "First you know, we'll all be talking Cat." "TE-HE!" from Mrs. Sedgewick, who turned in terror to- ward Daisy. Now this was clearly a laugh, but Daisy chose to hear only a sneeze, and instead of rebuking Miss Nancy for find- ing any fun in the affair, she literally "beamed" upon the of- fender, and quoted with the most absurd impressement : "I thought I'd die a laughin' to hear the cat sneeze!" and turning she looked straight into the grave eyes of Emili Zorlange, who was regarding her with a satirical smile as he passed the laugh- ing group of which she formed the center, with his customary slow and dignified tread, his head bent in thought, and, as was his wont, his hands clasped behind his back under the flaps of his coat. Nothing daunted, his mad-cap daughter joined him at once, imitating him as nearly as possible by timing her dancing feet A MUSICAL MYSTEBY 191 to his staid gait, tilting up her skirts at the back that they might fall over her clasped hands, and puckering her brow into a thoughtful frown as she, too, bent her head. Then she glanced up sideways into his grave face, and said with an air of contri- tion: "Fayther, I fear me I have been very indiscreet. I've kissed a BOY!" The gravity of Emil Zorlange was completely upset by the relishing smack with which she climaxed her confession, and he laughed heartily. It brought before him as in a flash the whole of the laughable scene, the hapless youth, standing rooted to the spot, the picture of abject terror, his hands hanging by his sides, his knees knocking together, his jaw dropped the central figure of the group ; the teazing youngsters ; the hilarious Mr. Sedge- wick and his doleful spouse; the appreciative crowd of onlook- ers ; the broken spell , the ignominious retreat. The two were entering their own doorway now, when Emil Zorlange, mirthful still, released his right hand from beneath his coat-tails and laid it gently upon the young girl's head as he said : "My daughter, thou art a veritable imp of mischief. I must have thee pictured as 'Pandora.' ' And Daisy, not to be out-done, released her own left hand from beneath her tilted skirts and, tip-toing, laid it upon her father's head with a gravity that rebuked the levity of her sire, and, with an expression of angelic sweetness upon her face that would have ruined her picture as Pandora, said: "Fayther, thy will, not mine, be done." When the door closed upon Emil Zorlange and the fun-lov- ing Daisy, the Sedgewicks trooped noisily back into their own domicile. Mrs. Sedgewick sniveled a sort of apology to Nell, but that young lady checked her, saying: "Be comforted, Ma. I never had so much fun in all my life. As it is due to that nasty speech of yours, I'd thank you to make another one." "Isn't Daisy Zorlange a perfect witch?" questioned Anna. "She has bewitched me. I feel fully twenty years younger, than I did an hour ago. Why, Nancy, you must have forgot- ten " and as if to make amends for the pranks played upon her, and for his own laughter that had been excited by her woe- begone countenance, Mr. Sedgewick encircled his wife's waist with his arm and kissed her full upon the lips. 192 LA GRAN QUIBIRA "Neo-u-w-!" "Pa-o-u-w!" ' ' Ma-a-o-u-w ! ' ' ' ' Yeo-u-w ! ' ' chorused her expectant kittens, but Mrs. Sedge- wick neither squalled nor spat nor scratched; she only blushed and simpered just as Miss Nancy did in that "good old sum- mer time" when "Robert went a 'wooing." ' ' Purr-r-r-r-r-r ! ' ' A MUSICAL MYSTERY 193 CANTO THE TWENTY-FIRST. "TA, TA, TRILOBITZ." Daisy's ankle was healed, and she was at school again more full of fun and frolic than ever if that were possible, because of her long rest and her loneliness. Virginia was gone. She had been offered a good position as governess to the two sons of a wealthy widower, and had gone, as Daisy put it : "To marry the widower. ' ' For Daisy was an inveterate match-maker and scented matrimony for others in the most trivial circumstances, never suspecting that the time was near approaching for herself. Then she missed and fretted over Juliet Delmar, blaming herself for Juliet's disappearance from their midst. "I think she read my unkind thoughts of her written in my face," she said. And there were none but thought better of Daisy Zorlange because of her grief over Juliet's loss, although they could not understand it, for Juliet had always betrayed such unreasonable jealousy of her. Daisy had not cared for that and had been accustomed to her com- panionship at school for years, and with that true love of the beautiful which knows no jealousy, she loved and admired Juliet above all the others, and missed her sorely. Everything possible had been done to discover Juliet's present whereabouts, but in vain. No trace of her could ever be found after her abrupt expulsion from the Zorlange house, upon that memorable birthday. As for Miss Torrendycke, she and Daisy were upon even worse terms than ever. The scholars themselves could not fail to notice the unfair treatment which Daisy Zorlange received. As for that personage herself, she was certainly most aggra- vating. She evidently meant to have the best of it in this war of words, and declared in self-defense that ' ' Trilobitz always be- gan it." Miss Torrendycke told her once again to report to the Superintendent. 194 LA GRAN QUIBIEA ' ' I do not know why thou needst bother him with our fusses. It does no good," grumbled Daisy. "Does he not reprimand you?" "Not often," was the reply. "We generally have a little social chat. And sometimes, not often, he says: "Now, my little maid, whatever it is that you have been doing that is very naughty, I hope that you will not do it again." "You will carry a note from me to Mr. Kings! ey, this afternoon at the close of school," snapped Miss Torrendycke. "Yes'm," replied Daisy obediently. This dialogue occurred in the presence of the assembled class. That afternoon Willis St. Aubyn waited on the Superin- tendent with whom he also was a favorite, and pleaded with him in Daisy's behalf, explaining the many things with which she had to contend because of the unfair prejudice against her of Miss Torrendycke. They had a long talk during which the lad's secret leaked out. The elder man encouraged him: "She is but a child. Wait patiently until she becomes a woman, and success may attend your efforts to win her." While they were yet talking Mr. Hampton, the principal of one of the grammar schools, entered and was immediately followed by Daisy who presented a note with the comment: "Some of Trilobitz nastiness, Mr. Kingsley." Mr. Kingsley read the note while Daisy exchanged greetings with her old master. ' ' Daisy, ' ' coaxed Mr. Hampton : ' ' Sing something for me. I see that you are in a temper, and that will soothe you into a fit state to bear the reproof I see upon Mr. Kingsley 's lips." Nothing loath, Daisy complied, sitting herself down beside him saying: "I am awfully tired. I really begin to believe that Trilobitz is going to be too much for me." Then she sang a low, sweet refrain, which grew sadder and sadder as it rose higher and higher, until it seemed to pierce the skies upon which the girl's eyes were fixed. And there was an expression upon her wistful, longing face that fascinated yet frightened her listeners. Willis choked back a rising sob, while Mr. Hampton finally roused her to a sense of her surroundings by gently shaking her by the arm. Then he questioned her curiously. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 195 "Ah," she answered, "when I sing like that I seem to rise above the earth and float about in space. Then I hear answering voices. And they lead me on higher and higher, until I seem to be at the gates of Paradise, and looking tErough I see my angel mother's face, and I hear my angel mother's voice calling to me in answering song. Then I feel that I have but to let go my hold upon tliis earth (and it seems to be such an easy thing to do) to join her there." Willis sobbed aloud, and there was a strange tremor in Mr. Kingsley's voice as he called the girl to him, and proceeded to question her as to her relations to Miss Torrendycke, whose written accusation could not as she said, be ignored. Daisy was herself again. "Well," she said, "it is just this way. Trilobitz is always telling me to be 'good.' And each morning I start to school with the full determination to be 'good.' But Miss Trilobitz (w T hisper it low) acts as a sort of counter-irritant upon me, and her very first word (thou canst not imagine how aggravating that 'Pink of Propriety' can be) sends all my resolutions to the winds and we are at it again full tilt." "But, Miss Zorlange, Miss Torrendycke makes very serious charges against you, in regard to your deportment," said Mr. Kingsley, turning aside to hide a smile. "Charges which I cannot ignore. Do you not think now that you really could be good if you were to try very hard?" "Can the leopard change his spots?" demanded Daisy pathetically. Then answering her own conundrum she said: "Why of course he can. For when he gets tired of one spot he can go to another. And about my being 'good'? Well, that depends. Now, judge, dost thou wish me to be simply 'good,' or dost thou wish me to be 'very good indeed'?" Willis St. Aubyn smiled as the "judge" fell into the trap set for him, and said: "Very, very good indeed." "Then I promise," said Daisy with a cheerful nod. "Then, Miss Zorlange," said the Superintendent, "I put you upon a month's probation. If I find at the end of that time that you have not attempted to better your behaviour while in the schoolroom, I tell you frankly that your case must come before the School Board, and that the result will inevitably be disgraceful expulsion from the school. I am sorry, but I 196 LA GRAN QUIBIRA cannot help it. The matter is left in your own hands for that length of time. But, Miss Zorlange, " he continued, "I have a very unfavorable report from Miss Torrendycke concerning you. Pray tell me now what is your opinion of her?" Daisy threw herself into an attitude, and for answer quoted an old story: "Wa'al," she drawled with nasal twang, "set her alongside of Judas Iscariot, Jedge, and she looms up mid- dlin' fa'r, but place her along de side of sich men as you an' me is, Jedge, and she do dwindle amazin'. She do for a fac'." Then she reiterated her promise to be " Very, very good, indeed, ' ' but with a serio-comic expression which made both Willis and her quondam teacher, Mr. Hampton, who knew some of her tricks of old, smile, and excited some curiosity in the mind of Mr." Kingsley who could not well understand why she should consider it so much easier to be 'very, very good indeed' than to be simply "good." But before he could question her farther, the voice of Miss Torrendycke was heard in the hall, and Daisy, after thanking him, swept a demure curtsey to all and left the room, readily assuming the abject mien of one who had just re- ceived a merited chastisement. The door of the superintendent's room stood open. The oc- cupants could see the entire length of the long, broad ha'J. The look of exultation upon Miss Torrendycke 's face at the sight of Daisy's woe-begone countenance was so unmistakable that Willis cried: "The spiteful old cat;" and Mr. Kingsley echoed his sentiments with a most emphatic : ' ' Humph ! ' ' "So, Miss Zorlange," cried Miss Torrendycke, in spite- ful triumph, "so you found that your teacher's written report of your disgraceful conduct has had more weight than your own misrepresentaions. You have been expelled from the school to which you have become a disgrace." "Not so," was the cheerful response. "My sadness is due to the workings of my contrite heart. Mr. Kingsley always favors me in these little differences of ours, as thou knowest," she said in a most exasperating tone. ' ' He has left it all to me. I can go or stay as I like. I felt sure that he would defend me against thy unjust actions towards me. Ta-ta, Trilobitz," and Daisy waltzed down the hallway and finished with a ' ' whisk. ' ' "Astride the balustrade, I'll wager my year's unpaid sal- ary," ejaculated Mr. Kingsley. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 197 The horror and disgust expressed upon Miss Torrendycke 's countenance was more than human nature could bear unmoved and the three spectators were convulsed with laughter, that had to be suppressed even at the risk of choking. The owl-like gravity that sat upon their countenances would have enlightened a less obtuse person than Miss Torrendycke, and warned them that something was amiss. That irate female, as soon as she could recover breath, so to speak, bore down upon them with a demand for an explanation from the superintendent. "What has the girl done now?" inquired Mr. Kingsley, for he was possesed of a mischievous desire to make the proper Miss Torrendycke speak "right out." And forgetting that modesty forbade the mention of the deed, Miss Torrendycke reported: "Straddled the balustrade like the hoyden that she is, and to my face called me 'Trilo- bitz'." There was a smothered laugh, which Miss Torrendycke was too angry to heed. "I demand that this girl be expelled from the school. I cannot endure her impudence longer." ' ' Not so fast, Miss Torrendycke, ' ' said Mr. Kingsley, serious- ly. "It exceeds my power, as you know, to expell a refractory pupil from the school. That authority is vested in the assembled school board alone. I do not find this, as yet, at least, a matter to be brought before them. I have put Miss Zorlange upon pro- bation for one month. She has promised to be "very, very good indeed,' " he said, rather doubtfully, as he caught sight of the amused smiles upon the faces of Mr. Hampton and Willis St. Aubyn. Then he added sternly: "Miss Torrendycke, I cannot but think that you are somewhat to blame in this matter. Do not forget that this is a motherless child, and that you are en- trusted with the development of her character. I think that if you are unable to deal with her or others of your pupils and control their actions at least in the schoolroom, you are unfitted for the responsible position you now hold. I request that you put no stumbling block in the way of Miss Zorlange 's fulfillment of her promise of good behavior during the next month under penalty of your own dismissal from the school." This was putting things upon a new business basis, and Miss Torrendycke felt that she was treading upon unsafe ground.. 198 LA GRAN QUIBIKA It was extremely aggravating to the old maid to be called upon to play mother to an unconquerable imp of mischief like Daisy Zorlange, but she was not at heart illy disposed, and the appeal touched her in spite of herself. So with ladylike alacrity she acquiesced, and thus the matter was settled pro tern. Willis arose with a heavy sigh to follow Miss Torrendycke from the room. "Never fear, my lad," said the superintendent, encourag- ingly. "She is but a child as yet, a butterfly, a singing bird, but if I mistake not there will one day awaken in her bosom as true and womanly a heart as has ever beaten. Take couarge, and be on hand when the awakening occurs, and you will win it or I am much mistaken. ' ' Willis bowed his thanks and left the room, not altogether hopeless, although Daisy had not vouchsafed him a single glance during the entire interview. "But why that boy?" demanded Mr. Hampton, "why not give me your helping hand in the winning of Daisy Zorlange? I too have fallen in love with the witch ? ' ' ' ' See here, Hampton, she is not for you, but for one of her boy lovers; this one, I hope, for he is good and true and noble. Remember this. If I hear of your attempting to pay court to this innocent child, I will have you ousted from your position, which you must have forfeited in that scrape with Bella Vaughn but for my interference. Do not neglect my warning, for I shall keep strict watch over the daughter of my old friend, Emil Zor- lange, for whom I have a very great regard." And Mr. Hampton retired, discomfited. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 199 CANTO THE TWENTY-SECOND. "THE TURTLE-DOVES." The two, Mr. Hampton and Willis St. Aubyn, had rightly surmised that the efforts of Daisy Zorlange to be "very, very good, indeed" would try the patience of her teacher to a far greater extent than would her careless disregard of the proprie- ties of schoolroom etiquette. At the end of the first week of the probationary month, Miss Torrendycke had quite forgotten her own pledges in the affair, and took every possible opportunity to correct the girl for trifling offenses which would have been overlooked in others. Daisy was made to sit upon the platform for all these. Re- ports were sent to the other teachers, and upon some pretense or other Daisy was in each recitation room made to take her seat upon their respective platforms. This went on for two days. Upon the third day, Daisy deliberately ascended the rostrum of the chapel at the morning exercises, and plumped herself down between Mr. Twirl and his own particular chair, to the infinite amusement of the spectators. Only a quick movement of the astonished principal prevented him from plunking himself into her lap. Miss Zorlange was ordered to take her own seat. "Oh," she said, in great apparent surprise, "I thought that I was to sit upon the platform for the remainder of the term. ' ' Explanations ensued, and Mr. Twirl, with a lenient smile, which was, as Daisy afterwards described it, "Just too killing," told her once more to go to her own seat. Now Daisy's place in chapel was upon the extreme row of seats, she being now a member of the senior class, and, as I have said, the hall was very large and long. As she sauntered leisurely toward this, her movements were very deliberate, and Mr. Twirl, who was one of those nervous, hurrying sort of people, became im- patient and said: "Sit down where you are, Miss Zorlange." 200 LA GRAN QUIBIRA Daisy pretended to take the request in a literal sense, made a deprecatory gesture, then hurried on a little faster. "Sit down just where you are, Miss Zorlange," repeated Mr. Twirl. The pantomine was repeated also. "Miss Zorlange," thundered the irascible Twirl. "Do you not hear me ? Sit down. Sit down just where you are, ' ' and Daisy did as she was bidden, and sat herself down with another dep- recatory gesture, upon the floor in the middle of the aisle. This was done amid great applause from the students. "Miss Zorlange," said Mr. Twirl, laughing in spite of him- self, "Miss Zorlange, I did not mean my command to be taken so literally. Please take the nearest unoccupied chair that you find," he added, discreetly. Daisy, doubtless confused by all this, did as she was told, and perhaps mistaking her whereabouts, veered to the boys' side and seated herself upon a vacant chair next to Moses 'Welton, the most bashful youth in the school, who blushed, and cringed and squirmed and tittered, while a second round of applause greet- ed the action. And Daisy, with the air of one who at length had found the proper place, folded her hands in meek attention to the long delayed Bible reading, in pretended innocence of her laughable mistake. Miss Torrendycke was furious. For she well knew that this would lead to an inquiry as to what offense Miss Zorlange had committed to merit the punishment she had received, of being obliged to sit upon the platform, and the exposure of the fact that the punishment was greater than the offense. "Miss Zorlange," she commanded, as soon as the study room was reached, "please stand upon the platform." Now this was the punishment above all others which Daisy most disliked. She was like a bird, a butterfly, which could wing its way from flower to flower the whole day long without weary- ing, but when doomed to stand in one place even for a short time, the effort was beyond her strength. At the request and interference of her father, this mode of punishment had long been discontinued, but Miss Torrendycke, in her anger, quite forgot this prohibition. Daisy's face grew wan and white, but the spirit of mischief was still alive in her, and never for one moment did she lose sight of her promise to be "Very, very good, indeed." A MUSICAL. MYSTERY 201 Miss Torrendycke accidentally dropped her book and Daisy, intent upon returning good for evil, stooped to pick it up, bring- ing her own head and that of her teacher in contact with a rous- ing thump, but capturing the volume from under the very hand of Miss Torrendycke, she presented it with such an air of devoted sweetness that it was impossible to find fault with her alacrity and evident desire to please. She only reprimanded the laughing girls instead, for one of the greatest features of Daisy's fun was that gravity with which she played her greatest pranks, leaving the others always in the wrong. Daisy was about to sink with fatigue, however, when the door of the schoolroom was opened and Willis St. Aubyn ap- peared. Taking in the situation at a glance, he paused upon the threshold. When Daisy was ill or tired she was like a little child ; and now she put out her arms, wistfully, to him. And Willis, with- out the slightest hesitation, folded her close to his breast, and said to Miss Torrendycke: "I just looked in to ask myself to tea with you this evening, fearing that I might forget it later." Daisy was shaking her fist as much as to say: "Now thou wilt catch it. ' ' But Miss Torrendycke wasi so pleased with the com- pliment that she failed to notice the action. To entertain the son of the Governor at tea was an honor for which she was will- ing to pay a handsome price. So when Willis said: "I think you will permit me to speak aside with Miss Zorlange. I may be able to persuade her to obey the rules, more readily," she said they might have the use of the dressing room, but, reconsidering, she sent the most objectionable person she could think of to play propriety, Lotta Moore. Willis supported the half-fainting Daisy to the dressing room and they were followed by Lotta, who took her stand at the open window, while Willis sat down and tried to soothe the now sobbing Daisy into quiet. There was something so pathetic in Daisy 's tired face that Willis ' heart yearned over her, and something in the expression of her eyes gave him courage to say softly: "Daisy, have you forgotten that kiss you promised me long ago?" "Why," said Daisy, "I must have kissed thee a dozen times at least since then." "Ah, yes. But there were none of them that particular kiss that you owed me, you know. And I want that one. ' ' 202 IA GRAN QUIBIRA Daisy smiled and put up her rosy lips. "No," said Willis. "I want you to kiss me." ' ' Oh ! Why, is it not all the same ? ' ' ' ' By no means. ' ' "Well then," said the young girl then she hesitated. "Why, I declare I believe that I do not know how to kiss. I do not know that I ever kissed any one of my own accord unless it may have been a baby. Thou wilt have to teach me how. ' ' Nothing loath, Willis bent his head over her and imprinted a lingering kiss upon her lips. Then Daisy, half raising herself from his arms, imitated the action to perfection, but drew back in pleased surprise : ' ' Why Willis, ' ' she exclaimed, as one awak- ening from a pleasing dream. "What makes me so very very " "Happy," suggested Willis softly, as if afraid of frighten- ing her. "So very, very happy," she repeated, gazing brightly into his eyes. "Is it that you love me, Daisy? Oh, can it be possible that your woman's heart has come to life at last? Daisy, darling, I have waited so long and so patiently. Am I to win you at last? Say that it is true that you really love me." "I love thee. " The tones were so fraught with sweetness that they touched even the heart of the callous Lotta, who turned and looked at the two in curiosity and envy. It was very beauti- ful, this innocent love of two young hearts that knew not how to dissemble. There was no affectation of shrinking. There were no blushes, only sweetest confidence and trust that knew no fear or shame. And Lotta knew that this was the one love of a life- time, and nothing, nor no one, could come between. They talked a little, in snatches. After a time Daisy said mischievously, "But what wouldst thou have done had I not loved thee, Willis?" ' ' I cannot bear even to think what my life would be without you, Daisy. It would be but a barren waste to me. But," he asked in return, "Now that you have learned to love me, what would you do were you to lose me?" " I ? I should die, ' ' replied Daisy. And long after this Wil- lis remembered the tone of anguish, and the terrible look of pain in her eyes. "I think," said a voice, "that you had better be thinking about wedding and not about dying, yet awhile." A MUSICAL MYSTERY 203 "Why Lotta, how good of thee to be so patient with us, and so still." And she held out her hand to Lotta without moving. And Willis thanked her in his turn. "Oh," she answered cheerfully, "the next best thing to be being engaged one's self, is to know that one's friends are about to be married. Do not imagine that I have undergone all this for nothing, I expect to be one of the bridesmaids, of coui-se. ' ' Then Daisy blushed for the first time and questioned Wi- : .;is by a look, and he, nodding and smiling assent, she hid her face upon his breast, but put out a slender hand to Lotta as if to ratiiy the promise. Then after a while, she said: "Willis, I do not feel at a!! like myself. I seem to have changed somehow. What has hap- pened to me, anyhow?" "You have blossomed into womanhood, my Daisy. And oh, thank God," he added reverently, "That it was I to whom you turned in this hour." Daisy, wondering still, got up and viewed herself in the small looking glass, before which the school girls were wont to smoothe their tumbled tresses, and tie their bonnet strings, and cried out in unfeigned astonishment: "Why, I am a 'young lady' now." The others laughed. Then Lotta questioned: "Well, now that you realize that fact, which Miss Torrendycke has been try- ing to convince you of for the past few years, tell us what are you going to do about it?" "The very first thing that I shall do," was the unexpected reply, "will be, "and Daisy raised and shook an admonitory fin- ger at the tiny protruding feet, "to lengthen my skirts. I seem to be pretty much all feet and I adore a train." "Lotta, you will keep our secret for awhile at least," pleaded Willis. Lotta gave a reluctant promise, for the thing that is dearest to a schoolgirl's heart is to be mixed up in a love affair. "But," she said, ' ' Daisy 's face gives it dead away. ' ' And this was true. There was a certain indefinable something in the young girl's face, a new dignity in her bearing, that marked the change that had been wrought in her in these last few moments. And there were none who did not remark it when the three made their ap- pearance, not without being summoned, in Miss Torrendycke 's room. 204 LA GRAN QUIBIRA "Engaged?" was the oft-repeated question put with eyes and lips to Lotta Moore, whose own face was radiant And she made answer by pointing to Daisy, herself, and saying : " I prom- ised not to tell," so keeping to the letter of her pledge, at least. The girls were all sympathy, scenting a wedding in the near future. And as everything was settled, all jealous rivalry ceased, and many were the sly kisses and congratulatory nods bestowed upon Daisy during that silent study hour. The young girl looked so lovely in her new character, that even the cold heart of the "fossil," was thawed, and Miss Tor- rendycke made up her mind to "pose" as the chosen confidante of the boy and girl lovers. But alas, and yet alas! Willis quite forgot the engagement he had made to drink tea with his teacher that evening, and spent the time as any one but a "fossil" might have expected, with his betrothed, and so roused up additional enmity in the breast of that much-abused spinster, against Daisy, which bore bitter fruit for her in the near future; for, of course, Miss Tor- rendycke blamed Daisy for Willis' defection and determined to do everything in her power to break off the match. She waited in person upon Mrs. St. Aubyn, a proud, vain, and haughty woman, and prejudiced her against the unfortunate Daisy to good purpose, as will be seen. And after this you may be certain that Daisy 's school life was made a burden to her. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 205 CANTO THE TWENTY-THIRD. "A LAGGARD IN LOVE." Howard Gould had not been present at school upon that particular day, but strolling up town, he chanced to see Daisy and Willis upon their homeward walk. There was no need of words to disclose their secret. It was too plainly written upon their faces ; and, while people turned to smile upon them as they passed, Howard turned sick and faint at sight of them and reeled into a drug store near by to avoid meeting the pair. Unconscious of his presence, and, if the truth were told, forgetful at that moment of his very existence, they passed him by. Willis, having been turned adrift by his fiance after dinner, first bethought himself of his friend, and yearned for his con- gratulations and sympathy. But when he would have gone to Howard's chamber with the liberty usually accorded to him, he was told that Howard wished to be alone. And Willis went grumbling home to dream of his newly found happiness, and to abuse his friend for his selfish jealousy. "For he must have heard," soliloquized Willis, "and it is awfully mean of him not to off er me his congratulations. ' ' But sitting alone in his room, the question of Daisy : ' ' Hav- ing found me, what would you do without me?" came up to him and in weighing out the life that would be as nothing with- out her, he, remembering that Howard loved her with the same adoration as himself, began to pity him for the loss which must make the life of his friend barren of all joy for the future. And he blamed himself for his selfish desire to have the good wishes of one bereft of this love. "What a brute I have been," he exclaimed, "I will go at once and console him. ' ' But before he could rise to carry his intention into effect, the door opened and Howard himself came in. His pale face lit up with interest. "I could not give you my best wishes be- fore," he said. "We are all of us a trifle selfish, you know, and knowing how I loved Daisy you may well understand the battle 206 LA. GRAN QUD3IBA I had to fight before I could honestly say that I am glad for her sake that you have won her." "Dear, good, unselfish old boy. I knew that I could count upon your good wishes. You are a thousand times more worthy, and more fitted to make her life happy, than I." The two youths talked long and earnestly that night, then slept side by side, the room upon the other side of Willis' sitting room had been fitted up for Howard 's occupation when he cared to remain with his friend at night, but this night the tried friends chose to spend together, and together they spoke of the sweet young life that they believed was now to be saved from all future annoyance, under the protection of husband and friend. At school Daisy strove diligently to fulfill her promise to Mr. Kingsley of being ''very, very good indeed, " and she was to intrusively, so aggravatingly "goody-good," that Miss Torren- dycke wa? wellnigh distracted. But whatever she did, Daisy suc- ceeded in scoring one against her. Some time previous to that memorable interview in Mr. Kingsley 's room, there had b-en a new rule adopted regarding the deportment of the students of the school. Whisper no; had been forbidden. It was not easy, at first, for them to "not, "as Daisy expressed it. But a frame enclosing a number of cards of sprtless white which corresponded with the number of scholars in each room was hung above the platform in full view of all. Then it was stated that when any transgressed the rules in this respect, the white card would be replaced by one of blue, with the name of the transgressor written upon it. Of course, Daisy Zorlange got the first blue card, and equally "of course," many others followed her bad example, until the board in the frame was well bespeckled. Then Daisy for the second offense received the first pink card. The others followed suit as before. Then Daisy shocked and frightened even them by claiming the green card for her own. Mr. Kingsley chanced to come into the room, and was invited by Miss Torrendycke to remain through- out the recitation, and he accordingly seated himself under the aforesaid frame. Daisy well knew that it was Miss Torrendycke 's intention ere long to acquaint the superintendent with her dere- liction, and, taking "time by the forelock," as it were, she suc- ceeded in attracting his attention to herself, then with an assump- tion of great pride in her achievement, drew his notice to the fact that the only green card in the frame was her very own. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 207 Mr. Kingsley laughed in spite of himself at her impertin- ence; then murmuring a hasty excuse, left the room. And so the daring girl escaped the look-for reprimand. Next day Daisy ''dared" again and broke the rules all to smash by whispering again and purposely getting caught in the act. The penalty for this was said to be the replacing the card of brilliant green by one of black and suspension from the school. Every one was in great alarm, for Daisy Zorlange, in defiance of every display of petty jealousy, was by all odds the most popular girl in Miss Torrendycke 's room, or indeed, the whole school. In the meantime, that scene in the superintendent's room had occurred. And Miss Torrendycke, remembering it, resolved to bear with her for once, and instead of insisting upon Daisy's being sent home in disgrace, contented herself with detaining her a few moments after school, and drawling reprovingly: ' ' Why, Miss Zorlange ! Why, Miss Zorlange ! ' in tones of the gentlest remonstrance. 208 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE TWENTY-FOURTH. "A NARROW ESCAPE." For some reason a review and examination had been deter- mined upon in the middle of the school term. The time was at hand and with it the end of Daisy Zorlange 's probation. More than one uneasy glance was cast upon her as the time approached. She kept up the role of "goody-good girl" to perfection. Mr. Kingsley watched the performance of the little drama from afar, and understood now the difference between being simply ' ' good, ' ' and being "very, very good indeed." He laughed heartily at some of her escapades, and questioned the other young ladies of Miss Torrendycke 's room, whose rancor and envy of the culprit was too apparent to be ignored, why they hated her, pointing out the fact that she was motherless and the youngest by at least two years among them all and was in danger of being ex- pelled from the school. ' ' But she is so terribly trying, ' ' they said in excuse. ' ' She is always getting us into some scrape or other. But school with- out Daisy Zorlange would not be school at all to us," was their unanimous verdict and they all united in begging for clemency. Well, there had been another row between the two. It was difficult, as Lotta Moore had said, "To tell which was to blame," but Daisy made it appear that it was all Miss Torren- dycke 's fault. Daisy had of late been able to make everything everybody else's fault, which was why "everybody else" was grumbling. Miss Torrendycke had detained Daisy Zorlange unnecessarily and she was very angry as I have said, Daisy when not aroused by anger until she forgot her surroundings, was extremely shy and diffident for now she knew that she must, because of this deten- tion, enter Mr. Twirl's room alone, and not only run the gaunt- let of the eyes of all the male students of his room and her class in recitation, but of the school board as well. When released by Miss Torrendycke, she made her way rapidly through the inter- vening hall, and, with a grimace, opened the door and passed in to recitation. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 209 Obeying the impatient signal from Mr. Twirl, and meekly submitting to his unmerited rebuke for her tardiness, although she smarted under it, Daisy seated herself near the door, feeling strangely out of place. Mr. Twirl had finished with the remainder of the class and now pointed out to Daisy a certain passage in Cicero, which he wished her in her turn to translate, this being the class in Latin. The remainder of the class had been given time in which to look over their appointed task, but with the customary perversity of fate, he began at that end of the class at which Daisy sat, and consequently she had no time to review her own. She went through it with credit, however, and when Mr. Twirl declared that this was not the passage he had selected for her, Daisy dis- puted him. It was of no use. Mr. Twirl was a very stubborn man and insisted that she read off-hand the last mentioned. Daisy protested. She had been absent from school when this particular portion of the book had been translated, and it was entirely new to her, but Mr. Twirl was firm in his determination, and Daisy blundered through the exercise, giving an original rendering of the passage, which astonished and delighted her aud- ience. Mr. Twirl, who was an authority on the dead language, contested several points, but Daisy, now put upon her mettle, made good her side of the question, and was sustained in her version by the three members of the school board present. "Well," said Mr. Twirl, "I am bound to admit that you have given a more pleasing interpretation of the passage than has heretofore been given. And now, Miss Zorlange, be pleased to tell us what gesture Cicero made at such and such a juncture ? ' ' "Can't say. I wasn't there." "But what gesture do you think he must have made when giving utterance to that grand sentence?" "Haven't the slightest idea." "But, Miss Zorlange," insisted Mr. Twirl, "What gesture would you, yourself, have made had you been in Cicero's place?" "I," said Daisy, then repeating in a tone of mock horror, "I? Why, Mr. Twirl, I should not have made any gesture what- ever." ' ' But why, Miss Zorlange ? Why ? " he questioned, persistent- At this precise juncture, Miss Torrendycke opened the 14 210 LA GRAN QUIBIRA schoolroom door and was about to enter when Daisy, espying her, brought down the house by drawling in a most conscientious manner, "Because Miss Torrendycke says 'it isn't lady-like'." That irate female stopped to hear no more, but beat a hasty retreat, banging the door as she went, in a manner that was, to say the least, not altogether lady-like, and to which Daisy drew the attention of the laughing assembly by staring in pre- tended surprise and consternation, very hard indeed at the of- fending door as if to say: "Come now, confess. Thou didst it thyself, didst thou not? 'Trilobitz,' thou knowest, could never have been guilty of an action so extremely ' unlady-like ? ' ' Here Mr. Twirl recovered his presence of mind, which, ac- cording to Daisy's interpretation, meant that he was about to pour out his wrath upon her devoted head. But Daisy won the victory again, for all the members of the board interfered in turn, declaring that her ebulition of temper was quite excusable, on the ground that it had arisen from a sense of injustice done her in forcing her to render a difficult passage without preparation, while the remainder of the class were given time in which to look over the portions allotted to them; and every one of them sus- tained her in her statement that the first which she had rendered perfectly was the one given to her to translate. There was much laughter over this event as the members of the school board talked it over in the superintendent's room a short time later. Mr. Kingsley took the opportunity now offered to state Daisy Zorlange's case in plain terms. He told of her innumerable escapades, but declared that she was irritated into committing most of her follies by the spiteful naggings of the scholars and teachers. The stories delighted the august body addressed. All de- clared that the young lady should be rewarded for her ready wit and not punished. There were two ministers, two lawyers and a physician now present, and all expressed the wish that they could witness one of these sparring matches between Miss Torrendycke and her re- fractory pupil. "Well," said Mr. Kingsley, hesitatingly, "I am willing to confess that during this month of probation, as I may call it, I have spent some time in the observation of what passes contin- uously in Miss Torrendycke 's room, from the closet adjoining the schoolroom, where Stinson keeps her brooms and dustpans, A MUSICAL MYSTERY 211 and from which a small window looks into the study room. Now, if you can be utterly noiseless in your movements I can promise you a rare treat, for this warfare goes on unceasingly, with no rest whatever for the tired instructress." Shoes and boots were immediately discarded, and each, with his own in hand, the procession started in grave but expectant silence for the dust-room in question. There was, as I have said, a small window between this and the schoolroom and this was screened upon the schoolroom side by a lace curtain through the meshes of which every occupant could be plainly seen. The class in ancient history was reciting. Daisy was a mem- ber of this class. There seemed to be an undercurrent of some sort disturbing the calm of the room. That Daisy Zorlange was this disturbing element was plainly to be seen from the glances of anger cast upon her seemingly unconscious face. What it was that she had done did not transpire. Miss Torrendycke, who seemed greatly perturbed, dropped a book at this precise moment and Daisy, with ready alacrity, stooped to pick it up, her head, in her haste, coming into violent contact with that of Miss Torrendycke with a thud which upset the risibles of the whole school. Of course, it was an accident, for Daisy apologized, and pre- sented the book which she had literally snatched from out Miss Torrendycke 's hand with such a show of graceful service that it was impossible not to thank her for her attention. And the sweetly reproachful look she cast upon those who could thus up- set the decorous calm of the schoolroom by openly laughing at the accident, was simply "killing." ' ' Te-he-he ' ' next laughed Daisy, and immediately explained : "Miss Smith says that 'Caesar's temperature was mild and pleasant,' " adding in an aside, "I wonder she did not say 'sal- ubrious' as well." "Miss Smith," exclaimed Miss Torrendycke, in remon- strance. ' ' That is what the book says, ' ' declared Miss Smith, looking "daggers" at Daisy. No one else had noticed the blunder. "It says that Caesar's temperature was mild and salubri- ous," prompted Daisy, and Miss Smith repeated obediently, "mild and salubrious;" then burst into angry tears at the merri- ment the w r ords excited. For Miss Smith was another of the 212 LA GRAN QUIBIRA "goody-good" sort, and could not bear correction; but she was stubborn, too, and produced her book, from which she read the very same in triumph, amid the laughter of the class, Daisy say- ing, pityingly: "Poor thing. She cannot even read correctly." And it had to be pointed out to the obtuse Miss Smith that the word used in the book was not "temperature," but "tempera- ment. ' ' "It was all Daisy Zorlange's fault," she declared. And in answer to Daisy's mute appeal, Miss Torrendycke was forced, as it were, to defend her, and to reprove both Miss Smith in particu- lar, and the school in general, for laying false charges against that unoffending person, who was, as she could see, bravely try- ing to redeem her past record and to hold her place in the school. Daisy wept at this touching tribute to her integrity, and to their discredit, be it said, the other girls and the hidden spies in the little dust-room giggled at this. "It is growing late," said Miss Torrendycke, "And while I detain the class, I will call the deportment roll. Some of the young ladies are to be excused early.." And then began the pantomime. "Imperfect," answered the owner of the first name called as she flushed scarlet and looked as if she could have throttled Daisy Zorlange for that look of sorrowful reproach with which she regarded this erring sister. "Imperfect," "Imperfect." "Imperfect," "And it's all Daisy Zorlange's fault," whined more than one. "She made me whisper to her." Daisy's air of stern propriety, and conscious rectitude was not to be questioned. And upon a second rebuke from the now almost distracted Miss Torrendycke, the laments were loud and long. Daisy sat unmoved except to sorrow for their injustice, the very 'Moral,' as she would have termed it in another, of pa- tient suffering, and with Christian Forbearance and Forgiveness written upon every feature, and when at length her own name was reached, at the very bottom of the list, the angelic sweetness, and sublime consciousness with which she, after an eloquent and effective pause, answered with aggravating distinctness: "Per- fect, ' ' was beyond all else exasperating to her aggravated room- mates. Miss Torrendycke had great difficulty in suppressing the A MUSICAL MYSTERY 213 threatened riot; and to the disgust of all and the amusement of the young gentleman in the reciting class, she warmly defended the culprit, declaring that she noticed with suprise and sorrow that Miss Zorlange was and had doubtless been throughout, ' ' More sinned against than sinning, ' ' and she was unable to con- demn her. For be it known that Daisy had already made her peace with the "Trilobitz" for her former offense against her of that day. "Miss Torrendycke, " she had said, "I know that thou ad- mirest the enamelled locket I wear. There are two of the same de- sign still at Flotsman's, one in black enamel and one in blue like mine. If thou wilt say which of the two thou wouldst prefer, I will call there upon my way home from school this evening and have the one thou choosest suitably engraved ; that is if thou wilt deign to accept it as a peace-offering." Miss Torrendycke "deigned," but asked a little dubiously if it were not too expensive a present to be made without her father's consent? Daisy smiled. ' ' Oh, my f ayther lets me do pretty much as I like in such matters. And I believe that I have never before made thee a present." The locket decorated with the black enamel was chosen, and the out-come of it all was the stout defense of Daisy that we have seen. But Miss Torrendycke watched the girl curiously, not more than half believing in her own good fortune, and resolved to call in person upon the jeweler and settle her doubts upon the subject. 214 LA GRAN QU1BIBA CANTO THE TWENTY-FIFTH. "ABSOLUTION." The "Grave and Reverent Seigneurs" beat a hasty and sil- ent retreat from their point of ambush, their faces purple with suppressed laughter, with boots and shoes in hand why they should have carried these with them is not clear and passing along the lengthy hall and through the ante-chamber into the Superintendent's private office, they locked the door against all intruders and then, throwing themselves into all preposterous attitudes they yelled and shrieked with laughter. "By Thunder," screamed the Judge from his lowly station upon the front edge of the platform, "Was there ever such an actress? That little witch would make her fortune upon the stage. 'Perfect,' I should remark that the whole scene was 'perfect.' ' "But," said Mr. Kingsley after their mirth had somewhat subsided, "What is to be done with this young lady. Everything and everybody seems to demand her expulsion from the school." "Expelled from the school? And for being the very pret- tiest and smartest feature in it ? " shouted the Eeverend Sextant. "Not if this slab of a Board knows itself." . "No" chimed in the Doctor. "I vote her a Chromo. Turn the Old Cat out if necessary, but this school can not be run with- out that girl." "Oh, keep them both in, for fun's sake," said the Judge. "I am bound to visit the school at least once a week while this state of things lasts. I would not miss it for the world. ' ' "Ha! Ha! Ha!," they laughed in chorus. And each in turn tried in vain to mimic Daisy's: "Perfect." A few moments later they trooped homeward with studious gravity along with the throng of scholars. "Oh, how I wish I knew whether Daisy is to be expelled," said Howard Gould, as he and Willis St. Aubyn walked to- gether. "I am going to ask," was the reply. "I cannot wait to hear the result." And he turned back a little and boldly confronted the School Superintendent and members of the School Board. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 215 "Mr. Kingsley," questioned Willis of the former whom he had taken a little aside, "You know how very dear Daisy Zor- lange is to me. Will you not tell me what is to be her fate? Will she be compelled to quit the school in disgrace because of her love of fun ? ' ' There was an expression of owl-like gravity upon the face of Mr. Kingsley, but a twinkle in his eye as he answered: "You need not fear, my lad. The School Board refuses to see any- thing worthy of reproof in the conduct of Miss Zorlange, which in the Board's opinion is "perfect." The "Board" fell behind, apparently to smother a laugh, and Willis went forward musing. ' ' I am certain that I heard some one in the little dust-room, ' ' he said. "And, yes, that is it," he decided with an air of relief. ' ' They were all there spying, and heard the whole affair. ' ' Then both he and Howard called to Daisy who was hurrying past: "Daisy, Daisy, we have some good news for you. May we not see you home?" "Yes. If thou canst catch me," was her reply as she fled with the speed of an antelope. But as she faced them for a second they noticed that there were tears in her eyes, and that her face was pale and wan. "Poor Daisy. She believes her time has come," said Howard. ' ' We must follow her and relieve her mind. ' ' This they did, but were met at the door not by Daisy but by Janet, who refused to permit them to see her young mistress whom she declared that they had already worried to death. Howard pleaded in vain for an interview saying that they were the bearers of good news which would give Daisy great pleasure. Janet was obdurate and refused even to permit them to see Mr. Zorlange himself. Then Willis took matters promptly into his own hands and stepping to the front, encircled maiden Janet in his arms and imprinted a rousing smack upon her lips, threatening that if she did not allow them not only to enter, but to remain to tea with Daisy, that he would repeat the offense until she would be glad to consent. And an hour later Daisy, pale and languid indeed, but recovered from her fright, and brimming over with mischief, was presiding over the repast. 216 LA GRAN QUIBIRA "Well," said the Reverend Sextant, as Willis left them to join Howard Gould upon their homeward walk, "Well, I cannot but think that young girl the most beautiful and the sprightliest I have seen. I mean to introduce my son Otto to her and order him to win her for his wife. ' ' "Humph," was the emphatic comment of Mr. Kingsley, as he brought to his mind a picture of the red-headed, freckle-faced Otto, the most disagreeable as well as the ugliest boy in the city, "Humph! There is small chance for Otto there. Both of those handsome boys, who belong to the best and wealthiest families in the town are her suitors. "And," he added sotto voce, "I would marry her myself before I would consent to such a sacri- fice." The idea was new to him. But thinking it over at his lonely dinner table an hour or so later, the idea became a fixed purpose. "For," said he, "If I can win the love of the pretty whimsical child, her father is certain to consent to her union to so old a friend as I am." Mr. Kingsley 's favorite axiom was: "Strike while the iron's hot," and he made his way to the Zorlange habitation that very evening to commence his wooing. Outside the door, he was greet- ed with shouts of laughter and song, and stopped to admire the scene which was taking place in "Daisy's Parlor." The school- mates were singing a mirthful Trio in which Daisy and Willis had exchanged parts, she singing the Baritone while Willis was pouring forth triumphant shrieks and making impossible runs and trills in the high-pitched Soprano. He changed his mind. It was too apparent that the girl must be won by one or other of her boy lovers. So he made a sober call upon his friend Emil Zor- lange and to his dying day the latter never suspected how near he was to becoming the father-in-law of the Superintendent of the public schools. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 217 CANTO THE TWENTY-SIXTH. "SHE WON'T, AN' THERE'S AN END ON 'T." There had been a row in the Rhetoric Class. There had been an awful row in the Rhetoric Class. Miss Torrendycke had ac- cused Daisy Zorlange of plagiarism, had been proven in the wrong, retracted, but so ungraciously that Daisy in her anger declared that she would upon no account read another essay while in the school. A war of words had ensued and the question was referred to the Superintendent, who sided with Daisy as usual and upheld her in her determination, saying that she had but resented an unwarrantable insult, and that she was to be excused from all rhetorical exercises until such a time as it should be her pleas- ure to resume them. But Daisy was not of an obdurate nature, and after a few weeks she was coaxed into writing an essay for the rhetorical exercises of the next Friday. It had been the habit of most of the scholars to dodge these exercises, especially since they had occupied the new high school building, where it took real courage to mount the Rostrum some five or six steps high and attempt to make themselves heard in the great Chapel, which was the largest hall in the city, and hold forth to an audience composed of the whole school of five rooms assembled. It proved to be such a trying ordeal that one and all the scholars fell into the habit of absenting themselves from school upon that particular afternoon. And it was found neces- sary to enforce a rule forbidding absence unless caused by sick- ness or absence from the city. Disobedience of this rule would meet with severe penalty and the delinquents be compelled to read or recite, before the assmbled school, upon the first morning of their return at the conclusion of the regular Chapel Exercises. Now it happened that the relenting Daisy, upon her way to school upon that particular Friday afternoon was seized with vertigo and forced to return home, where she was confined to her bed for the next two days. She had written for herself an "ex- cuse" and begged Lotta Moore who was walking with her to carry the same to Miss Torrendycke. Whether or not she did so, 218 LA GRAN QUIBIRA Daisy never knew. But Miss Torrendycke asked her for her essay the very first thing upon Monday morning. Daisy declared that she had been excused from the duty of reading this by her illness, and knowing this she had left her composition at home. She was told to bring it the next day which she did not do, declaring that she did not intend to read it having been ill at the proper time. Miss Torrendycke pointed out to her the fact that Laura Bertis who had been absent from town upon the previous Friday would be obliged to read hers. Daisy had always a keen sense of justice and yielded at once so far as to say, that if Laura Bertis read her essay she would at the same time read her own. Then Miss Torrendycke triumphant, reminded her that the essay had not been seen and had consequently not been corrected by her, and told her that she must go at once to her home and bring it. It was of no use to expostulate, and Daisy was com- pelled to take the remainder of the forenoon and get her composi- tion, and in consequence of this, needlessly failed in all her after- noon 's lessons. Then indeed her temper was roused, and upon being charged by her teacher to present herself promptly at the Chapel Exercises next morning, she replied: "Please remember Miss Trilobitz that I am not compelled to do this unless I like. But since I promised it I repeat that ' ' If Laura Bertis reads hers I will mine. But," she added emphatically, "If she does not, then I refuse to do so, for nothing would induce me to go up there alone." Miss Torrendycke nodded as much as to say: "We'll see about that," and Daisy sent the listeners into a smothered fit of laughter by mimicing her nod and offensive smile to a nicety. Scenting mischief as only school-boys and girls can, every- body was present at the Chapel Exercises next morning (that is to say, everybody except Laura Bertis. ) Daisy, who now belonged to the First Class, sat at the ex- treme end of the great Hall upon the very last row of chairs; and it seemed a very long way indeed from her seat to the high and dreadfully obstrusive Rostrum ; for be it remembered Daisy was very shy indeed. "Miss Zorlange," demanded the ever-present Miss Torren- A MUSICAL MYSTEEY 219 dycke: "Are you ready to respond when called upon to read your essay?" "Where is Laura Bertis?" asked Daisy. "Well a-ah-ahem. Miss Bertis is not present this morning. But be pleased to remember Miss Zorlange that will not excuse you. You will be required to read your essay without her presence. ' ' "Never," was Daisy's decisive answer. "Miss Zorlange," cried Miss Torren dycke sternly, "You had better comply with the rules of the school." "Fudge," said Daisy contemptuously, and repeated her de- mand of "Where is Laura Bertis?" During the Bible-reading and Prayer that followed, more than one of Daisy's classmates whisperingly pleaded with her to do as she was bidden. But Daisy was upon her "war-horse," as Lotta Moore declared and shook her obstinate little head in re- fusal. The Prayer concluded, Mr. Twirl arose and said: "The School will remain seated while Miss Zorlange reads her essay of last Friday afternoon. Now Miss Zorlange." Three times Mr. Twirl repeated this invitation without re- sponse from Daisy, and meantime many anxious and terrified glances were cast upon her by both boys and girls of her class. But she did not stir. Miss Torrendycke, alarmed at the storm that was of her own brewing, and which now threatened to break, went to her and expostulated with her most seriously. Daisy turned a deaf ear to all. At length Mr. Twirl who was a most irascible little man, sprang to his feet and gesticulating violently demanded in thun- derous tones: "Miss Zorlange. Miss Zorlange. Will you come forward and read your essay, or will you not?" And Daisy breaking from the hands that would have de- tained her, sprang up and in an exaggerated imitation both of his gestures and voice, shaking her fist after his precise manner, yelled back: "Mr. Twirl. I will not." There was much smothered laughter throughout the Chapel and a soft clapping of many hands, although they somehow felt that Daisy Zorlange was deliberately putting the proverbial 4 ' Last straw upon the camel 's back. ' ' Mr. Twirl stood for a moment as if petrified by amazement 220 LA GRAN QUIBIRA at the girl's audacity. Then he said in a passion-choked voice: "Miss Zorlange. You will be prepared to read me a handsome public apology. Otherwise it will be my duty to expel you from the school." "I will make it now," said Daisy sweetly, but there was a dangerous light in her flashing eyes which showed to those who knew her best that she was determined to have the best of the argument. And Mr. Twirl, possibly in order to gain time to think how best to deal with this rebellious pupil said: ''You will be good enough, Miss Zorlange, to stop at my room when you go down stairs. The school may go to their rooms." Daisy was some time in reaching the room designated, halted as she was upon the way by under-teachers and school-mates who all were badly frightened at the tempest which had been raised and begged her to do Mr. Twirl's bidding. But the irate Daisy paid no heed, and strode in stormy sil- ence to Mr. Twirl's apartment. Once there, in spite of the whispered pleadings of her allies and good comrades, she steadily refused to read any apology writ- ten by Mr. Twirl, or indeed any apology whatever now, declar- ing that she had been in the right throughout. "Then," said Mr. Twirl losing all control over his temper under the taunts of his pupil, "You may pack your books, Miss Zorlange, and go home." Daisy with a mocking curtsey complied. Miss Torrendycke, well knowing that the rules had been over-stepped by others as well as Daisy, tried hard to prevent the carrying away of Daisy's books, but all to no purpose. The girl was firm in her determination to quit the school. As might have been expected, Mr. Kingsley was furious when he learned that his favorite had been expelled from school. Mr. Twirl had indeed exceeded his authority in the matter, the power to expel any student being vested in the school board alone. Mr. Twirl called upon Daisy at her home and apologized, begging her to return to the school, and Miss Torrendycke did the same, but the girl was not to be persuaded, and remained at home. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 221 The pleadings of Mr. Kingsley were especially ineffective, and the result was that the school board, in special session, gave both Mr. Twirl and Miss Torrendycke their "conge," telling them that their resignations were expected to be handed in, be- fore the close of the term. And so it came about that Daisy Zorlange quitted the High School in apparent disgrace and did not graduate with the re- mainder of her class. 222 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE TWENTY-SEVENTH. "THE MAIDEN is NOT DEAD BUT SLEEPETH." Daisy and Willis felt themselves so to speak, alone. Virginia and Howard were both gone, and it required all the comfort to be derived from the new tie that bound them to each other, to enable Daisy to bear the unaccustomed absence of those dear friends whom she had been in the habit of seeing daily for the past three years. Willis and she, however, were almost constantly together. And when Willis left her after a long happy evening spent in her company and did not return, Daisy could only wonder and wait. At length she plucked up sufficient courage to call at the St. Aubyn mansion. The family, she was told were all absent from the city. But Saunders, Willis's groom showed her through the house, and told her that Willis had been sent for some unknown reason to the house of a distant relative, and this without warning, and that from thence he was to go direct to college without first re- turning home. It was not Daisy's habit to confide in servants except in the case of her old nurse, Janet; but Saunders, she knew stood in much the same place to Willis that Janet did to herself; and while they were in Willis's own particular room which spoke so plainly not only of its occupant but of herself as well, she told the faithful fellow all her sorrow. Saunders was puzzled. It was so utterly foreign to his young master's nature to do a cruel act that he felt and com- forted Daisy with the assurance that there was a mistake some- where, saying that he himself would secure Willis's address and write to him for an explanation. Time passed on, and Daisy, always delicate and frail in body, pined and grew thin and pale. The summer had passed and with the Autumn the summer wanderers returned. Then Daisy once more ventured to seek comfort for her sinking heart by calling again at the St. Aubyn 's. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 223 Some instinct told her that Willis was innocent of all de- ception toward her, and that the misunderstanding was one of his mother's creating. So she sent in her card to that lady and requested a personal interview. Nothing loath, Mrs. St. Aubyn descended to the reception room to at once put an end to this silly little romance of her favorite son, with one whom she chose to believe an Intrigante. "The girl is certainly very lovely," was her thought as Daisy's sweet, sorrowful gaze met her own. And the girl ad- vanced with slow, unsteady grace to meet her. Daisy made known her errand in a few words. "I am Willis St. Aubyn 's betrothed," she said: "He left me without bidding me 'adieux.' I have called here to request his present address that I may write and ask an explanation from him. ' ' Mrs. St. Aubyn refused. She abused Daisy in no measured terms. Daisy's only answer to all was: "But we love each other. We cannot live without each other." But Mrs. St. Aubyn was inexorable. She grew more and more unreasonably bitter toward the offender, as she chose to consider Daisy. Both were standing where they had exchanged greetings, Daisy with downcast eyes and Mrs. St. Aubyn gesticulating violently. Neither had noticed the entrance of the Governor who was about to interfere saying: "Why my dear, what possible objection can you have to my friend, Emil Zorlange's pretty daughter?" When in answer to Mrs. St. Aubyn 's cruel and final denial Daisy raised her beautiful eyes so full of agony that the lady herself started forward as if to undo her work. All too late ! Daisy without a single cry or moan, but with that terrible look in her eyes threw up her hands with the palms outward, and fell backward upon the floor. At this moment before either of the terror-stricken occupants of the room could move or speak, the door was thrown suddenly open and Willis and Saunders stood upon the threshhold. "So" The question was hissed rather than spoken, "So you have killed her at last, my tender little Blossom? I knew that you would between you." Then followed a volley of bitter re- proachful words which stung his listeners to the quick. His 224 LA GRAN QUIBIRA mother literally quailed beneath the lash of his furious words. ''Remember Willis, that it is your mother to whom you are speaking," expostulated Governor St. Aubyn. "My mother," repeated Willis scornfully. "There lies all that is best within me, stricken down by the ruthless hand of my mother. A mother's action truly. "No" he cried passionately, ' ' I have no mother. I repudiate her. And you ? What have you to say to your own cowardly conduct toward this unoffending child whom you knew to be dearer to me than my own soul 's wel- fare. A trust betrayed, a life blighted, and a beautiful spirit done to death. No. I am one bereaved of all that is dear to me. Father, mother and home I have none, from the moment I leave this house with my murdered bride." "No," he said sternly in answer to tears and protestations. "When my dead is restored to life, I may forgive, but not until then." As Willis raised the prostrate form of his idol from the floor and placed it upon a sofa, Governor St. Aubyn led or rather carried, his wife from the room in violent hysterics. "Saunders, lend a hand, will you," he called. But Saunders simply rang the bell for Mrs. St. Aubyn 's maid, and said with cutting emphasis: "My master needs me most." The doctor was hastily summoned. Willis halted him in the hallway saying: "Let Mrs. St. Aubyn and her hysterics wait for once, doctor. Here is one who needs your services more." And Mrs. St. Aubyn did wait. Doctor Winthrop after a long examination of Daisy said: "She is dead. There is no hope." Then he left the house where Mrs. St. Aubyn waited in vain for his coming, and rode forward in his gig to break the sorrowful news to Emil Zorlange, that his beautiful young daughter, his only hope and joy in life had been suddenly stricken dead by heart disease, while Willis and Saunders followed more slowly in the carriage with the body of the young girl. The grief of Emil Zorlange for the loss of the one who was all that was dear to him in life was something fearful to witness, and at times> it aroused Willis from the stupor into which it had plunged him. Then he would go to the bereaved father and em- brace him tenderly telling him all that Daisy had been to him. This done he would again return to his seat to fight out his own A MUSICAL M.YSTERY 225 battle in silence, seeming to take note of nothing that was pass- ing around him. So the day passed and twilight was deepening about them, when Willis was aroused. Daisy had been robed for burial and lay as if sleeping upon a snowy couch at the upper end of the long suite of rooms. The candles were lighted about her, for al- though Emil Zorlange belonged to no Sect that made this the custom, yet somehow it seemed appropriate to the occasion. Throughout the live-long day Willis had sat, as I said, in a strange bewilderment trying to realize the terrible fate that had befallen him, and to gain courage with which to meet it bravely. There was no false sentiment in the lad, tender and true as was his heart. He did not say: "I will die. I cannot live without her. ' ' He knew that he was young and strong and would in all probability live to that good old age that most of his family attained. But how to face these long years of loneliness without the companionship of the gentle, loving Daisy, with whom all of his hopes of future happiness were inter-twined was the question which puzzled and bewildered him. * ' Life without Daisy. ' ' The thought appalled him. No one disturbed him except at first. They left him to fight out his battle alone and gain courage to face his desolate future. They said: "Never mind him, he sees nothing." And went on with their mournful duties as if he were ncl, present. As in a dream he saw them prepare his loved one for the grave. Physicians came and went. And he somehow reaUzed that their verdict was always against him. Among them he noticed as in a dream a stranger a tall, thin angular young man who seemed to differ always from the rest, and in a vague sort of a way Willis came to regard him as his one friend among them all. The twilight deepened. All went their way with the one ex- cepucn of this raw-boned stranger who bent almost constantly over the lifeless form of the young girl, who lay like Beauty asleep upon a bed of roses. Suddenly the stranger raised himself, cast a hurried look around, then came slowly toward the crouchine, grief -stricken form at the end of the long apartment and said impressively: "The damsel is not dead but sleepeth." This he repeated thrice before the full significance of the 226 LA GRAN QUIBIRA words penetrated with any meaning to the dulled senses of the lad. Then the stranger, taking both his hands into his own, spoke to him earnestly for a time ; and to the purpose, for Willis sprang up alive as it seemed to him for the first time since lie hail beheld Dais.v lying stricken to death by his own mother's hand; and questioned the stranger eagerly. "Remember that I cannot say with absolute certainty," said the Ltr&nger. "But it is my belief that I can restore her to you. But remember too that I cannot promise this unless 1 can be aided by strong and firm Lands." Willis took a hasty turn about the apartment and as he jia&sed he stooped and for the first time since they had parted, kissed her lips. For all day he had said: "This is not Daisy. Daisy has gone." Then he came back to the side of the stranger and with a smile held out his hand saying: "I am of iron, of tempered steel. Try me." "Take a walk in the open air for a block or two, and tnke some refreshment as well. ' ' ' ' And you ? ' ' The stranger's face flushed a little, and Willis eyeing him keenly seemed to understand. The young man all alive now to the situation stepped into another apartment and gave some hur- ried orders. That portion of the house was then cleared of all save their own two selves, Janet, and Saunders whose assistance they re- quired, and upon whose secrecy they could rely in case of failure. Then Janet served strong coffee, bread and meats. "I have not broken my fast before this for forty-eight hours," said the stranger with another flush. Willis laughed a little, then drawing the gaunt face down to his own, kissed the stranger after that boyish fashion of his, and whispered : ' ' All that sort of thing is over now, my brother. ' ' When all was made ready, the doors were carefully barred against intrusion and everything arranged. Daisy's body was removed to an easy chair, a dressing gown thrown over the habilaments of the grave, and the curtains drop- ped over that portion of the suite of rooms which suggested aught of death. Saunders stood guard over the bolted doors lest any sound from without should reach those ears which were about A MUSICAL MYSTERY 227 to be awakened from deafness of death, and Janet stood near at hand with all necessary appliances, while Dr. Van Val- kenburg, having bared the arms of both to the shoulders, opened the veins of each and infused into those of Daisy the healthy blood of her devoted lover. Then he and Janet drew back out of sight and awaited the issue with bated breath. This was marvelous. They had scarcely gained their places when Daisy's eyes slowly opened, and rested in astonishment upon those of her smiling fiance. But so terrible was the anguish of this look which had been caught and held, as it were, by that death-stroke, that it was with difficulty Willis re- pressed a cry of horror, and answered with an encouraging smile. "A pretty way to receive me, is it not, Little Sleepy-Head? And that after not writing to me once during all these months absence. I felt compelled to run away in the middle of my school-term to find out what was the matter with you." And Daisy never knew that the letter of explanation of Willis's hurried flight which he had entrusted to his father to be delivered to her, but which Mrs. St. Aubyn had persuaded him to give to her to destroy instead, declaring that Willis's lady- love was an impossible person for their son to wed, had not sim- ply been lost. And Willis thought "What if that terrible look had been indelibly impressed upon that sweet face as a testimony against his mother upon the Judgment Day," but he only smiled into the questioning eyes and answered teasingly all that her questioning lips asked of him. Daisy did not then nor ever after know of the many hours which had been a blank to her. Willis said : "I found you in a dead faint, a pretty way in which to greet my return and the nearest physician was sum- moned to bring you to a proper regard for yourself and your betrothed. He is a total stranger to you, but you must bid him welcome for he is the very best fellow alive and is my brother." ' ' And mine, ' ' said Daisy, and she put up her lips, and taking the Doctor's face between her hands, kissed him after the foreign fashion, saying in acknowledgment of Willis's intro- duction of Dr. Herman Van Valkenburg: "Mein Herman, Mein." ' ' Truly, ' ' said the young doctor : ' ' Truly my lines have fal- len in pleasant places. We reach Paradise only through patient 228 LA GRAN QUIBIRA suffering, but it is worth more of this than I have undergone to have been brought to you, my children." Then Daisy's eyes closed in sleep, and the Doctor nodded approvingly to the young man saying: "That is well. She is now out of all danger." ' ' And now, ' ' said 'Willis, ' ' If you will dress my arm, I will send you to finish your day's good work by going to make my peace with my mother." "Your arm," cried the Doctor in horror: "Why surely I could not have left it uncared for for so long a time. ' ' "No matter," was the answer. "I am young and strong and a little blood-letting will not hurt me. Besides I wound my handkerchief tightly about it at the first. ' ' But Dr. Van Valkenburg looked very grave. "I trust that you may not suffer through my neglect. In watching over the one precious life, I forgot the second so indispensable to it. ' ' The wound carefully dressed, Willis begged him to go to his parents at once, telling him frankly all that had passed at his home upon that terrible morning. The doctor just as frankly confessed his own impoverished condition, as an objection to his presenting himself at the St. Aubyn House at that late hour. Willis was wise beyond his years. Grasping the situation at once he called to Saunders and bade him accompany Dr. Van Valkenburg to his own tailor, and have him duly equipped for the mission. All objections were over-ruled and an hour later Dr. Van Valkenburg was closeted with Governor St. Aubyn, and later in- troduced into Mrs. St. Aubyn 's chamber; and, oddly enough, he and that proud lady took a mutual liking each to the other, and that liking deepened and found strength and lasted throughout their future lives. After he had presented Willis's apology to his humbled mother, telling her that he would spend the night watching over his betrothed, and would return home in the morning to make his peace with her in person, the doctor sat down near her bed- side to note the effects of the opiate which he had just ad- ministered to her. The door opened to admit the two eldest Misses St. Aubyn, who had been absent throughout the entire A MUSICAL MYSTERY 229 day, and in returning had come to bid their mother "Good night. ' ' ' ' The delay was unavoidable, Mammy. We had driven out to the Hills, and when we returned the telegram had been sent after us, and in consequence it was hours before we could ascer- tain its contents. As soon as we found that it was a summons home, we took the first train, and here we are." This breezy girl of the period, Caroline St. Aubyn, with her satins and jewels, and dashing, half-masculine manners was a revelation and a pleasing revelation at that, to the German doc- tor with his stiff old-fashioned, courtly manners, which, mixed with professional brusquerie, were widely different from those of this nineteenth century American young lady. It was evident that Caroline St. Aubyn was aware of the somewhat wondering admiration that she excited. When Mrs. St. Aubyn fretfully demanded that one of her daughters should read her to sleep, the doctor awoke from his astonishment and ordered the two girls from the room with true professional abruptness, declaring that he himself would have the honor to read aloud to Mrs. St. Aubyn that night, and Caro- line and Grace, who listened for a time outside the door, averred that they had never heard so musical a rendering of Goethe and Schiller as was given by this raw-boned German doctor. 230 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE TWENTY-EIGHTH. "SWEET SPIRIT, HEAR MY PRAYER." His new patient now asleep, the doctor was shown through all the upper chambers of the house by the worshipping Saun- ders, that he might choose from among them the apartment which suited him best. The belief was firmly fixed in the mind of Wil- lis 's valet that this German, with his strongly marked and rugged features, was nothing short of a Prophet who had wrought a mir- acle in his very presence. But of all the rooms in the house, all of which the Governor had declared were at his service, Dr. Van Valkenburg chose to sleep in Willis's own chamber at least for that night. His taste was gratified more by its simple fur- nishings than by the elegance of the rest of the house. The doctor prowled about, delighted with what he saw. In everything were indications of the boy's purity of thought and habit, and the source of their inspiration. Searching for a book, that he might read a quiet chapter be- fore retiring, the doctor found upon the book shelves only the good and true and beautiful, while heaped upon the floor of the closet in which he had found a pair of gorgeously embroidered slippers that fitted even his long extremities, (there were slip- pers here of all sizes and patterns, for, as Saunders explained, the sisters bestowed each a pair at Christmas upon their brothers without regard to anything but the decorations) he found "Camille" and like literature cast aside with most of the leaves still uncut. Upon retiring he found, looking down upon him from the wall, at the foot of the snowy bed, a beautiful full- length portrait of Daisy Zorlange, whose presence seemed to per- vade everything in the apartment like some sweet holy spirit whose presence is felt without being seen; and by its side, the frames intertwined by a wreath of flowers and joined by a true lover's knot, was one of Willis himself. Saunders served the doctor with a hot brandy sling, and as he regaled himself, told anecdotes of the young lovers. Saunders rejoiced greatly that his young master had found this friend and ally, and when watching later he saw the gaunt, long-limbed A MUSICAL MYSTERY 231 German kneel beside his bed and pray like a little child, he thanked God once more that He had raised up for the children to whom he was so devoted, this new friend. Next morning the doctor accompanied Willis upon a sort of state call upon his mother. This over, the two visited the Gover- nor in his private office. Willis, as in duty bound, offered a suitable apology for the hard words he had used the previous day. But his father knew that had not Daisy Zorlange been restored to life by a miracle, as it were a miracle wrought by this stranger in spite of the opposi- tion of the other physicians, he would have lost his son as well. ' ' My son, ' ' he said, ' ' I very much regret the breach of trust of which you accused me. I admit my guilt. But these you know are troublous times and matters of state press heavily upon me. I had quite forgotten your predeliction for the lovely little Daisy, and did not even look at the name upon your letter of explana- tion, so that when your mother represented you as the victim of some designing damsel, I supposed she knew whereof she spoke, and after some urging I gave the letter to her. But now I most earnestly entreat you to pardon me for this and all other acts of mine that have made you unhappy." Peace and good- will once more established, Willis said: "I am under age, and have come to ask your consent to my im- mediate marriage with Daisy Zorlange." The Governor demurred, and used every argument he could think of to dissuade him from his purpose ; but Willis was firm and would not be turned aside. ' ' I will not risk another separa- tion. Another misunderstanding might prove her death. " And when appeal was made to him, Dr. Van Valkenburg sided with the younger man. ' ' There is danger to the maiden in even the dread of another separation. They are very young it is true, but their affections are so firmly fixed upon each other that it seems to me it would be an unnecessary cruelty to deny the demand." The Governor with a heavy sigh gave a reluctant consent under condition that the children make their home with him. To this Willis objected. But he was overruled in turn, and under the promise that the portion of the house which might re- mind Daisy of what she had been with difficulty persuaded was 232 LA GRAN QUIBIRA a mere nightmare, should be altered, that she might not recognize it, and that they be permitted to take for their domicile that part of the mansion in which his own apartments were now situated that is to say the upper floor and be cut off by a second door- way from the remainder of the house, the matter was settled. [END OF ACT i.] A CELEBRATED TREE IN BIBLE HISTORY. [Courtesy of The Pictoria A MUSICAL MYSTERY 233 ACT II. CANTO THE FIRST. "SO MERRILY CHIME THE WEDDING BELLS/' There was a quiet noonday wedding. After the services at the church, Willis took his young bride home. The upper floor of the St. Aubyn mansion had been fitted up in luxurious style for her reception, and even the Governor, who objected to the plan, confessed that this was the handsomest portion of the house. Daisy was extremely shy and childish in many ways. The morning after the wedding she and Willis came down to the breakfast room to find the remainder of the family already at table. Daisy looked about her rather frightened at meeting quiz- zical smiles upon every side, she turned and shyly hid her face upon Willis's breast. But a whispered word from him caused her to raise herself with an assumption of matronly dignity that was very pretty to see. Then seating herself at the table she plied her knife and fork with such dainty grace as to attract the approving attention of Mrs. St. Aubyn, who could never teach her two youngest daughters to be anything but angular and awkard in wielding their table implements. She questioned Wil- lis as to where his young wife could have acquired her dainty skill? Willis stared a little, then smiled and said: "That sort of thing comes naturally to some people you know," and Mrs. St. Aubyn glanced with a sigh toward her own daughters, wondering why this gift had not been bestowed upon them as well. Daisy heeded none of this by-play but went on with her breakfast delighting Pounds, the butler, who always presided over each meal, by innocently asking for the table-sauces to which she had been accustomed, never suspecting the absence from the table of what she considered necessary adjuncts to the salad she was deftly compounding. All the time Daisy was casting shy and wondering glances 234 LA GRAN QUIBIBA from beneath her curling eyelashes at Herbert and Caroline St. Aubyn whom she had not before met, they having been detained from the wedding ceremony by a railway accident that befell the train upon which they were making their way home from a visit to some relatives in the far East, and who were now improving their acquaintance with their young sister-in-law by making 'Moues' at her from the opposite side of the breakfast table, at the farther end where sat the Governor and Doctor Van Valken- burg deep in some political discussion of the day. All at once it dawned upon Daisy's mind that these unusual demonstrations were merely meant as friendly overtures and she flashed back at them one of those rarely beautiful smiles which were wont to dazzle all, and which had the effect of making the two who were teasing her cast a hasty look of wonder into each other 's eyes and cause Herbert to hastily shade his eyes, as from the intolerable glare of a dazzling sunbeam. Then seeing that the young girl was frightened by their actions, both hastened to reassure her by encouraging smiles and kisses thrown from their places which were too remote to admit of conversation without interrupting the discussion between the Governor and his new-found friend, who however lost nothing of this pretty pantomime and rejoiced much that Daisy had found friends among the St. Aubyn family. After breakfast Herbert and Caroline laid in wait for Willis and his bride in the corridor and drew them into a pretty parlor near by, for the purpose, as they declared, of "Getting ac- quainted with their new sister." Caroline folded the young wife close to her heart, saying: ' ' Oh, Willis, how I thank you for bringing so sweet and lovely a creature to us. She is like a fresh mountain breeze or a dazzling bit of sunshine. I was just at that stage of "ennui" where if some change in the monotony of my existence had not been made, I dare say I should have committed another impropriety. Oh, you need not fear," she added seeing Willis's anxious look. "I only required a new sensation to quell my propensity for evil and you have given this to me in Daisy. Who could think of evil deeds with those sweet eyes upon them ? Not I, at least. ' ' And she kissed the happy young bride again and yet again, until Her- bert expostulated, saying that she was very selfish to absorb all their new sister's attention and demanded his own right to salute the fair bride. Daisy drew back startled from his kiss, gazing at him with A MUSICAL MYSTERY 235 wide reproachful eyes as she said, "Thou hast been drinking, brother," then flushed deeply as she hesitatingly added: "But of course thou must be ill." "Yes," replied Herbert. "I have been ill. Very ill indeed. But I am cured now. You shall never shrink from me again, Little Sunbeam, because you scent liquor on my breath. From this time I eschew the habit." "Do you mean it brother?" questioned Willis anxiously, as Daisy with a pretty apology turned again to Caroline whom with her customary tendency to rechristen everything and everybody, she called "Carlie." "But Herbert," repeated Willis. "Did you really and truly mean to promise what you said just now 1 ' ' "I did indeed," he said again. "If the smell of liquor is distasteful to my lovely little sister, I will not so offend her again, for I hope to kiss those rosy lips many times that is, if you do not jealously object. By Jove ! That was the pithiest temper- ance lecture I ever received. But Willis, to what heights did you climb from which to pluck that bit of ' ' Idelweiss 1 ' ' "I found it upon my own level," was the smiling reply. "Daisy and I are too firmly knitted together for me to have any room for jealousy. So you may kiss her as much as you like, and she permits. I am very pleased that she should have found friends in you and Caroline. She will need them here I fear. Mammy is so unreasonably prejudiced against her, and Grace and Dell are so tied to Mammy's apronstrings that I am afraid they will make life unpleasant to her here." "Never fear, old boy. Mammy is a sensible woman in spite of her many foibles, and take my word for it, she cannot hold out against Daisy's winning ways for long. Believe me, things will right themselves in time. You have been such a good and just brother to me throughout all this period of disgrace that I can- not but prophesy good to you in return." "Thank you, Herbert," said Willis, grasping and warmly pressing his brother's hand. "I felt that it ill became your younger brother to reproach you for what I could well perceive was but the sowing of your legitimate crop of ' ' Wild Oats, ' ' and not the establishing of a lifelong evil habit." And he raised his lips for the kiss which it was the quaint, odd habit of the male 236 LA GRAN QUIBIRA members of the St. Aubyn family to exchange a custom which sat well upon them where it would have seemed ridiculous in others. Caroline sent for garden hats and cushions and the four spent the greater part of the day in the grounds, having their lunch served in the arbor and cemented the life-long love that sprang up between the brother and sister and Willis's bride. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 237 CANTO THE SECOND. "A MARRIED ' DEBUTANTE.' " It was the habit of Governor St. Aubyn, besides the custom- ary levees, to give a grand ball each year. This was usually at the close of the Season. But this year Mrs. St. Aubyn declared that it should occur at the commencement of the Winter's festivi- ties, combining with the ball the expected wedding reception, for Daisy's health had made quiet necessary and the customary reception had been long delayed. "What will you wear?" asked Mrs. St. Aubyn of Daisy, who answered mischievously: "My wedding dress, to be sure, veil, orange-blossoms and all." "The veil! How absurd," said Mrs. St. Aubyn. But Daisy persisted; nor would she permit her mother-in- law to see the alterations she was making in the costume. And when she found that the good lady was much exercised over the matter, she swore Mrs. St. Aubyn 's maid, whom she had im- pressed into service to secrecy. "Do not worry about Daisy's toilette, Mammy. Daisy is proverbial for her good taste in dress," comforted Willis. "She is certain to be the best dressed lady in the rooms." Mrs. St. Aubyn heaved a sigh of relief and of pleased ad- miration, when Daisy made her appearance upon the night of the grand ball, and in answer to Daisy's roguish question of: "Will my dress do, Mrs. St. Aubyn?" She stooped and for the first time kissed the forehead of the lovely "Debutante," saying: "Both you and your dress are faultlessly beautiful, my dear." Daisy had indeed, as she had threatened, donned all of her wedding paraphernalia, but had not, as Mrs. St. Aubyn dreaded, had the bad taste to wear the obnoxious veil as a veil, but had converted it into a most stylish over-skirt looped up and held in place by the proverbial orange-blossoms, while her hair, upon which she had intimated that she would wear the wreath of the same blossoms, was adorned only by a pin or two of pearl, while upon her throat and wrists were twisted innumerable strands of the same costly gems. 238 LA GRAN QUIBIRA Mrs. St. Aubyn, noting for the first time the extreme rich- ness of the costume and ornaments, thought that the whole costly dress must have been the present of the Governor himself, and no one took the trouble to enlighten her upon this point. When Mrs. St. Aubyn offered to drill Daisy in the part she was expected to take in this, her first society ball, Willis had promptly interfered, saying: "Daisy's simple manners are per- fect. I will not have them spoiled by that self -consciousness which would be the inevitable result of your proposed drill." So Daisy took her station by the side of Mrs. St. Aubyn, in unschooled innocence of the requirements of "Polite Society." Daisy only committed two serious blunders during the even- ing, although Mrs. St. Aubyn had more than once looked horri- fied during the state reception, and introductions to the bride, which Daisy acknowledged in her own original way. When Howard Gould was announced, Daisy stepped for- ward to meet her old friend and put up her lips for the accus- tomed kiss, for Howard had been absent for many months and Daisy had not seen him since his return ; and Howard, who would rather have offended the sensibilities of the whole fashionable world, than to have caused Daisy one single pang of mortifica- tion, kissed her in a matter-of-fact manner and stepped forward to where Willis stood to offer him his congratulations. Mrs. St. Aubyn drew back greatly horrified at this direlic- tion from good manners and good taste, and to screen her from that tell-tale look upon her mother's face, Caroline stepped into her place at Daisy's side. Lady Blanksmere, the lioness par-excellence of the evening, who had fallen in love with the young bride, whom she declared to be "The loveliest creature the sun ever shone upon," and who had begged the privilege of stationing herself near the family that she might the better watch the ever-changing expression upon the sweet face, laughed outright, saying to Mrs. St. Aubyn, with an indulgent smile; "A relative of our Little Beauty, I presume," and Mrs. St. Aubyn assented. Daisy glanced hastily around, feeling that she must have committed an impropriety; but every one smiled encouragingly and she heaved a self-satisfied little sigh, as she turned to re- spond to the greeting of another new comer. This was too much for Caroline's self-control, and she drew hastily back lest Daisy should be mortified by her evident amuse- A MUSICAL MYSTERY 239 ment. Dr. Herman met her, smiling too, as he said : " I am glad that our frail little blossom of a bride has found a friend in you, Miss St. Aubyn. You are fond of her I see. ' ' ' ' I love Daisy with all my heart, ' ' replied Caroline heartily. "She is like a breath of warm Sunshine to me. I was in a sad state of rebellion when she came to us, and would probably have committed some indiscretion as I am wont to do. But now I never tire. I find plenty of occupation in watching and study- ing her sweet character. And," she added with a blush, "I am wondering what that indiscretion would have been, had I been left to commit it. ' ' All went on smoothly enough until Mrs. Cavendish and her niece, Lillian, were announced. Then Daisy after a state courtsey to the elder lady put out both hands to Lillian, exclaiming: "Oh, how beautiful thou art. Thou art certainly the most beautiful woman in all the world." Lillian Cavendish acknowledged this rather openly expressed compliment, leaving Daisy with the crestfallen impression upon her, of "having put her foot in it" for the second time. The ball was an immense success. How it came about that the dashing Captain Frazer, with whose name that of Caroline St. Aubyn had been somewhat scandalously associated, came to be present did not transpire. He had not been invited to the reception ball; yet there he was. Possibly he had thought it a public levee, and now he had the audacity to pay open court to Miss St. Aubyn, and through her to ask an introduction to the younger Mrs. St. Aubyn. This could not of course be refused, but the hot blood mantled her face at the lustful glances he cast upon her young sister, and Caroline understood for the first time what a narrow escape she had had from his wooing. Catching the grave and reverent expression in the eyes of Dr. Van Valkenburg Caroline crossed over to him wondering how the dashing Captain could ever have gained the influence over her he had possessed in former days, which had well-nigh worked her social ruin. "The brute," she said aside. "How dare he cast such a look upon our sweet Daisy ? ' ' The ball was a grand success. Emil Zorlange was at his daughter's wedding ball, and all there were charmed with his erudition and old-fashioned Court manners. Lady Blanksmere 240 LA GEAN QUIBIBA discovered in him an old friend of her youthful days, and kept him as much as possible by her side with loud praises of his daughter's grace and beauty. Mrs. St. Aubyn was in a maze of wonder at the unqualified admiration excited by her daughter-in-law, whom she really hated, and with whom she still thought her favorite son had con- tracted a "mesalliance." Yet she had tried hard not to show this aversion to Daisy herself; having been warned of the harm it would do her should Daisy suspect that the tragedy in which she had taken so prominent a part, had been a reality, instead of the dream she had been convinced that it was. This had worked a vast improvement in the elder Mrs. St. Aubyn 's temper. Daisy proved herself a model hostess. She was seen every- where and I think there was no one in these crowded rooms that she could not call by name, for that was one of the subtle flatter- ies used by her that she never forgot the personality of others. She laughed and chatted with all ; winning golden laurels for her- self; and best of all she was indefatigable in providing part- ners in the dance for the wall-flowers. There was one young lady, however, who resisted all her cajoleries and sat in sullen discontent bolt upright against the wall. Daisy had gone to her several times, and had watched her from a distance. At length the problem seemed to solve itself, and the puzzled cloud cleared from her face; then to their amazement, Willis and Howard Gould, who stood together watching as usual every movement of the one whom they loved so devotedly, saw Daisy deliberately cross the room and stealing softly up behind Georgia Sheldon, the sullen young lady, pull out the comb that held her mass of tawny hair in place ; then whispering to her the two left the ball- room together, Georgia looking as if she would like the floor to open and swallow her, so great was her confusion and chagrin at the mishap. Willis said angrily: "I never knew Daisy to do a really un- kind act before. ' ' "Nor I," echoed Howard; but added, seeing the angry frown upon Willis's brow. "Do not be unkind to her because of it, Willis. Remember that she has been ill and cannot bear cor- rection, from you at least. Besides," with a sort of inspiration, "Who knows that she did not mean in some way to be kind to poor Georgia?" A MUSICAL MYSTERY 241 But the scowl only deepened upon Willis's face; he could find no excuse for the action. More than one smiled at the contrast as the two girls left the ball-room in company Daisy was so fair and sweet a creature to look upon, so full of graceful unconsciousness ; while Georgia seemed by contrast so awkward, and so gawky and ill at ease. When they quitted the ball-room, the two made their way up to Mrs. St. Aubyn's dressing-room, for Daisy wanted the assis- tance of Hortense in her scheme to 'make over' this gawky young woman into something attractive and pretty. Daisy had always an eye for possibilities, and she recognized those she saw in Georgia Sheldon, who if not really handsome, was yet of ex- tremely good form and carriage. "Thou couldst not have chosen a more unbecoming color than that gray satin, which is, however, wonderfully rich in tex- ture and handsomely made." "It was Grandma's fault. She calls me her 'Ugly Duckling' and says that it does not matter what I wear. I thought I should die of shame when I found that I was the only dowdy in the room. It is my first ball. I am just out of school, you know, and am not up to these things yet. I had anticipated great pleasure, but it was all spoiled by my consciousness of being unbecomingly dressed. I would not for the world have gone upon the floor, and I am so found of dancing. ' ' ' ' And I '11 wager that thou art the best dancer in the rooms, ' ' replied Daisy, as she tucked up the offending gray satin to short dancing length. "And thou only wantest a little livening up to make thee the best dressed girl there as well. I promise thee that when thou comest out from under my hands thou wilt be as eager to display thyself, as thou wert to hide before." She draped a black lace scarf loosely over the shining grey with al- most magic effect, while she said: "Hortense, what a wealth of hair. Do it up very high, a la Pompadour, with one loose ringlet at the left side and it will be superb. And now for the flowers. What will be the most becoming to her mixed with those scarlet geraniums which are too gaudy by themselves? Ah, I have it. Cut me some sprigs of purple heliotrope, Hortense." But at this Hortense rebelled. "Ze purple and ze red," she argued, "Zat is ze taste abominable." "Do as thou art bidden, Hortense, and keep still. I should like to see that person who has the audacity to question my good 242 LA GRAN QUIBIRA taste in dress, and I say that nothing will relieve the sallowness of Miss Sheldon's complexion but the blending of these two colors. ' ' And Hortense obeyed with a suggestive shrug of the should- ers, while Georgia looked alarmed, and instead of noting the effect of her adornment in the mirror she stared at that anomaly of those times, "The French Maid" to note the effect upon that brown and wizened face. But she was none the wiser for that, for Hortense stood in a highly dramatic posture, her eyes half shut, her head on one side, and her lips puckered up in an incred- ulous smile, while she hissed through her teeth without unclosing them: "Ze red and ze purple. It is abominable." At this Daisy only laughed while she knotted several bunches of the flowers together, and as she expressed it: "Just 'tossed' them carelessly over Georgia," catching them here and there over the completed toilette. Then she said: "Now thou wilt be just perfect when thou hast lighted up ; but that thou must do thyself. Look into the mirror. Thou wilt never accom- plish the purpose by staring at that fright of a Hortense, who is simply green with jealousy at my superior taste which is purely Yankee and not French. ' ' Hortence murmured through her clinched teeth : " It is what you call it. It is marvelous. It is ze fairy fingers zat you have. No mortal could so combine ze colors. Ze purple and ze red, bah." Georgia looked into the mirror as she was bidden and "lit up." A smile of real pleasure gave alP that was lacking to the tout ensemble. The two then made their way back to the ball- room, Georgia looking as little like the dowdyish young lady who had left it a short half-hour before, in a fit of the sulks, as could well be imagined. The cloud lifted suddenly from Willis St. Aubyn's brow as the two re-entered the ball-room, and he and Howard exchanged smiles of mingled amusement and relief. ' ' I might have known, ' ' said Willis, ' ' that Daisy was incap- able of an unkind act. I suppose that it was a 'Dernier resort.' Howard you are more worthy of her than I, evil-minded wretch that I am. But come. It is easy to interpret that beseeching look. Daisy wishs now to show off her protege. Come ! ' ' and the A MUSICAL MYSTERY 243 two hastened forward. Inspecting Georgia's tablet Willis said: "Ah! The next number is a waltz. I am very sorry, but Dr. Van Valkenburg has forbidden me the round dances for the night, so I must be contented with the next quadrille," and he wrote his name against that number. "Which happily leaves the waltz free for me. And I feel myself equal to innumerable whirls," said Howard, and the two spun away together. "They are by all odds the two best dancers in the room," admitted Willis. "What a miracle you worked in that girl's be- half, Daisy. How did you manage it?" But Daisy flatly refused to reveal any of the secrets of the feminine toilet, and said: "How beautifully they step together. She is such a charming girl that I do hope Howard will fall in love with her. ' ' ' ' See here Daisy. I know you are an inveterate match-maker but I beg that you will not offend our old friend by selecting any- one for him. At least not just yet. You see, ' ' he added, noting her air of resolution, "Howard has just had a disappointment in love, and is extremely sore upon that question at present. ' ' "I do not believe it," was Daisy's response, "Why Howard never has looked at any girl but me, and of course ' ' She stop- ped and gazed into the face of Willis in sudden alarm. And the expression she met there answered her plainer than words could have done. "Yes," said Willis at length. "I would not have told you but I feared that you might wound him further by urging some sweetheart upon him." Daisy laughed, "Thou art too absurd, Willis. Howard never in his life made love to me. Thou art too vain by half. But I will not say one word to him of Georgia Sheldon or any other girl if thou dost not wish me to, for fear ," and she laughed again archly. The ball was a grand success. The young married couple, "The Debutantes" as Daisy christened herself and Willis, were the successes of the evening. Everywhere one heard them praised for their beauty, grace and brightness. When Daisy had been relieved from the duty of receiving her guests, she had searched the rooms until she found Lillian Cavendish, and finding her seated alone she had gone to her re- 244 LA GRAN QUIBIRA peating : ' ' Thou art certainly the most beautiful of created be- ings. But I did not catch thy name. Please tell it me." And when told, she said: "I think I should have called thee my graceful stately 'Calla Lily' without knowing it. I do hope that thou wilt like me and be my friend." And the stately frozen Lillian thawed at once, and promised, saying that Daisy's name suited her rather better than did her own. Then there were the discussions with certain diplomats with whom the two bright children, as they were called, held their own in the arguments, and it was deemed a triumph indeed when Daisy completely routed the irascible authority, Colonel Ferris, who was as delighted with his own defeat as were the rest, and declared that he had never known so bright an intelligence com- bined with so youthful and so beautiful a face. The ball was a grand success. Late in the evening Daisy was persuaded by Caroline to improvise a theme, and she readily acquired. "My First Ball," she announced. Then gave a so perfectly rendered de- scription of the hours that has been passed, that less fortunate musicians were filled with envy and amazement, for Daisy was perfect mistress of the Piano Forte and her powers of imitation were truly wonderful. She made the greatest hit when, fixing her eyes laughingly full upon the hired pianist who had fur- nished some of the music of the evening, to point her meaning, she began to bang and thump and to make inconceivable runs. She excited the applause of all by the manner in which she copied his exact mannerisms and literally ' Out Heroded Herod. ' Great was the laughter when the pianist himself innocently com- plimented her and said that he would be the happiest man on earth if he could acquire such skill as was hers in making swift runs. Daisy was growing sleepy and ill-tempered over the long- drawn-out congratulations and adieux, and when the admiring Lady Blanksmere said to Willis : ' ' The lovely little blossom seems frail and delicate. You must take the very best of care of her lest you lose her yet. ' ' Daisy answered crossly, to the horror of the elder Mrs. St. Aubyn, who stood near; "Why don't thee bid him take care of himself. Willis is not well although no one seems to see it but me. He needs care more than I do." But Lady Blanksmere only laughed indulgently and patted her with A MUSICAL MYSTERY 245 her fan as she kissed the pouting lips "good night," repeating for the twentieth time that she was the loveliest thing she had seen since her own girlhood. There was a hot flush upon Daisy's face, and her eyes were wide and bright with excitement. After she had retired, Willis hearing her uneasy movements, went to her bedside and tried without avail to quiet her ; when in came Saunders who watched over the two as a fond nurse over her charges, bearing a glass of steaming hot punch which he insisted upon her drinking. This soon quieted her and the faithful fellow made Willis drink the second one, then took his station where he could hear every move- ment in the chamber, prepared to watch over his dear ones throughout the remainder of the night. Yes, the ball was a grand success. 246 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE THIRD. "BIRDS IN THEIR LITTLE NESTS AGREE." Next morning Daisy was up betimes, and descended to the small sitting-room near the breakfast-parlor where she sat toast- ing her feet before the fire in the open grate, deep in meditation. She was ignorant of the fact that the admiring gaze of the Gov- ernor himself was noting every change of expression that swept over her lovely features, from behind the curtains of the great bay window. Indeed the greatest charm of Daisy's beauty was her perfect unconsciousness that she possessed it. Here Willis found her a quarter of an hour later. "A penny for your thoughts, Daisy. But why did you run off from me?" "Willis," questioned Daisy abruptly, "have we that is have you any money of your own? Or are we entirely depend- ent upon your family for our support?" Willis started at her. "Why you mercenary little wretch," he teased. "I thought that birds and blossoms were exempt from all monied considerations. A penny for your thoughts upon this subject, Daisy." "But my thoughts are not to be bought for so paltry a sum. I will make thee a present of them instead. But Willis, tell me please first whether we are dependent for our support upon your Daddy? I want so much to have a home of our own." "'Why Daisy," questioned Willis anxiously: "Are you not happy here? Are they is my father not kind to you?" The Governor leaned forward in his ambuscade, and anxiously awaited her reply. "Thou art a regular Yankee, Willis. Thou answerest one question merely by asking another. ' Our ' Daddy is all kindness to me and I am very happy indeed, but I am tired to death or expect to be before the end of the season, of this unceasing toil- ing after pleasure. Thou and I, Willis, are but half educated, and I was thinking the thought really occurred to me while thou wast conversing with that great Statesman, whose name A MUSICAL MYSTERY 247 (now may I be pardoned the offense) I have quite forgotten and I have just succeeded in working it out to a satisfactory con- clusion. Thou must become a Statesman too, and follow in thy Daddy's footsteeps. Thou looked like a Greek god, Willis, when thy face lighted up with the thought to which thou wast giving expression. Surely we need not be at an intellectual stand-still because we have committed the pardonable sin of marrying young. ' ' Willis was interested, but puzzled too. "But Daisy, you surely would not have me enroll myself among the other boys at school?" "No," said Daisy. "It always did seem ridiculous to me for a married man to attend a general school; and besides, I wish to keep pace with thee in intellectual acquirements, and could not then join thee in thy studies. But there must be many highly educated professional men in this great city who would gladly undertake the task of teaching us at our home, and it is about the means of procuring that home that I have asked thee now for the third time if thou hast any money of thy own with which to secure the quiet and isolation required for serious study." ' ' I believe, ' ' said Willis, ' ' That I am the lawful possessor in my own right of ten thousand dollars. I am charmed with the idea of pursuing our studies, Daisy. But why not remain here? I think my parents will be much displeased if we do not do so." "They spoil us too much here, Willis. Thy mother would entice us into all sorts of gaieties. We must not fritter away our lives in this ceaseless round of frivolities. I feel that there is something better for us in life than that. So we will remain here to please them during all the remainder of this season, but when it is ended we will take our 'ten thousand' and make for ourselves an independent home, and fit ourselves the better to adorn society in the future." They were still discussing the momentous question when summoned to the breakfast table. The Governor followed them from the room saying: "God bless the little darling. And we came very near depriving our 248 LA GRAN QUIBIRA boy of this true and sensible helpmate. ' ' And as he entered the breakfast room he greeted Daisy with a kiss, whispering: "My best-beloved," a title which he bestowed upon her ever after. But breakfast over, Dr. Herman promptly ordered Daisy back to her own apartments, refusing to permit her to leave them for that day at least. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 249 CANTO THE FOURTH. "ECHOES FROM THE WEDDING BELLS." The day after the grand ball, Daisy was confined to her own apartments by order of Dr. Herman. In the afternoon Lillian Cavendish called, and by mistake was shown into the boudoir of Mrs. St. Aubyn Senior, to whom she apologized for her early and unceremonious call, explaining that she had come at the request of Mrs. Willis St. Aubyn because of her own hurried departure for the sunny South. Lillian, for whom Mrs. St. Aubyn had a great admiration was so warm in her praises of the young bride and was in such haste to improve her acquaintance with her that the elder Mrs. St. Aubyn began to thaw toward Willis's wife, wondering if she had not in some way been deceived in her estimate of one who had won the love not only of the stately Lillian Cavendish, for whose opinion she had the greatest reverence, but also of Lady Blanksmere, who was most exclusive in the selection of her friends, and of everybody else who had attended the ball and consequently of everybody worth knowing. She resolved to pay court herself to her son's wife and to study her well, with the really generous motive of liking Daisy if she could. And while she thus meditated, Lillian paid her visit of farewell to Daisy, in whose boudoir she found not only Willis and Howard Gould, but the Governor and Herbert St. Aubyn. The new comer had been greeted by all, when Herbert came forward claiming old acquaintanceship. Lillian drew back from the proffered hand, then was covered with confusion as he said: "You need not fear to take my hand. I am in sober earnest when I say that it is the hand of a better man than you knew me to be." There was an unqualified emphasis upon the word "sober" which caused her to cast a swift glance of surprise into his face, and the stately Lil- lian, whose manners were usually cold as polished steel, blushed deeply and held out her hand timidly as a novice might, saying in a faltering voice ; " I beg pardon. I am very pleased to meet you again, Mr. St. Aubyn." Not one item of this by-play was lost upon Daisy, who whis- 250 LA GRAN QUIBIRA pered to Willis ; ' ' Oh, how nice. Herbert and Lillian must have been lovers once. How happy I shall be if I have been the means of reuniting them." ' ' Daisy, you are an investerate match-maker. ' ' said Howard, who had caught the low-spoken words, unwittingly echoing Wil- lis's words of the previous evening, but without adding the warn- ing. "I at least have never heard of any tie between Herbert St. Aubyn and Lillian Cavendish, although they must perforce, belonging to the same society set, be old aquaintances. " Daisy's keen eyes watched the two and her keener wit sup- plied them with an opportunity for exchanging confidences. She insisted that Lillian must have a bunch of those rare white blos- soms for which they could find no name, and begged that she and Herbert would get them as she herself was not permitted to leave her own apartments. The blossoms of which she spoke were in the upper conservatory as it was called, which adjoined Daisy's own rooms. Those who were with her smiled as did she when they heard the gruff old gardener refuse them the blossoms until told by the wily Herbert that they were upon the order of the "Young Missus" herself, upon which he declared that the Young Missus was free to strip every plant in the conservatory of all its bloom whenever she chose. Lillian had made her adieux and she and Herbert passed from the conservatory down through the grounds to the south gate. Daisy's watchful eyes were upon them and as they paused at the gate she saw Herbert in the gloaming bend his head and touch his lips to those of stately Lillian, and she clapped her hands in delight and cried: "I was certain of it. And Oh! They have made up their quarrel and are engaged. How very nice. ' ' "It looks very like it," admitted Willis, laughing, "I dare say, Daisy, that it is all owing to your match-making propensi- ties. 'Misery loves company' they say. And having been en- trapped into matrimony yourself, you are anxious that others should share your misery." "I am so happy," was the reply, "that I can afford to wish all others to share with me. I wonder how it came about 1 ' ' And this is how "it came about." They, Herbert and Lillian, were speaking of Daisy. Herbert was so loud in his praises of Willis's young wife, that for the A MUSICAL MYSTERY 251 first time in her life the proud spirit of Lillian Cavendish ex- perienced a twinge of jealousy, and she said a little spitefully: "You love her so dearly that I wonder you did not marry her yourself." At any other time Herbert would have been amused. But now he answered seriously: "I would as soon think of wedding a fairy, a bright 'winged bird or a delicately perfumed flower. The love any one must feel for Daisy is much like that they would have for one of these." Then he added more seriously still: "No, Lillian, there is but one woman in this world with whom it is possible for me to marry, and she is the one whom I lost through my own folly." There had, as Daisy had suspected, been much between these two no settled engagement, but Herbert St. Aubyn had wooed yes and had won too, the beautiful Miss Cavendish, and as he had said, had lost her through his own folly. For Herbert who had got into that fast set which owned the dashing Captain Frazer as its leader, began to sow that proverbial "crop of wild oats, ' ' and to sow them all at once. He drank, gambled, had his race horse and his mistress, after their fashion. Lillian said nothing, as indeed she had no right, but when Herbert had the audacity to present himself rather more than half tipsy to escort her aunt and herself to the Opera, she rebelled and promptly sent the young man to the right about; and refused longer to receive him at the house. Soon after this quarrel she had gone to Europe. She had but lately returned from the Continent, and was about to start upon a second journey, for Lillian was restless and ill at ease. They walked for some minutes in silence. Then Lillian said softly: "And that woman is me?" "Yourself, Lillian. How I could have been so mad as to deliberately throw away all chances of future happiness, I can- not conceive. I am not the wild, dissipated fellow you think me, Lillian. But I know that having once merited your contempt I have forfeited all hope of ever winning your proud heart. You will deign to give me your friendship, will you not, when I assure you that in common parlance I have ' reformed. ' Or at least you will forgive me for that last mad act of mine which aroused your just anger against me." 252 LA GRAN QUIBIRA Miss Cavendish looked searchingly at him for a time, then the warm blood flushed to the very roots of her hair. She turned and held out both hands to him: "Herbert," she said softly, when he had confessed that after the conge she had given him, he had at first plunged more deeply into dissipation, but, wearying of it all the sooner for the excesses of which he was guilty, had dropped it, too late to win back her respect and liking. Then it was that Lillian conquered her pride and said: "Herbert, I too, have a confession to make. I had scarcely driven you away when to my mortification I discovered that, drunken reprobate as I thought you to be, I loved you, and that whether or not you reformed your habits, you were the only one on earth for whom I cared. I have fought long and stoutly against this. But now that I have the opportunity of righting matters it would be but false pride in me to withhold the truth. I know that your heart is mine, and if you wish it I will marry you, let what will happen in the future. But," she added, "tell me. Was it not my part to aid in your reformation as you say that Daisy did?" ' ' No, Lillian. That was her particular work. And I owe as I said, my return to my senses to that little temperance lecture she bestowed upon me the morning after her marriage with my younger brother." And so it was that Herbert St. Aubyn was made happy be- yond his deserts, and sealed his vows by the betrothal kiss that Daisy had witnessed from her windows and which threw her into ecstasies. Sending the carriage on before, Herbert walked home with his betrothed in the early twilight; returning before the lamps were lighted in Daisy's apartments, because he was, as he con- fessed, in haste to share the secret of his new-found bliss with his younger brother and sister to whom he believed that he owed it. "Lillian says delays have proven so dangerous in our case that there is no reason we should not be married at once or nearly so; but I tell her that having squandered all my sub- stance in riotous living, I must have time in which to retrieve my losses and so be able to furnish a living to my wife to whose wealth I will not owe it," A MUSICAL MYSTERY 253 "But Daddy will set you up, old boy. He has enough and to spare." Herbert demurred, saying: "Daddy has never con- descended to notice my good behavior. I will, of course, ask him to give me some position within his control, but I insist upon making my own way." "There are the ten thousand that Grandmother Deiton left to me. Accept the loan of them, my brother, until you right yourself. Daisy and I can well spare it." Daisy assented, giving up without a murmur the grand scheme of having a house to themselves, for a time at least, that Herbert and Lillian be able to marry at once. 254 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE FIFTH. "THE GUBERNATORIAL BLESSING." A few days later the Governor was detained until late at home by a succession of family interviews. First Willis re- quested an audience of him. This he stated was in behalf of his elder brother. Governor St. Aubyn's face clouded. "Of what new folly has Herbert been guilty," he asked. "Of none, my dear Daddy. He only wishes to consult you upon the subject of committing that of matrimony." ' ' Does Herbert believe for one moment that I will consent to his union with that hussy?" "Softly, softly, Daddy mine. If you refer to Mariette Fingre, I can assure you that Herbert has no thought of her, as a wife. He and Lillian Cavendish have made up their quarrel and if Lillian can overlook his escapade, why surely you may forgive it." "Miss Cavendish," echoed the Governor in great surprise: "Why surely she must be ignorant of Herbert's dissipated habits. What! Does he expect to keep the divine Lillian upon the proceeds of the gaming-stable or the winnings of the race track?" "Daddy, you are most unjust to my brother, and most blind or you must long ago have seen that Herbert has for many months given up all such sports and quit drinking as well. It was for the purpose of asking you to permit me to loan him the ten thousand my Grandmother left to me, and to prevent you from saying anything discouraging to him, I insisted that you see me before he was admitted to the interview I know he has asked with you. You will treat him kindly will you not, dear Daddy?" Willis, having paved the way for him, gave place to his elder brother. Governor St. Aubyn's eyes lighted up with pleased surprise as his elder son entered the room. There was now in Herbert's face none of the pale and haggard look of the disappointed gamester and debauche, from which the Governor had been wont A MUSICAL MYSTERY 255 to turn away in sorrow, disgust, and shame, and he wondered at his own blindness. "'Well, Herbert," he said, assuming a gruffness of address to hide his own confusion, "Willis tells me that you wish to borrow his little pittance, with which to make a new start in life. Why not sell 'Jasmine?' She cost such a pretty penny that she ought to realize for you a very snug little sum ? ' ' "I sold Jasmine some time ago, sir." "And squandered the money? I see." "I purchased my liberty with the money I received for my racer. I paid it to Mariette Fingre." "Got rid of your mare and your mistress at one deal? Ah well. Now that is not so bad as it might have been. I call that a shrewd investment." "You wrong the girl, Daddy. She had higher views than to become my mistress. She meant to marry me, and in view of becoming my wife she acted, and was so far as I know, the per- fection of prudery." "Whew," whistled the Governor. "That was an escape. I congratulate you upon it. But tell me Herbert," he questioned wistfully, "When did this revolution in your character begin?" ' ' Why Daddy, I really cannot say. These sort of things soon palled upon my taste. I love my mother and my sisters, and I think I soon ceased to betray to them the fact that I had become a brute, although none of the family appeared to recognize that fact, except Caroline and Willis, who aided me in seeming not to notice any difference in me. But it was my brother's young wife who completed my reformation." "God bless her, my best-beloved," cried the Governor. "What a precious, blind old fool I have been, to be sure. For- give me, laddie. But you can never realize the sorrow that you have caused me. You are my eldest born, and I had centered many hopes in you, and in mourning over disappointed hopes I never saw the good work that was going on. Forgive me laddie, for wronging you as I did," and the Governor broke down and wept. And then there were embraces, and tears, and kisses and confused murmurings in which could be heard the frequent re- petition of the words, "Daddy" and "Laddie." At length the Governor said: "Now go to your mother, 256 LA GRAN QUIBIRA laddie. You know how delighted she will be at the turn events have taken, for she loves and admires Lillian Cavendish more than any other young lady who visits here. How could I have been so blind, I wonder, to the change that has taken place in you, my son. You are sure that you forgive me?" he questioned for the twentieth time. Herbert met Daisy in the passageway. But she only put up her lips for a hasty kiss, saying: "I see that everything is lovely. I will congratulate thee later. I am in haste to inter- view the Governor before Carlie gets here." "There, Daddy, dear, do not scold me for entering thy august presence unannounced. I've come to smoothe the way for Carlie." The Governor frowned once more. "I might have known that the good would all have to be taken out of Herbert's affair, by an unaccountable freak of some other member of my family," he grumbled. "Of what has my eldest daughter been guilty now?" And Daisy answered very much as Willis had done : ' ' She wants to marry, that is all. ' ' "Has Caroline enlisted your sympathies in behalf of the dashing Captain, my best-beloved? If so, I fear I must disap- point your generous heart by repeating my refusal. ' ' "Oh, thou blind, thou suspicious Daddy," quoth Daisy. "Thou really dost not deserve to have such splendid sons and daughters. To punish thee, I refuse to tell thee one single word. I beg thee not to be cruel to poor Carlie, but to win her con- fidence by gentle words. Here she comes. Let me hide some- where. I would not for the world miss the sight of thy discom- fiture," and she whisked into a small inner room from which she could, herself unseen, witness all that transpired. Governor St. Aubyn could not but admire the free, dashing, swinging gait of his handsome eldest daughter as she entered his presence. "Well, my dear, what can I do for you this morning?" he asked kindly. "Daddy, I stand in great need of your diplomatic assistance. Now please do not laugh. I 've caught a new and really valuable fish in my net, and want your assistance in landing him safely." A MUSICAL MYSTERY 257 "And what has become of the Captain?" demanded her father. "Oh," said Caroline, "He is so old a story that I had quite forgotten him." "Hump!" quoth the Governor, "Why it has'nt been many months since I assisted at that threatened elopement. Will you give me the exact date upon which you were cured of your in- fatuation for the rascal ? ' ' Caroline flushed scarlet, then laughed. But she answered seriously, "It was upon the night of the ball that I found my- self entirely cured. He presumed to cast a lustful eye upon our sweet Daisy, and I found in that one glance, a cure such as not all your commands could effect. The wretch! I could have killed him for that look. And he really believes that I was jealous." "Then you love your brother's wife," questioned the Gov- ernor, "My best-beloved?" "I more than love her," replied Caroline warmly, "I adore her. You can scarcely realize what Willis's wife has done for us all. She is a gleam of sunshine that has made the dark places light. But for her coming, both Herbert and myself must have committed some act of folly out of pure desperation because of the tedious monotony of our existence. Governor St. Aubyn, you never did so wise a thing as when you sanctioned the marriage of my brother Willis to Daisy Zorlange. She has been our salva- tion. It is quite impossible to commit a real folly with those innocent eyes upon one, at least for one who has not already lost all self-respect." "God bless her, my best-beloved," repeated the Governor. "But why did you persist in your flirtation, if you cared so lit- tle, as you claim, for the dashing captain?" "Pure obstinacy, I suspect. I am a 'chip of the old block.' 'Dad's own daughter,' " was her saucy reply. "Forbidden fruit is always the best. Besides how was I to know the true character of the man 1 I was told, it is true, that he was * fast. ' The word has always something in it which fascinates a young girl, who interprets it to mean simply that a 'fast' man is but a male coquette who is irresistible to all but cares for none, and that to win such an one is to secure a victory over many less for- tunate rivals. If parents talked plain English to their daughters, and called things by their right names, no matter how nasty 258 LA GRAN QUIBIRA. L they were, there would not be so much mischief done by such characters as Captain Frazer." "Well," said the Governor, laughing, "perhaps you are right. But what of the 'new fish* you wish me to land for you? I am really curious to hear who has cut the captain out." "Do not laugh, Dad. I am really in earnest this time. And I am certain that you will agree with me in thinking that Dr. Van Valkenburg is worth a little trouble to obtain for a son-in- law." "Dr. Van Valkenburg? But surely that fine fellow has more sense than to pay serious court to such a mad-cap as you. ' ' "You underrate me, Daddy. But seriously, I am so much afraid of losing this, the chance of my life-time, to win a thor- oughly good and true-hearted husband. Now Daddy, you will help me in this, will you not? The absurd fellow has taken it into his head that he has been guilty of a serious breach of hospi- tality in falling in love with me, and is about to leave the house. Prevent that will you not, Daddy? I cannot afford to lose this chance of happiness and I really need your help." "But what am I to do, Caroline? You certainly do not ex- pect me to throw a daughter of mine at any man's head." "Now there, Daddy, is just where I expect you to display your skill in diplomacy. Do not permit him to leave the house, and I will manage the rest. But if 'diplomacy' fails, then by all means throw me at his head. In desperate cases, desperate remedies must be employed." Then hearing some one enter the ante-room she hurried into the inner room in which Daisy had already taken refuge. She shook her head reprovingly at that young lady, then folded her close in her arms. ' ' Oh ; ' ' cried Daisy breathlessly, " Is it true, is it really true, Carlie, that I have had the very least little bit of a share in bringing about thy happiness?" "It is certainly true that but for your coming I would never have known the hopes of the present moment. You are the good genius to whom I owe all my blessings." Daisy was wild with joy and admiration of Caroline. "How brave thou wert, Carlie, in confessing thy love for 'Mein Her- man.' I am very proud of thee. But hush. Here comes 'Mein Herman.' Shall we play the part of eaves dropper, or shall we beat a hasty retreat?" "It is too late for that now," replied Caroline, "Even if we A MUSICAL MYSTERY 259 wished it, which I do not, for if Daddy fails in this I am de- termined to assert my leap-year prerogative and throw myself at Dr. Van Valkenburg's head, rather than lose him now. For I am certain that he loves me." ' ' Dr. Van Valkenburg, ' ' announced a servant, and the Gov- ernor rose to greet his visitor, saying to himself: "As true and polished a gentleman as I have ever known. And to think that my madcap Caroline has won this noble heart it seems incredi- ble." The greetings over, the Governor said: "You wish to speak with me you say, upon important business? Be pleased to state it, my dear fellow. I am at your service." ' ' The truth is, Governor St. Aubyn, ' ' said Dr. Van Valken- burg, his pallor deepening, "I sought this opportunity to ask your permission to quit your house." "Who of all my household has presumed to make you feel unwelcome here?" "No one. All have been most kind to me. But I still re- quest the privilege of withdrawing from the house." "But I insist upon knowing why you are dissatisfied here." The doctor's rugged face flushed, then paled again, but he answered bravely: "I had hoped to keep my secret. But since you insist know then that I have had the presumption I have committed the impropriety Miss St. Aubyn your daughter, sir." ' ' Do you mean that you have had the audacity to seduce one of my daughters," thundered the Governor, who never per- mitted a sense of modesty to spoil a joke. The look of unfeigned horror upon the face of the doctor came near upsetting his gravity however. And when Herman replied with sober gravity: "The Misses St. Aubyn are above reproach," the Governor turned aside to hide the smile upon his jovial face, saying to himself: "God bless the man. And to think that one of the wildest of my wild brood has won for herself this heart of gold. I respect my daughter Caroline. There is something in her after all." "God forbid that I should harm any woman. I have a sister and a mother of my own. No, I have but committed a 260 LA GRAN QUIBIRA gross breach of hospitality. I have presumed to fall in love with Miss St. Aubyn." "Oh," said the Governor, "is that all? And she jilted you, I suppose. Well let me give you a piece of good advice: 'Stay and try your luck again.' You are but a novice in the business of love-making, I perceive, and do not understand the 'Yes- ness' of a girl's 'No.' Stay by all means, and I will do my very best to further your suit." "But, sir, do you mean that you find nothing objectionable in me as a suitor for the hand of your daughter, my 'poverty,' my ' obscurity 1 ' I have never approached Miss St. Aubyn upon this subject. But if I have your permission to address her I will try to deserve the honor in time." "There is no man upon this earth to whom I would entrust the happiness of any daughter of mine with greater confidence than to yourself, Dr. Van Valkenburg," replied the Governor heartily. "Your poverty cuts no figure in my eyes. I have money enough and to spare. Besides with your talents and your ability you are certain to stand at the head of your profession. Here is the first stepping stone to fame," and he handed the doc- tor an open letter in which Dr. Winthrop,thefirstphysicianof the city, proposed to associate the young German physician with himself, and turn over to him his own many appointments wish- ing while practically retiring from the business himself to keep it up in name at least. Dr. Herman's eyes lighted up with pleasure as he read the generous compliments bestowed upon himself without stint by the old doctor. ' ' Truly, ' ' he said again, ' ' My lines have fallen in pleasant places," and he thanked the Governor warmly. "But," said the Governor jocularly, remembering for the first time that the two girls were listening, "I must discourage your hopes of winning my eldest daughter, somewhat. My ex- perience with that young woman tells me that if she favored your suit she would have told you so whether you asked her or not." "Oh, thou 'awful Dad,' " and "now, Daddy, that is really too bad of you, ' ' cried the eavesdroppers simultaneously, as they A MUSICAL MYSTERY 261 made their appearance before the astonished doctor. Then Caro- line, half laughing, half crying, turned to him and said: "Oh, Herman ! What a stupid you are to be sure, not to have seen. ' ' Dr. Herman Van Valkenburg stood as one dazed for a moment, then his face grew radiant with a new-born hope. He advanced toward her with hands out-stretched, saying timidly: "Miss St. Aubyn, Caroline. *Can you will you do you mean ?" And as Daisy put it later, "Carlie both 'could' and 'would,' and meant it." "Is he not beautiful, Dad," asked Daisy, gazing into Her- man's homely face transfigured by love. "Love is, indeed, a great beautifier," assented Daddy. "But my best-beloved, let us take our departure. We are de trop here. 262 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE SIXTH. "THE WINGED FAIRY WALTZ." As the Governor and Daisy made their way up stairs, their arms encircling each other like a couple of school girls, the Gov- ernor said: "I have never in all my life been so very happy, my best-beloved. Do you know I feel just like having another turn at that 'Winged Fairy Waltz.' The air seems to be hum- ming in my ears at this moment." "Let's," replied Daisy, laconically, as they reached the head of the grand staircase, and in a twinkle she had caught up her loosely floating curls upon the top of her head, and pinned up her trailing skirts. Then, while the Governor whistled the tune, her sweet shrill treble took up the refrain with a ' ' Tra, la, la, ' ' and then began the maddest waltz which that staid mansion had beheld for many a day. Up and down the length of the wide corridor they spun. " Whist-a-whew, " puffed the Governor, and "Tra, la, la," sang Daisy. The Governor wheezed and blowed, and there were many little catches in Daisy's voice, but still the waltz went on until the couple had twice gone the length of the corridor and from pure exhaustion sunk laughing and breathless upon the narrow seat in the niche at the head of the stairway, unmind- ful that door after door had been opened along the great hall and spectator been added to spectator, until there were in the doorway of that lady's own boudoir, Mrs. St. Aubyn and Herbert; in the door to the school room Grace and Dell St. Aubyn with their governess and music master ; while at the end of the hall stood Willis, his boyish face well lathered, and Saun- ders looking over his young master's shoulder, razor and strop in hand; while at the head of the back stairway stood a group of some half a dozen of the servants of the house who were all agape at the novel performance. "Governor St. Aubyn," called a stern, reproving voice. The Governor giggled. It was such a silly, senseless sort of giggle, that Daisy shrieked with laughter and was joined therein by the entire audience. "Governor St. Aubyn!" the voice was truly awe-inspiring, A MUSICAL MYSTERY 263 and the Governor answered obediently: "Yes'm," and rising dutifully obeyed the summons, trying to smooth his ruffled plumage as he went. But he cut such a ludicrous figure with his air of humble deprecation added to his thoroughly disreputable appearance, that when he set his tall hat with an air of reckless bravado upon the side of his grizzled grey head, and strutted toward Mrs. St. Aubyn, Daisy and the rest, with the one ex- ception of that horrified lady hereself, were convulsed anew and nearly strangled themselves in a vain effort to smother their laughter by stuffing their pocket-handkerchiefs in their respec- tive mouths. When the Governor and Mrs. St. Aubyn had disappeared within the apartments of the latter, Grace and Dell came for- ward demanding: "Daisy St. Aubyn. Whatever is the row?" And Daisy mounting the rostrum of the narrow ledge in the niche, upon which she found it difficult to preserve her equili- brium, declaimed with a grand flourish, after gaining the smil- ing consent of Herbert, who was slowly sauntering down the hallway toward her: "Fellow citizens, ladies and gentlemen I have the honor to announce to thee all, the engagement and ap- proaching marriage of the eldest son and heir to the house of St. Aubyn," and she paused for the applause which she did not receive. Instead, Grace questioned in a voice of contempt, full of surprised anger: "Has Daddy been so unjust to the remain- der of his family, as to sanction Herbert's engagement with that wretched creature?" "Whetched creature, thyself, Grace St. Aubyn. How dare thee call the beautiful, the perfect Lillian Cavendish, my lovely 'Calla Lily' 'wretch' or a 'wretched creature' either?" "Lillian Cavendish," echoed the sisters in chorus. Then Grace turned with a sob to Herbert who had neared them. "Forgive me, brother," she pleaded. "But even we had heard of Mariette, you see, and but " she questioned in an awed sort of manner. "Is it true? Have you, indeed, won that grand creature for your wife?" Herbert had been this young sister's idol, and no one had guessed the depth of her sorrow and regret when she had been forced to acknowledge her idol's defect. The young girl had inherited all of the pride of birth and a stainless name, and nothing in her eyes could be worse or more disgraceful than 264 LA GRAN QUIBIRA the coupling of her brother's name with that of a "fast young woman, " or to witness the silly freaks of his dissipated days. So long had she been accustomed to turn coldly away from his ad- vances that she had been as blind as the rest of the family to his voluntary reformation; and now, realizing her own blind in- justice, she begged most humbly that he would forgive her. Herbert realized now for the first time the sorrow and shame that the sowing of his own wild oats had caused this favorite sister ; and clasping her close to his breast, he whispered : "My dear little sister, Grace. Had I known that you cared so much for your scape-grace brother, I would have told you long ere this. It is indeed true that I am soon to give you an- other new sister in Lillian Cavendish. And I am very happy that you are pleased with the thought of the anticipated gift." ' ' But fellow citizens ; ladies and gentlemen, ' ' pursued Daisy, poising herself skillfully upon her precarious perch, "This is not all I have to tell. There is to be a grand 'double' wedding. For not only art thou called upon to congratulate the son and heir of the house of St. Aubyn, but the eldest daughter and heiress is also about to be wedded. ' ' It was now Herbert's turn to interfere. "Does Daddy for one moment suppose that I would consent to marry Lillian Cavendish at the same time that Caroline is permitted to dis- grace herself and the rest of us 1 by uniting herself with that dissolute scamp?" " 'Dissolute scamp' thyself, Herbert St. Aubyn. Who art thou, I should like to know, that thou darest call 'Mein Herman' a 'dissolute scamp,' " screamed Daisy in high dudgeon, her wrath real, or assumed, very nearly causing her to lose her bal- ance upon the narrow rostrum. "Dr. Van Valkenburg," ejaculated the amazed Herbert. "By Jove. But my sister Caroline is a most lucky girl." "Thou dost not then look upon him as a reprobate?" quiz- zed Daisy from her vantage ground. "I think Dr. Herman Van Valkenburg the truest and most noble-hearted gentleman I have ever known," replied Herbert warmly. And then he repeated : "By Jove. What a lucky girl is my sister Caroline. ' ' "Daisy, do you really mean to say," asked Del, "That sis- ter Caroline is actually engaged to Dr. Van Valkenburg?" This in almost breathless astonishment. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 265 "Well," answered Daisy, "my known respect for the truth, forbids me to say in so many words that the two are really 'en- gaged. ' But upon this I will take my solemn oath. When Daddy and I left them together some ten minutes or so ago, after (rather prematurely as I must admit) bestowing upon them our paternal and gubernatorial blessing, we left them in the very act of 'engaging.' ' "By Jove," reiterated Herbert, "what a lucky girl is my sister Caroline," while the girls, Grace and Del, cried in chorus: "Good, good, good. No wonder that you and Dad wanted to dance for the very joy of the thing," and the two spun away down the corridor, while Herbert whistled softly for their bene- fit. As they came back again Herbert said : "I have done Caro- line great injustice. I have been so taken up with my own love affairs that I never suspected that she was 'off with the old love.' ' "We'll never tell her, so that you need not fear having your ears boxed for calling our paragon of goodness a 'scamp' and a 'rascal.' ' "I will confess it to her myself at the very first opportun- ity. I feel that I ought to be well chastised for my offense. I'll tell her. I believe that I will feel much better when I have made the amende honorable. Caroline has always stood my friend, and I think that I deserve to be kicked for doubting her. ' ' Everybody stared at the Governor who came out of his wife's apartment, as trim and neat and polished as if he had just been unboxed, saying: "Come, laddie, you must at- tend me to the office this morning. I expect you to take the place of my first aide. Ta, ta, my dears," he called back as the two started down the staircase arm in arm. "Good-bye till luncheon." Adding: "Yours is the very happiest old Dad in Christendom today. Be sure to kill the fatted calf." "To celebrate the prodigal father's return to his senses?" called Daisy after them with her propensity for always having the "last word." "Right, as you always are, my best-beloved," was the re- sponse, as he tossed an airy kiss to her. 266 LA GRAN QUIBIRA There were smiles upon the lips of his two daughters, but tears in their eyes as they watched their father and brother pass down the staircase, and, through the great entrance door, down the street toward the office of the Governor, a sight they had not beheld for many months. They laughed and wept by turns to see the tender care with which Herbert addressed the father from whom he had been so long estranged, and how the elder man leaned heavily upon the younger in pretended need of his support. When the two were lost to view, Grace and Del, as if moved by a common impulse, turned and pounced down upon the as- tonished Daisy, hugging, kissing, and tenderly caressing her, saying: "It is all your doings, you dear little witch. No won- der that Daddy calls you his 'best-beloved.' You are the best- beloved of us all," and, questioning, "Can you ever forgive us for being so mean to you. ' ' Daisy said, "Thou hast always been kind to me. I thought thou wast a little cold perhaps. But, dear Grace, I believed it to be natural for thee to be so." "Do not believe it. There is no warmer-hearted girl in the world than I am. It was just downright nastiness upon my part that I did not welcome my brother's wife as a sister should." "I'll tell you, Grace," confessed Del, contritely, "I believe it was only a mean-spirited jealousy that made us so hateful and unkind. Daisy is so much prettier and smarter than either of us can ever hope to be, that we were mean enough not only to be downright jealous, but to show our spleen as well." "That is all over now," said Grace. "And since Daisy for- gives us, we will be as proud of her in the future as we have been jealous of her in the past. Oh, it is of no use denying it, Daisy, your coming into this family has proved its salvation. I shudder to think of what might have happened to Herbert and Caroline had you not come. Both of them would certainly have disgraced us, but for your example. Del and I now propose to benefit by it, if you will permit us to do so." "Daisy!" The three girls looked up in astonishment. This could not be the same voice which had spoken so harshly a short time ago. Yet there stood Mrs. St. Aubyn in her doorway, and she repeated the summons, beseechingly: "Daisy, my daughter, will you not come to me for a little \vhile 1 ' ' A MUSICAL MYSTERY 267 Daisy arose and went to her, trying in her turn to smooth her own ruffled plumage, as she went. As the door closed upon them, Grace and Del looked at each other in amazement. "Well, well," said Del at length, "I am glad that we got the start of Mammy this time, and made our peace with Daisy first." Then the two girls returned to the school-room to say to the governess and to the professor, that Daisy had requested that all celebrate the double engagement by making themselves comfortable and idle for the remainder of that day, but had particularly asked that "Mam'selle Fraulein" and the "Herr Professor" be kept to luncheon. "Mam'selle Fraulein," repeated the "Herr Professor." "Now dat is goot. Dat is ferry goot, indeed," and he laughed boistrously, but pledged himself that both should remain. Willis sighed and went up stairs to find Janet. He had waited impatiently to speak with Daisy, but realizing now that his mother would not release her until summoned to luncheon, he prowled about their own suite of apartments, missing Daisy everywhere for there was nothing here but what spoke to him of her; and smiled when he visited her dressing-room, at the order that reigned throughout the seeming disarray. All here was pretty confusion, yet he was certain that even in utter dark- ness Daisy could select any article she wished. Finding Janet, he astonished that spinster by waltzing her around the room and with a rousing kiss sitting her down upon the sofa. Then he told her all the news of the house, for Janet had but now come in from the Zorlange house, between which and that of the St. Aubyn's, she divided her time pretty evenly. "I always believed that it would come out right some time. I knew that no one could long withstand Daisy's winning ways. I think that you will all be perfectly happy new. ' ' And so they were for a time. When Mrs. St. Aubyn presented herself at the luncheon table with Daisy, lo, what a metamorphose was there. The two had been closeted together until the bell rang. What passed between them was never known, except that when Mrs. St. Aubyn appeared, she had developed from a fashionably dressed (or rather over-dressed) woman, who was striving to deceive old Time himself as to her real age, into what she really was, an extremely handsome elderly woman. Daisy's deft fingers had worked miracles. She had deliberately removed every trace of 268 LA GRAN QUIBIRA "rouge," taken off the suspiciously black false front and ar- ranged the profusion of silvery tresses in soft ringlets and tossed together somehow the thing that Mrs. St. Aubyn had always abominated a black lace "cap" with which she had adorned but not concealed her beautiful hair. And from her dress she had removed every trace of "youth wooed back," and Mrs. St. Aubyn now appeared for the first time since that youth had departed, a really well-dressed woman. Daisy's own curls were still in disarray, and her dress still in disorder, but everyone there while praising her skill as shown in Mrs. St. Aubyn 's appearance declared that Daisy always looked lovelier in disarray. And she was then and there voted the privilege of coming to the table just as she liked. Among all the compliments she received that day those which touched the heart of Mrs. St. Aubyn the most was the one whispered by the doctor as he claimed for himself the love and blessing of a mother for her son, and that of her husband who stopped stock still in sheer admiration as he made his way to the head of the table, and stooping over her kissed her saying : "Why, 'My-Nerva,' I have not seen you look so beautiful since our wedding-day." Adding as he eyed her critically, "Nor then I think, for you are the very handsomest old lady I have ever seen. What has worked the miracle? Daisy? Ah, what do we not owe this day to my best- beloved?" " 'Our best-beloved,' if you please, daddy," was chorused by all, to the intense delight of the governor and his best-beloved. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 269 CANTO THE SEVENTH. "THE FEAST OF ROSES/' After luncheon, preparations were begun for the celebration of the double engagement, as it should be. Daisy with her wish to always share her blessings with others, declared that this day must be one to be remembered with pleasure by every inmate of the St. Aubyn mansion, and Daisy had by common consent been appointed "mistress of the ceremonies." There was to be no regular dinner upon that day, but an informal one. The servants were to have the evening to them- selves and were to attend the play, after they had arranged the supper for the family. The music master and the governess were given their choice between the play and the opera. The delight with which they both screamed in chorus: "Patti," left no doubt of their choice. Then Grace and Del undertook to fit the gentle "Ma'm- selle Fraulien" for the opera. She and the burly "Herr Pro- fessor" had strolled about the grounds until the luncheon hour, talking softly of the great good luck which had come to their employers, honestly sharing the general joy it had occasioned. The two girls then sent the professor home for his own dress suit with strict orders to return betimes that he might escort "Ma'mselle Fraulein" to her own rooms, for a social tea with the little crippled sister of whose existence the two girls re- proached themselves for having been hitherto ignorant to show the little one her new array. Del had insisted upon presenting the "Mam'selle Fraulein" with a pretty mauve silk of her own. "I wore it but once," she said, "and will never wear it again. Mammy took an absurd notion at one time that Grace and I should dress precisely alike, and that mauve silk is one of her investments. I can never forget how Mammy looked when we appeared late at that ' musicale ' at Clarendon Place. Grace 's blonde beauty was heightened by the mauve tints and I think I never saw her look so well, but the tint yellowed the brown of my complexion and I looked for all the world like a mulatto. It was too late for me to change my gown, so all I could do was 270 LA GRAN QUIBIBA to strive to hide myself from the critical gaze of the public. But I declare I felt myself ubiquitous. It cured Mammy of her new f angled notion and I wore no blonde colors after this. You are quite welcome to the gown which will be most becoming to you. 'Ask Mammy?' why, it would be as much as my life is worth to mention that gown to Mammy. It is the visible sign of one of her greatest defeats, you see." Mam'selle looked very pretty indeed, when her toilette was completed under the personal supervision of her pupils. The mauve silk had proven, as Del had prophesied, most becoming to her fair face. Daisy had presented her with a white lace mantle and Grace had finished her toilette by placing a bonnet of white lace trimmed w r ith a wreath of pink and white daisies upon her wealth of soft brown braids, and the costume was fin- ished by a pearl-handled fan and a pearl-studded lorgnette, the gifts of Caroline and Lillian. As she drew on her white kids, sent her with the compliments of Mrs. St. Aubyn, the elder, a soft color mounted to her cheeks and deepened, her eyes lit up with gratitude, and pleasure, and all declared that there would be no prettier demoselle at the opera that night than their own ' ' Mam 'selle Fraulein. ' ' "Only think how selfish we have been," cried Del. "Ma'm- selle has been in the house for more than three years and yet we did not even know she had this little crippled sister, who she says looks so like an oriental princess that she calls her 'Haidee' because of her wealth of dark brown hair and her dreamy dark brown eyes. I have promised to take the little one, who can walk but little, for a drive almost every day; and I am certain that Dr. Herman will do all that lies in his power to alleviate her sufferings gratis, Ma'mselle not having yet been able to procure for her good medical advice." Daisy was here, there, and everywhere. Down in the cook- room she insisted upon making a second betrothal cake, and laid a wager with Black Dinah, the head cook, that her own would prove to be the best. Now Dinah was "some" on cake, especially the proverbial pound cake selected, and had a mild dispute with Daisy upon the subject, for that young lady declared she was "mo' " upon this subject of cake. "Sho, chile. You's but a infant in such matters. Does yo- think now that yo' can out-do yo' auntie fo' sho." A MUSICAL MYSTERY 271 ''Yes, Dinah, I think I can, and I will," was Daisy's re- joinder. "And now for it." Each weighed out her own ingredients. Daisy reprimanding Dinah more than once for her meddlesome interference. Each cake contained a plain gold ring which was supposed to fall to the lot of the one, or rather, two, who would be next engaged; and they aired their hopes that these might be found in those pieces eaten by Grace and Del, that another double wed- ding might be the result. Dinah's cake left the oven first and was pronounced "the very perfection of cakes," by all except Daisy, who pursed up her pretty lips and remarked that, "It might have been a little lighter." Then she carefully removed her own from the oven, which to the dismay of the old black cook, reared itself fully a quarter of an inch above her own, and held its place, although Dinah had told her that her weights were light, and consequently that her cake was "Sho to fall." The old black, however, kept her temper when rallied by the rest of the household, saying: "Dat's witchcraft. Miss Daisy's done houdooed me. She ain't no right mortal. She am a witch, or a fairy or summat," as she eyed Daisy's chef-de-auvre with pretended terror. "Well, yo' just scat out o' my kitchen, yo' little witch." And Daisy used her own pleasure, and "done scatted." The servants were all gone to the play. Daisy, always up to mischief, insisted that the Governor's box be given up to them for that evening. Then she herself superintended Dinah's toilette. "Now, Dinah, now's thy chance. Thou must certainly dis- play thy charms in that magnificent plaid silk gown which I caught thee admiring some weeks ago." The skirt of the wonderful plaid silk was ready made, and it was but a few hour's work for the seamstress, and Hortense to complete the waist, which Daisy insisted must for evening wear be decolette. And when Dinah was shown off to the family before the carriage engulfed her, she was pronounced by all to be simply "immense," literally a "stunner." The wonderful plaid of vivid scarlet ground of a full hand's breadth in size, was shot with each and every tint of the rainbow. A train had been added and Dinah's neck and arms of sculptured ebony were left bare. Daisy had seen that the innumerable little tags of wool were caught up in truly regal style by a 272 LA GRAN QUIBIRA diadem of golden stars, and the little "witch" had herself put on the finishing touches to this marvelous toilette by pinning an im- mense pink and white peony with a profusion of green sur- rounding it upon her capacious bosom, placing another in a most wonderful bouquet-holder, attaching to one huge hip a feather fan of varied hues and enormous size, and saw that she squeezed her fat hands into the regulation white kids. This done she pronounced the effect to be " perfectly gorgeous. ' ' "Now, mark my words, Dinah," she said, "thou wilt at- tract more astonished and admiring attention than any white woman at the play." And the prophesy, like all of those of "the witch" came true, as you may well suppose. "The supper-table is set all but the flowers. Here is a great basket of stiff, gardener-made-up bouquets which Steven- son sent in. Grace do thou and Del tear the monstrosities to pieces and rearrange them." Nothing loth the two obeyed. "How one's characteristics intrude themselves in all of our smallest actions," said Daisy, admiring their work. "I think that any one would say without hesitation that those small in- dividual bouquets by the side of each plate was the handiwork of a dreamy blonde ; or that that wonderful pyramid of dazzling bloom in the center of the table was tossed together by a dashing, flashing brunette. Is it not odd, how our individualities crop out in everything? But I never knew before that they could be shown even in the arrangement of a few flowers." When the merry supper was over in which the three girls acted as waiters with the assistance of Saunders who had in- sisted upon remaining at home that he might supply the place of the porter, and indeed of all the rest of the servants, after they had had their own supper, Daisy said: "Suppose we give the servants the pleasure of for once sitting down to a table which they have not had the work of laying." So they arranged the servants' supper. Grace was about to remove the flowers, when Daisy interfered. "No," said she, "let them remain and let each keep their own as a souvenir of the day. ' ' The two girls laughed. "How very absurd," cried Grace, "You surely do not imagine that the servants Dinah, for in- stancecare for such trifles?" "Wait, and thou wilt see, that they do care and treasure up all such trifling services it may please their erratic employers to render them." A MUSICAL MYSTERY 273 The St. Aubyn family were to spend this one evening quietly at home, weaving bright plans for the future of the two young couples. Of course Lillian and Dr. Herman were there, for without them the family circle would not now have been com- plete, and Howard Gould was present also. He was so united to them that "his presence did not signify," as Daisy saucily told him. Saunders had had his orders to admit no one that evening with the exception of Howard's brother, Maurice, who called unexpectedly to bid them all farewell, his brother in- cluded, he having been suddenly summoned abroad. When they heard the play-goers return, Grace, Del and Daisy accompanied by Willis and Howard, crept into a pantry which opened from a hall adjoining the supper-room, from which they could both see and hear all that occurred within. When Dinah entered the room resplendent and triumphant, the first thing she espied was the handsomely laid repast. "Now, dat's some o' Missy Daisy's work. She's all us thoughtful ob de po', and she's boun' fo' we 'uns to play quality fo' once. Now, jest aint dis nice to done set up to de table 'thout no work ob layin' it. An', my su'z! ef dar ain't de table sot off with posies, jes as elegant as can be. Jes' look at dem ar boukets. Now, ain't dem de bery 'moral' o' Miss Grace? An' dat apern in de middle. It looks des as much like Miss Del as two pixters," (Here Daisy gave each of the unbelievers such a pinch to signify: "Didn't I tell thee so?" as nearly to betray their whereabouts. ) "Now, jes as soon as dis supper's done et, I's gwine ter plump dem ar posies right squar on de top ob de ice to perserve dem. I ain't a gwin' ter let dat ar compliment slip, now I tell yo' I ain't. Dar's good times a comin' fo' all we 'uns now. Jes 'member dis nigger done tole yo' so." The eaves-droppers watched with delighted eyes how Dinah with the air of an Ethiopian queen presided at the banquet. The guests of honor were, of course, the professor and the governess. And it was very pretty to see the dove-like eyes of the latter open wide in pleased astonishment at the variety of dainty dishes whose very names were unknown to her; and to see with what deference the servants waited upon her. Even Hortense deigned to instruct her in the mysteries of their make- 274 LA GRAN QUIBIRA up. And how they emptied the confection stands into a huge paper sack when told how very fond of candies was the little sister who could not walk, but who could sing like an angel, and make so many varieties of fancy-work. How they laughed too with as keen an appreciation of the joke as their "betters" could possibly have had, when Saunders declared that his was the only real gift, the others protesting that they did not care in the least for sweets. He said their donation counted for nothing, while he being inordinately fond of the confections, denied himself that the little one might have her fill for once. Then another guest appeared. Finding that the hired hack in which the professor and the governess had come to the late banquet was still waiting at the door that it might convey them home, Saunders took it upon himself to invite the colored driver to share the repast. The watchers were divided between tears and laughter at the grandeur of Dinah's reception of him and at the almost stunning effect upon him of Dinah's efforts to entertain him right royally. They had at length to evacuate the closet and to steal slyly up the stairs for fear of strangling from their efforts to suppress their laughter, and exposing them- selves and so marring the pleasure of the happy company. When the whole scene was described for the edification of the family, Del reading her mother's shocked expression aright said laughingly: "There, Mammy. Feel no alarm for the safety of your spoons. Dat ar nigger am too much awed by de attentions paid him by the bewitching Dinah to even think 'spoons.' And if he does later on he is certain to spread the report that the Governor's lady uses those of gold studded with dia- monds." And Mrs. St. Aubyn was reassured. But the two girls had learned a lesson that night, and did not scorn to benefit by it. They took each their turn in arranging the flowers for the dinner-table and each day sent them with the dishes down stairs to adorn the servant's table. "The rings?" Oh, no. Grace and Del did not find them in their slices of the betrothal cakes. Instead, one of them fell to Mrs. St. Aubyn while the Governor's teeth ground down upon the other. And Daisy declared that the next wedding in the family after those of the two eldest of their offspring, would be the golden wedding of the pair, and so doomed to their pretended horror, the two younger Misses St. Aubyn to a state of everlasting spinster-hood and to the ridicule of the others. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 275 CANTO THE EIGHTH. " DAISY *S AT HOME." Daisy had taken courage at the new and pleasant relations which had sprung up between herself and her husband's family, and had invited them all to luncheon next day at her own father's house. All as a matter of course accepted the invitation and were promptly on hand at the appointed hour. Daisy was not yet visible and they were shown into the diawing-room to await her appearance. Great indeed was the amazement of some of the party when they passed from ' ' Daisy 's parlor" into the sacred precincts beyond. ' ' Oh, f ayther is not well, and I was detained longer than I anticipated," was the apology offered by Daisy, upon her tardy appearance. She found them all grouped about a picture commenting upon the beauty and grace of the female figure it portrayed. ' ' That is the most exquisitely beautiful face I have ever be- held," said Caroline. "It affects me as I supposed only por- traits could. But the beauty of expression is supernatural." "That," said Daisy, "is a portrait of my mother, who was said to have been the most perfect beauty who had queened it in London society for a century. Is not the face exquisite? And fayther says that the painter has not flattered her in the least, but simply caught and held that expression which is never seen except upon the faces of those who die young. But come. If thou hast seen the drawing-rooms enough I will show thee through the remainder of the house." "There is enough here to entertain one for an entire day," answered Caroline. ' ' But since we are expected to do so we will admire the rest. And now," she said to Dr. Herman, as they paused at the foot of the great staircase to permit the others to pass up first: "Why did not you tell me that my brother Willis had married an oriental princess." ' ' How was I to know that the family of Governor St. Aubyn did not know whom they were accepting as a new member of 276 LA GRAN QUIBIRA itself?" he questioned in great surprise. "Why, surely, Car- oline, you must have known who Emil Zorlange was. ' ' Caroline flushed a little, then laughed: "Hadn't the most remote idea where my brother Willis got our sweet Daisy. I only accepted the gift the gods had sent and asked no questions, assuming somehow that I had better not. But just look at Mammy, Herman. That adorable person finds herself for the first time in her life face to face with the thing she calls her 'family pride,' and she is simply astounded at the deformity of her nursling. But, Mammy has her good qualities, too, and I'll wager a pretty penny that she wins the race and shows up all right." "Caroline, Caroline," expostulated the doctor, "How can you use such expressions? It is very terrible to me to hear you speak in such a disrespectful manner about your mother. She is surely worthy of your veneration and respect." "I am sure that I give Mammy all the respect that is her due. Why on earth should I respect qualities in her that are not respectable, I should like to know? And I won't be found fault with. You knew my vices before you asked me to be your wife, and I dare say they were what charmed you. But if you wish to break your engagement with me, then do." Herman gazed at her in wonder for a moment then smiled: "I believe that you are right, Caroline. And that it is your faults that heighten your beauty. I love and respect Mrs. St. Aubyn, and it pains me to hear you speak of her in that flippant manner. But having won you, I must even accept you as you are." Then he added gently: "I do not think that after all I could improve you in the least." "Ah," exclaimed Caroline. "I knew that Mammy was made of the right sort of material. See ! A narrow mind would have resented all this, or would have toadied to Daisy's new found state; but Mammy treats her with just that amount of love and deference that she has shown her since the reconcilia- tion no more no less. Yes, Dr. Van Valkenburg, I think I may say that I find Mammy really worthy of my respect." Daisy showed the party through the entire house, the library, the study, the dining-room, and some of the chambers. "This was my mother's suite of apartments," said Daisy. "She had a fancy for the upper floor, and we have kept them A MUSICAL MYSTERY 277 just as she left them. My fayther often comes here and so do I. Here it is that we speak most frequently of her, my mother, who died so young and was so beautiful. These are some of the gowns in which she won the admiration of all the court. Fayther gave them to me, together with my mother's jewels. But I never cared to wear them. I like best to keep them so and to come and dust and arrange them, and to fancy her arrayed in each by turn. These are but a few of her jewels, the finest are in the safety vaults at the bank. If I had known that thou would come today, I would have sent for them. Some of them would interest thee. Mammy, thou art such an admirer of gems." "Why, Daisy, there is a coronet upon some, indeed upon almost all of these things. What does it mean?" questioned the irrepressible Del. "My mother was a German countess, in her own right," answered Daisy in a matter-of-fact manner, that really awed Mrs. St. Aubyn, who was a worshipper of "rank." "When her brother, the Count, died, he sent her all of the family jewels. She had, however, married my fayther and consequently never assumed the title, nor did she ever visit the estate, which was well-nigh swamped by a mortgage. My fayther sold it a few years since to a wealthy American with the privilege of assum- ing the title of Count Waldorf." "But Daisy, my best-beloved," said the Governor, "you should have inherited both and yourself become the Countess Waldorf, to the never-ending satisfaction of 'My-Nerva' who would then have been able to speak of you as 'My dear daughter, the Countess.' ' Daisy laughed and said: "I very much prefer the title which I now possess, that of ' Mrs. Willis St. Aubyn, ' ' ' and she cast a loving glance at her young husband, who answered both words and glance by wafting a kiss to her. "Now, this room," began Willis, who was assisting in the display. Then he hastily closed the door and in a stage aside, said: "Oh, I forgot. This is Blue Beard's secret chamber. Its contents are a state secret, and I promised faithfully not to reveal them. Ah, Grace, be merciful," as his sister, noting the fact that he had not relocked the door to the forbidden room, boldly threw it open and looked in. Then, giving a little shriek of delight, she rushed in, crying: "Why, this is the home of the fairies; a regular dolls' palace." 278 LA GRAN QUIBIEA In spite of Daisy's entreaties, the rest of the party followed and cries of wonder and delight resounded upon all sides. ''Why, yes, I own to a very great weakness for dolls, con- fessed Grace, catching Willis's eyes fixed quizzically upon her, "I know Willis that you saw me that afternoon when they all left me alone at home because I had sore throat. I had come across one of my old dolls in a bureau-drawer and played with it all the afternoon, remodelling its dress according to the latest ' mode. ' And I assure you that I have not spent a more pleasant or more profitable afternoon for many a day." "Oh, how I wish that I had known," cried Del. "Why, I often play with and dress my dolls, but I do it on 'the sly,' and have wished but dared not ask for company for fear of being ridiculed. But this lays over anything that I ever saw. Why, there are fully one hundred of these of all sizes and both sexes. My! what beauties! Regular little mannikins." Daisy laughed and scolded in the same breath, then ex- plained. "I had always a passion for dolls. And then it oc- curred to me to have their help as well as company in my studies. I remember that the first large dolls were bought with the money fayther had given me to purchase my first set of jewelry. He gave me three hundred dollars and bade me select them to suit myself. I ordered these mannikins instead. I Iliink 1 SOP I ho look of mingled amusement and disgust which came over fayther s face, as when he came upon me here and asked me to show him the birthday present I had purchased with the money, I exclaimed, waving my arms in true dramatic style including my new acquisitions in an hysterical embrace, 'These are my jewels, fayther, these are my jewels.' Thou seest," continued Daisy, when the laugh had subsided, "these are all historical characters. I have had them made as near life-size as I could and as true to life as possible. And I believe that they have not only aided me in the study of history and ethnology, but in dressing them as they are supposed to have been habited in their day and generation, I have gained that art in dressing upon which thou hast all been pleased to compliment me. Of course," she added archly, "Adam and Eve gave me but little scope in the development of my taste and ingenuity, but the rest "And you have no idea of the help we had from these dolls A MUSICAL MYSTERY 279 in getting our lessons," said Howard. ''And then the real pleasure and fun we have had in assuming their characters, and hiding behind them made them appear to carry on unending dialogues and debates. Why, I can at this moment scarcely refrain from throwing myself into an attitude and declaiming my favorite Coriolanus." "This is of course the collection of years," resumed Daisy. "I was so infatuated with my acquisition of knowledge after this pleasing fashion that I squandered the whole of my pin money for new subjects. But I owe much to the generosity of Virginia, Howard, and Willis, who were as much wrapped up in them as I, and who denied themselves many luxuries neces- sities perhaps that the collection might be perfected. Then fayther grew reconciled and quite interested. He has added but one to my collection of mannikins, however. ' ' Then she unveiled a shrouded figure and amid shrieks of laughter explained that it was meant for Queen Victoria, whom her fayther was un- reasonable enough to blame for his own almost 'exile' from old England and for the death of his beautiful young wife, who had never been well after that enforced winter voyage, and for all the ills of life which had befallen him. "Make her any- thing that is coarse and red and blowsy,' he said to the artist. And the poor man confessed to me that fayther would not ac- cept the figure until he had three times added an additional flush to 'Viccy's' already too pronounced complexion. And I will never forget the triumphant pride with which he presented me with this new treasure which he still declares to be an exact likeness of England's Queen as he knew her in person. And was it thou, Willis, or Howard, or both who found him here shaking his fist at, and apostrophizing the Queen of 'Hold Hingland,' as a 'gay old girl,' and abusing her in no measured terms for the sins which were her own and those which were not?" "We both were witnesses to that 'divine tragedy,' " said Howard. And assuming an attitude he said: "It was some- thing after this sort was it not, Willis?" Then he shook a wrathful fist under the up-turned nose of the Queen and com- menced a tirade in which the torrent of abuse showered upon her devoted head was smothered to some extent by the laughter of the audience. 280 LA GRAN QUIBIRA "Oh, Daisy, do have a "doll matinee,' " coaxed Grace and Del, after viewing the entire collection of kings and queens and maids and gents of honor, and poets and painters, and all the rest "Agreed. But upon one condition," assented Daisy. "And that is that each of thee all choose a person to represent and copy that person as near to the life as possible just as we used to do." "Agreed," they assented in their turn. And a very pleasant half -hour was spent in selecting their respective dolls for the matinee, which Daisy promised for that day two weeks. "But, Carlie, what character art thou to take, or dost thou intend to keep it a secret for the purpose of giving us a grand surprise ? ' ' "Oh, no," was the answer. "There is but one historical personage here whom I feel myself equal to representing. I will be Queen Victoria, as a matter of course, and will give an address to the English Parliament." "Good," quoth Daisy merrily. "My fayther will not then refuse to make up our audience and will be in ecstacies. Two weeks from today then," said Daisy. "That will give thee all ample time to work up thy parts. So now for luncheon." Both Mrs. St. Aubyn and Caroline pleaded a former en- gagement, but Daisy insisted that they should disappoint the other parties and not her, so they finally consented to remain if permitted to eat without removing their bonnets, declaring that their hair was not arranged to be seen without covering. Daisy promptly looped the strings, converting these airy bits of lace into a pretty headdress, and every one declared that they were extremely becoming to the wearers. "Daisy," said Caroline, "I think that you have the most perfect taste in dress of any one I have ever known. But do you know that costume of yours would be bizarre upon any person except yourself?" Daisy smiled. "I love to dress in this bizarre sty^e, and air all of my caprices in dress when I am at home in my fayther 's house," she corrected. "Fayther likes me to indulge every whim and this is one of his favorite gowns." A MUSICAL MYSTERY 281 "No one except yourself could possibly wear it without criticisms," replied Caroline. "But upon you it is the very prettiest costume imaginable." Daisy's dress was of dark blue velvet made perfectly plain and was buttoned from throat to hem with buttons of wrought silver. She wore a collarette of silver filagree and belt of the same workmanship studded with fine turquoises, and her soft dark curls were caught together by a comb to match. This was a costume which must have sorely tried a face or form less perfect, but upon Daisy looked as if it were the one type of dress which suited her, and the picture she made in it was with- out flaw. Seated at the luncheon table which Mrs. St. Aubyn de- clared to be as recherche as was Daisy herself, Daisy broached the subject of the change which she and Willis con- templated. Loud as were the protests of all at first, they finally became reconciled to the scheme, especially as the Governor entered into it with such zest. "But, my dears, instead of buying a nasty new house for the purpose of having the chance of educating yourselves, a most ludicrous scheme in my opinion for a married couple, why do you not come here and keep your invalid father company. The place is most beautiful, in spite of its unpretentious out- side," suggested Mrs. St. Aubyn. ' ' Ah, Mammy, thou hast given me the desire of my heart, ' ' cried Daisy. "And if the rest approve," she looked coaxingiy at the Governor, who nodded a most decided approval of the plan. Daisy ran off at once to acquaint her "own particular parent," as she was wont to call him, and in the pleasure that he felt in once more having his "one ewe lamb" returned to the fold he left his chamber for the first time since the reception ball that he might give thanks in person for this, and no one there but noted the sad change which had been wrought in him since Daisy's marriage and seeming desertion of him because of the senseless prejudice of Mrs. St. Aubyn. All was settled amicably and the two young people were given leave to make the desired change of habitation so soon as the wedding which was to close the season's festivities, was over. 282 LA GRAN QUIBIRA 1 ' How very nice, ' ' said Grace. ' ' I invite myself to luncheon every day. It will be just splendid to have some place to drop in at all hours of the day. ' ' , "We expect to work and not to play," said Daisy. "And I charge thee all never to appear at this door unless especially invited." Then in pity for the howl of dismay they set up she said: "Well thou art any or all of thee welcome to share our breakfast-table talk, provided thou gettest up early enough. But from half-past eight o'clock until evening our doors will be closed to thee. We must study very hard, Willis and I, to make up for the time we have lost in this winter's dissipation." A MUSICAL MYSTERY 283 CANTO THE NINTH. "POINT-LACE AND DIAMONDS/' The St. Aubyn family were at the lunch table. The Gov- ernor and Herbert had gone back to the office but the remainder of the family together with Lillian Cavendish lingered over the table. The sole topic of conversation now-a-days seemed to be the approaching wedding. "For," as Daisy said, "no mat- ter what theme was broached it always merged into 'the great event.' ' Now it was the dress of the brides that was under discussion. Caroline declared that the "regulation white" was very unbe- coming to her dark style of beauty, ,and that she had half a mind to shock the proprieties by wearing black. "Oh," said Daisy, "that is because thou dost not under- stand the importance of Hints.' There are as many shades of white as of any other color, and one of them is certain to be becoming to any complexion. Thou, Carlie and Del, must wear that rich yellowish white, which is the next thing to cream in color; while the only tint that suits a blonde like Lillian or Grace is that dead ivory white." "I think that Daisy must be correct," said Lillian. "And that solves the question which has always puzzled me, namely, why some of my white dresses are extremely becoming to me while others are vice versa." "I will prove the fact to thee. Wait one moment." And Daisy left the room, returning a short time later with a quantity of the two shades of white upon her arm, displaying the effect by placing each in turn close to the faces of Caroline and of Lillian, to the astonishment of those who had scouted her theory of tints, declaring that "white was white," and that was all there was about it. "Thou, my peerless Calla Lily, must always select thy own particular shade of white, while although Carlie looks ex- tremely black in the pure ivory, so soon as it is changed to the yellowish tint she will look the resplendent creature that she really is." 284 LA GRAN QUIBIRA All were loud in their expression of wonder and of pleas- ure too for both brides and bridesmaids wished to wear white, but all wished to appear at their very best as well. "What dost thou think about it, Willis? Am I not right?" Willis looked from his plate where he had been simply toying with his food and replied crossly: "Why, I think that you had better leave all that to the modiste." Daisy stared at him for a moment in sheer amazement, then she threw the shining fabrics over her arm and turning, left the room without a word. As soon as Daisy had gone, Mrs. St. Aubyn turned and in a more severe tone than she had ever been known to use to her favorite son said: "Willis, I am surprised at you. How could you speak so harshly to Daisy? You know how very sensitive she is." Meaning smiles were exchanged among the family group at this, but Willis looking languidly, replied in apparent surprise : "Impossible, Mammy. I cannot imagine myself speaking harsh- ly to Daisy." "But you did," persisted his mother, "and most unreason- ably, too." ' ' Then, ' ' said Willis, rising wearily from the table, ' ' I will, with your permission, go and make my peace with her," and he, too, left the room. All became more and more interested in the discussion of the wedding toilettes. Only Dr. Herman seemed somewhat distrait, glancing at intervals from Willis's untouched plate toward the door as if expecting something. At length the summons came. The door swung open. No one appeared, but Daisy's voice called peremptorily: "Mien Her- man." "Mien Herman, indeed," grumbled Caroline, "When will that saucy chit remember that you are 'Mien Herman' and mine only, now?" The doctor made a laughing rejoinder, but as he turned his back to them, looked grave, as softly closing the door behind him, he glanced up and down the corridor for the owner of the voice. At length he espied Daisy at the top of the great staircase, and in half a dozen strides he was at her side, and the two were hurrying along the upper hall toward the door which shut off A MUSICAL MYSTERY 285 her own apartments from the rooms below, before he found breath to question her. ' ' Where is he ? " ' ' In my boudoir, ' ' replied Daisy. ' ' And in a dead faint. I did what I could to bring him to his senses, but all in vain. Then I was forced to call thee. I fear that he is threatened with a long and severe illness." "Yes," assented the doctor. "I will ring for his mother." "Thou wilt do nothing of the kind. Saunders is now put- ting him to bed in my boudoir which is more pleasant than his own chamber. It is not necessary to alarm the whole household until everything is settled. As for the nursing, I will do that my- self." She spoke very decidedly, and added in answer to the doctor's quizzical smile : "I am his wife and will not give up my right to nurse him even to his mother. Feel my pulse, Mien Her- man, it beats steady and true. Thou mayst have a skilled hired nurse, if thou pleasest; but I will not relinquish my place at his bedside to any one. Thou need not fear for me. I promise thee that I will take plenty of rest and out-door exercise. But give up the care of my husband to another, I will not." And so it was settled. The rooms were arranged and the young wife was seated at the bedside of Willis, who had been brought out of his long faint only to become delirious, before any of the family even suspected the near approach of the "Black Camel" to their door. For many weary weeks Willis lay at the point of death, carefully watched by all, but most carefully by the young wife, who utterly refused to leave his bedside, and whose presence ap- peared to be necessary to his slender hold upon life, since even in the height of his delirium he seemed to feel or to miss her pres- ence beside his couch, and was restless and dissatisfied when she was away. Daisy made an excellent nurse. She never irritated her charge, but sat beside him knitting, or sewing and singing and chatting as if his poor dazed brain could recognize the fact. She made a picture, too, at which none wearied of looking, with her pretty linen dress and her curls twisted up in true matronly fashion, watching and waiting for the change to come. But her lovely face grew wan and pale and her starry eyes grew heavy with her tireless care. When urged to leave the room her only answer was: "But suppose that he should awake to conscious- ness and not find me here. I think that it would frighten him to death." 286 LA GRAN QUIBIRA Dr. Herman was almost as tireless in his attendance, feeling that this dire calamity which had befallen his young brother was due in part to his own carelessness at the time they had almost lost Daisy. And Daisy had guessed the truth. The doctor had answered evasively when questioned, but Daisy said : "I awoke that night to find my right arm bandaged, and later I found that Willis had just the same sort of wound upon his arm. And I guessed that I had been worse than he pretended, and that he had given his own life-blood to me." At length there came a day when Daisy, in the act of dress- ing, succumbed and fell unconscious to the floor. They placed her by the side of 'Willis upon his bed, and watched long and anxiously for her return to consciousness, but in vain. She lay there like the sleeping beauty, but rigid and breathless as if dead. In their alarm the family wept over her as for one dead, and said that the blow must kill Willis should he awaken to conscious- ness now. But Dr. Van Valkenburg said : ' ' There is no danger. She i completely worn out and tired Nature is but asserting herself. It will not in the least surprise me if this syncope lasts for many days. When she awakes from this stupor she will be fresh as the flower whose name she bears. But this I warn you, you must never let her know the length of time that she has been dead to the world. It would have a most disastrous effect upon one of her delicate and sensitive organism. I charge every one of you to make her believe that she has, but had a long and refreshing sleep. ' ' Day after day passed in this anxious watching. The sick- room had been transformed into a family sitting-room, where they all came and went, fearful of losing one phase of the changes that passed over either of their loved ones. Willis murmured and babbled and fretted and moaned. But Daisy never stirred, or so far as any one could see, even breathed. Twenty times a day each would bend over her, lifting her hand, which if pulseless was not cold, but would fall helpl-ess when re- leased, and it required all of Dr. Herman's nerve and self-con- trol to prevent the sorrowing family from a noisy outburst of grief. He could only keep them quiet by threatening to expel from the sick-room altogether any or all who disturbed the sil- ence necessary for the welfare of his patients. None of the watchers wished to go. The faces of the two A MUSICAL MYSTERY 287 invalids had a sort of facination for them all. So time passed on until the seventh day after they had laid Daisy upon the couch. There seemed to be little or no change in either until about the middle of the day, when Willis had stopped his senseless babbling and sunk into a deep stupor. It was growing late in the afternoon when Daisy, without warning, slipped from the bed and after casting a hasty glance toward Willis, without paying the slightest heed to the other oc- cupants of the room, crossed over to her dressing-room, and from thence after a moment or two they heard her voice in wilful dis- pute with Janet : " I tell thee, Janet, I will have that blue cham- bray. Get it for me at once, or I will send thee home to Fayther's and call Hortense instead to help me dress." That strange faint had come upon Daisy unawares, and now as she slid from the couch and made her way across the room she had on nothing but a chemise, which was hanging from one shoulder. Mrs. St. Aubyn was much scandalized. She turned to Lillian who was looking after Daisy with a smile of pleasure upon her own fair face, (now Lillian was the model of all that was grand, beautiful and perfect in womankind in the eyes of Mrs. St. Aubyn) and in her new-born love for her son Willis's wife, she excused her appearance to Lillian. Lillian smiled : ' ' Daisy is the most perfectly beautiful creat- ure in existence in my opinion. She is like a fine bit of chiseled marble endowed with life, and the tints of an exquisite painting. I always take pleasure in looking and wondering at her. I do not believe I should be shocked in the least degree should she appear before me perfectly nude." The effort upon the part of Mrs. St. Aubyn to reconcile her own shocked sensibilities with her overweening respect for Lil- lian's judgment was ludicrous in the extreme, and the undutiful Caroline laughed outright. "No," repeated Lillian, decidedly: "I should be no more shocked if Daisy stood before me stark naked than I should at beholding a bit of sculptured marble or a lovely picture." When Daisy appeared she was attired like a school-girl in a pretty blue chambray dress, which reached only to the tops of her pretty little boots; while her curls were loosed and held in place by a blue ribbon snood. A delicate tea rose of palest pink held the bit of snowy lace at her throat, and another was thrust care- lesslv in her belt. 288 LA GRAN QUIBIRA "I want to surprise Willis when he awakes, which is cer- tain to be very soon now, ' ' she said, as she saluted each in turn. * ' But how came thee to let me sleep so long ? Why, I declare I lay down at daybreak and now it must be half-past four in the after- noon. However, I thank thee instead of scolding, as I should have done had Willis awakened while I slept. I am so refreshed, and he will require much attention whilst convalescing, thou knowest. ' ' "But Daisy," said Lillian softly, "You must not be too sanguine. Willis is not yet out of danger. ' ' "He will not die, Lillian. Something must have told me if Willis was sick unto death. I am so much a part of him thou seest, that I must have known." Dr. Van Valkenburg entered the room as Daisy took up her accustomed place by the bedside of Willis. He smiled, well pleased with what he saw, then said: "He will soon awake to consciousness. But I warn you all that not one word must be spoken to him by any other than his wife. And, Daisy, that must be wisely done. The least excitement at this particular juncturo might prove fatal. He will awake perfectly rational but so weak that he will either sink at once into a healthful sleep, or sup away into the Valley of Death. It would be better for all except- ing Daisy, in whom I have the greatest confidence, to leave the room; but I will not insist since you wish to remain, but remem- ber, not a movement, not a word, or I will not be responsible for the consequences." Then Willis's eyes opened for a few minutes. Later they met the arch and smiling glance of Daisy, and lingered with an expression of relief and pleasure upon her face. "It is true, then," he whispered faintly, "you have promised to be my wife." Daisy laughed and clapped her hands gleefully, saying: "I knew that I should trick him in this dress. The poor fellow has quite forgotten his three months of wedded bliss, and thinks that we are only now engaged," and she laughed again merrily. "Willis answered with a dubious little smile then whispered : "Sing to me, Daisy." Dr. Herman was occupied during this little scene between the two in keeping the other occupants of the room in check. Mrs. St. Aubyn especially insisting upon intruding herself upon her son's attention, and was only restrained from doing so by A MUSICAL MYSTERY 289 the doctor's strong encircling arm and his threat to forcibly ex- pel her from the room if she dared even to breathe aloud. Daisy holding fast the hand of him who had, as it were, been restored from death to life, sang to him softly, while the eyes which rested so admiringly upon her radiant face closed, and Willis fell into a profound sleep. "The danger is past for a time," said Dr. Herman, as he released his hold upon Mrs. St. Aubyn. "Forgive me, dear madame, for this display of necessary violence. When Willis wakes again you may approach him, but I warn you once again that you must not excite him in the least." Mrs. St. Aubyn grumbled a little, but obeyed. And when Willis opened his eyes for the second time, Daisy was still sitting beside him singing softly, while his mother stood leaning her hands upon his young wife's shoulder. "I am so glad," he whispered. ' ' I dreamed that you did not, that you could not love Daisy, Mammy dear." "No one could help loving Daisy," was the gentle reply. And Willis sank again into deep and dreamless sleep. He awoke and slumbered again many times, gaining strength with each awakening until Dr. Herman declared his pa- tient out of danger, and upon the road to speedy recovery. Then folowed a long and tedious convalescene, most try- ing both to the invalid and the nurses, and Willis's peevish de- mands drove all from his bedside except the tireless young wife who seemed to gain in beauty and in strength each day, and catered to his whims with unceasing devotion, laughing, singing or scolding all the live-long day, and sometimes all the livelong night as well. 290 LA GRAN QUIBIRA. CANTO THE TENTH. "FLUTTERING WINGS." Willis was out of danger. The St. Aubyn family had re- sumed their former gaieties and the preparations for the double wedding, which had been interrupted by Willis's illness, went on apace. Mrs. St. Aubyn gave a second ball to celebrate the announce- ment of the double engagement. The next morning after the ball at twelve, Daisy made her appearance in the breakfast-room, and was warmly greeted. ' ' I had my breakfast hours and hours ago, ' ' she said. ' ' But if thou wilt permit me to call it 'luncheon,' I will let thee serve me with a cup of tea, Mammy. ' ' "You shall have it and call it 'dinner' if you like. I am so grateful to you for your assistance in making my second ball the second grand success of the season." Daisy stared. ' ' But I was not present, ' ' she said. "But you were made all the more conspicious by your ab- sence. As Mammy says, you were the great success of the even- ing. I never heard you sing so divinely before. It was a real surprise and treat to our guests," said Grace. "Oh," cried Daisy, deeply chagrined, "I am extremely sorry, Mammy, that I disturbed the festivities below stairs." "Not so," was the suave reply, "I assure you that the change was a delightful surprise and helped me out amazingly." "But Daisy, how came you to be singing at so late an hour?" questioned Del. "Why, it must have been long after midnight." "Well" said Daisy, assuming her very best story-telling manner, "This is how it all happened. I have been accustomed to sing Willis to sleep each night since his convalescence. Some- times I accompany myself upon the piano in my boudoir, but more often upon the great organ at the end of the hall. Willis likes that best. Well, thou all knowest just how cranky he has been since his illness. I am certain that I possess the patience of a Mrs. Job, but sometimes he tries me even beyond my powers of endurance. Yesterday was one of his very worst days. And I declare upon my word of honor that I was well-nigh distracted A MUSICAL MYSTERY 291 with the attempt to humor at least half of his caprices. I used ail manner of cajoleries and bribes, and when these failed I resorted to threats. Finally I was compelled to employ the most potent of them all. I told him that I would not sing him to sleep. Even this did no apparent good. And at the time I was so exasperated that I kept the threat," emphasized Daisy. "When bed-thr>e came and Saunders had prepared Willis for the night, I de- liberately disrobed, and lying down beside him I soon slept the sleep of the just. It must have been after midnight when I awoke suddenly to find Willis sitting up in bed, his eyes bright and his cheeks aflame with feverish excitement. And my con- science pricked me as I saw the poor boy had had not been able, so far, to sleep a wink. Not one word of reproach did he give me, but smiled down lovingly into my eyes. I got up at once and laid him down upon the bed and after kissing his eyelids down, I threw my white bournous over my night-robes, slipped my feet into a pair of slippers and went to the organ, where I sang and sang my best, I hope, trying to make up to my spoiled child for the punishment I had made him endure. But I cannot now un- derstand how thou couldst hear me in the ball room, as I took great care before retiring to close the doors both at the foot and at the head of our own stairway." "Some one must have opened them, for the first thing we knew, just in the midst of one of that lovely new set of waltzes, the whole room seemed to be flooded with music from above. The orchestra stopped playing as if by common consent, and every one in the room kept the attitude in which it had sur- prised them, even the dancers upon the floor. It was a most won- derful scene. That ballroom was 1 as if suddenly enchanted. Not a movement, or a breath while that grand hymn went up. As Grace said: 'You never sang like that before.' When the an- them was finished, the spell lifted for a moment, but no one cared to resume the dance. They all stole out into the grounds, and the ball was changed into a moonlight promenade. When you had finished singing, the band played the refrain softly like an echo to the heavenly music. Mammy may well look upon this- ball as the success of the season, for I will wager that there was more love-making and more engagements matrimonial, entered into, than at any other society ball ever given. And it is all owing to your own skilful management of your husband, Daisy." "The music was a mystery to all," said Caroline, "Until 292 LA GRAN QUIBIRA little Syd. Clarendon whose nurse leaving without warning, gave his mother, that pretty young widow, the alternative of re- maining at home to take care of her boy, whom she did not wish to leave with the servants at the hotel, or of bringing htm with her to the ball. She chose the latter, for she like myself loves to make innovations upon staid society rules, and the little fel- low is so pretty and such a beautiful dancer that every one was charmed, and, ' ' she grumblingly added , "I suppose now that every fond mother present will empty her nursery next time and flood us with their infant prodigies. It is a most dangerous thing for any society woman to establish a precedent of any sort. Then well then, the little Sydney peeped as children are apt to do, and came back saying that it must be an angel singing. For he said he had crept away up-stairs and there at the big organ, playing in the moonlight he saw an angel robed in white, and declared he had seen her wings. Some one suggested it might be Mrs. Willis St. Aubyn, but the little fellow insisted, and Georgia Sheldon comforted him by declaring it was just the same, for Mrs. Willis St. Aubyn is an angel. How that girl idolizes you, Daisy. And well she may for you have made her. ' ' "Carlie, Carlie," expostulated the laughing Daisy. "Thou art endowing me with the attributes of the Almighty." "Well," persisted Caroline, "perhaps God did make Georgia Sheldon as 'was' but Georgia Sheldon as 'is' is the work of your own hands, Daisy, and the girl appreciates the fact, as who would not their own change from a caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly? I never before realized the power of tasteful dress. ' ' "Well," said Daisy, "I am heartily ashamed of myself for breaking up the ball. I offer thee my apology, Mammy. Per- mit me to make what reparation I can. Tomorrow is Willis's birthday and mine as well. He is getting so much better that I think he may endulge in the mild dissipation of a family tea party. So I have made my appearance here this morning for the express purpose of inviting thee all. Thou must however promise to behave in a quiet and decorous manner. And I must especially impress it upon thy minds that thou must not laugh at the poor boy because he has to be fed like an infant. He is extremely sensitive upon the point, resenting his helplessness and I fear it would be most mortifying to him should any notice or comment upon the fact." A MUSICAL MYSTERY 293 All accepted the invitation upon the condition she imposed. "But I am interested in knowing how your lesson worked upon Willis. I may have to resort to some such thing myself," laughed Caroline. "I am trying to gain all the insight possible into the secrets of managing a husband." "Like a charm. When I finished my repertiore of anthems which he loves so well, I went back to find Willis in a sound sweet sleep from which he only awoke to breakfast with me, since which time he has behaved like an angel. But," she added with the prettiest mixture of wifely and motherly concern: "I must find some other means of punishing him should he relapse into his old habit of annoying me. The dear boy must not lose his sleep again. Tomorrow at five. Ta-ta" and Daisy was gone. 294 LA GRAN QUmiBA CANTO THE ELEVENTH. "WAL HALLA KETTLE ON." Next afternoon the whole family took tea with Willis. Many and warm were their congratulations, and many and costly were the birthday presents they brought to the young couple. Daisy declared it was like being married over again. She had the room beautifully decorated and the presents of jewelry, dress and bijouterie arranged to show to the very best advantage. The rest had nearly finished when the Governor and Her- bert made their appearance. It was a very pretty sight to see Daisy feeding Willis as she might a baby. Willis was propped among his pillows upon which his head w r ith its mass of golden curls stood out in relief. His face was w r an and white, and shone with that rare delicacy of tint which is seldom seen except in the fair sex; while his eyes had taken a strangely pathetic wistful- ness of expression since his illness. Daisy was perched upon the side of the bed against which the table had been placed and helped herself from its abundant supply, feeding Willis sometimes with a spoon and sometimes with a tid-bit taken from between her own lips. Willis at first cast many suspicious glances around, fear- ing as Daisy had said, that he was being laughed at. All were smiling it is true, but it was with such a pleased indulgent smile that his confidence in himself was restored, and he sank back upon his pillow in luxurious content, willing to be fed if not laughed at. And it was a treat indeed to see Daisy bite off a bit of luscious strawberry putting only the half between Willis's teeth while she complacently swallowed the lion 's share. Willis was very hungry. And the process of ministering to his wants was a very long one, lengthened out as it was by the frequent disputes between Daisy and the doctor as to what was good for the convalescent. "Never fear, Willis. Thou art now in my hands, and I will promise thee thou shalt not be starved upon any doctor's ad- vice. ' ' But when she topped off by whisking an egg into a glass of A MUSICAL, MYSTERY 295 wine and bade "Willis drink it down, Dr. Herman was really an- gry. "Nonsense," said Daisy. "He does not require weak solu- tions and more of them. No sick person does. A little less, but strong, is my policy in feeding the sick. Willis is very weak and needs strong food to give him the strength he lacks. And he shall have it while I am head nurse. Just see how that wine has braced him up. And I defy thee, 'Mein Herman' to detect the slightest trace of fever." Dr. Van Valkenburg looked grave and thoughtful as he seated himself beside the invalid and counted his pulse while Daisy joined the Governor and Herbert at the table to finish her own tea. After a time the doctor turned to her with a smile: "I am fairly beaten in the argument, ' ' he said. ' ' The lad is a hundred per cent, stronger, and hs blood is not fevered in the slightest degree by that dose which would have proven too strong for me. ' ' "Of course," was Daisy's reply. "That is because thou art in perfect health and strength and do not need it. Willis is very weak and does. Please consult me in future in doubtful cases, Mem Herman, and I will tell thee that one teaspoonful of Colo- mon's broth is equal to a whole pharmacy of the Homeopathic school: Yes Daddy, if thou pleaseth I adore pickled limes." ' ' I think that you take more liberties with the English Lan- guage, Daisy, than any person I have ever known," laughed Caroline. "Just fancy any one 'adoring' pickles of any sort let alone such abominations as pickled limes." "I 'dote' upon them" was Daisy's reply. After tea they chatted quietly for an hour or two, then the family party broke up. Grace and Del had engaged to spend the evening with some relatives, and Ma'mselle Fraulien was here to chaperon them. "Willis," said Lillian approaching his bedside while Daisy was yet at the table, "Willis, do you know that yours is the most beautiful male face I have ever seen? You look like one of the great arch angels brought low. I would like to sketch your face if you will permit me to do so and will not be worried by it. You know I am said to possess some skill in portraits, and I want to paint a grand picture some day representing the friends who have passed before. I find that in depicting them in the en- joyment of all the beauties of the world beyond the grave, I have 296 LA GRAN QUIBIRA no difficulty in etherealizing any female face, but when I at- tempt to picture the same expression upon the face of any man I know. I have the sublime consciousness of failure weighing upon me. But there is in your face since your illness the very expres- sion I want so much but hitherto have failed to catch," and Lil- lian hastily sketched his features which embodied the expression she sought. Willis was much amused, and insisted upon seeing the sketch saying that he wondered how he would appear when trans- formed into an angel. ' ' Faugh ! ' ' He cried in disgust, when it was shown him. ' ' An- gel indeed. Why I look like a brainless young lady. How came they to let my hair grow like that? I will have it cut tomorrow." "No. Oh, No. Daisy would be in despair. She is so proud of those long golden curls of yours. I really think it would break her heart if you were shorn of them. ' ' "I will have them taken of tomorrow," he repeated, in high dudgeon that upon him of all people should have beea perse- trated the unpardonable trick of having caused him to look like a girl. Lillian soon left the chamber, escorted as a matter of course by Herbert. The two were deep in the discussion as to the fur- nishing of their own house. Lillian said: "I have determined to leave it all to Daisy. I distrust myself and have confidence in her perfect taste. Just think Herbert, that years ago she chose all the furnishings of her fathers' house." "Daisy will have her hands full if she gets us settled for housekeeping. For I heard Caroline say she had undertaken the same task for her and the doctor. ' ' "And she will prove equal to it all. I have never known so capable a person as our Daisy. I understand now Herbert what you meant in describing the love you felt for your brother's young wife, although I was extremely jealous at the time because of your outspoken regard for her. I believe that all who know her, love Daisy beyond the love they feel for even their dearest ones, but it is a love differing from and yet better than any other love. When Daddy calls her 'best-beloved' that tells the story." Caroline and Dr. Herman Van Valkenburg lingered as if loth to depart, although they were due at the opera, and Orville A MUSICAL MYSTERY 297 Roumaine called to bid his old schoolmates farewell before start- ing for the East Indies where he was to rejoin his father. Daisy had never liked him, but could not well deny him the privilege he asked of bidding Willis good-bye. So he was ad- mitted to the family party in time to share their tea. But the handsome Orville made himself so agreeable and was* so tender and attentive to Willis's wants that Daisy's tender little heart w r as quite won by his manner and she urged him to remain for the evening, the birthday tea having served as dinner as well. "Now," said Daisy, mischievously to the Governor, "I feel my powers returning to me. 'Ask and it shall be given unto thee.' Express the wish that is first in thy heart and lo !" and she struck an attitude. "I was thinking," said the Governor wistfully, "That if I had my slippers here I would remain with you two children until your bedtime." "Behold !" and Daisy produced not only the wished-for slip- pers but the dressing gown as well. "I knew you were a witch, my best-beloved," replied the Governor as he made haste to don the easy garments. "Now My nerva, what is the wish of your heart? You have only to whisper it and it will be granted you." "I, too, would like to spend the evening with Willis and Daisy if I had my work ." ' ' Which ? The embroidery for the Fair, or the crochet work, or-." "I think I would prefer the knitting work for this evening." Daisy produced it without even the delay of waving her magic wand. There was a hearty laugh and grateful kisses and the three seated themselves cozily before the open fire. And after Willis had been wheeled near, that he and Orville might join the con- verstation at will, they chatted away upon all manner of sub- jests, until Daisy, at a quarter to ten o'clock, promptly turned them out. Willis had been dozing most of the time and they begged that they might stay. But Daisy was obdurate, declaring how- ever that they might remain through one or two of the cus- tomary night songs she was wont to use as a lullaby to her fret- ful charge, but added that it would not be well for any one of them whom she found upon her return. And true to their pro- mise each stole out in silence. 2'J8 LA GRAN QUIBIRA All were in bed betimes upon this the second night after the ball. All was still and silent, when just as the clock upon the great stairway struck twelve, a piercing shriek rang through the man- sion followed by another and yet another. There was hurrying and scurrying, and frightened faces everywhere ; while the night bell upon the upper floor rang peal after peal, then broke as if from its own vehemence. Who shall describe the awe and terror with which the ex- planation of the midnight alarm was received. Willis St. Aubyn was dead. He had first cried out: "I hear! I hear. Yes Lord, I come," then turned to Daisy who had sprung up from her sleep at the first sound. His eyes were bright with an unearthly light, his cheeks were crimson, he flung his arms around his young wife, saying, hurriedly: "I have been called. My darling, I must leave you. Good-bye. Good-bye," and he was gone after that one farewell kiss. Daisy was as one in a dream. She had sounded the alarm. But as the terror-stricken family made their appearance singly or in groups, she lifted her head, her eyes dilated with surprise and said in a dull apathetic monotone, which struck yet more terror to the souls of the hearers: "Willis is dead. But Willis is dead," then fell to caressing again the still cold form in which all her hopes of earthly happiness had been centered. How differently grief affects our different natures. Daisy was stunned. But with the shock of learning that her favorite son was dead, all the former hatred of her son's young wife re- turned to the elder Mrs. St. Aubyn. Unreasonable as it ap- peared, she declared that Daisy had been the cause of that sud- den death. "She has poisoned him. He was well enough two hours since." She wept and wailed and between times abused the wife whom grief had well-nigh paralyzed. "You did it," she raged. "You did it and here is the proof," displaying an empty vial. "It was more than half full this evening, and now the contents are gone. You did it. You poisoned him." "Did I?" questioned Daisy, dully. Then added after a few moments' dreamy reflection, "No. I do not think it was I. I have not given Willis one drop of medicine for three days. Yet," A MUSICAL MYSTERY 299 she said meditatively as if arguing some difficult problem with herself, "Yet he is dead. Willis is dead." Dr. Herman interfered, and the angry yet grief-stricken mother was removed from the room. Daisy remained. It seemed too cruel to attempt to separate her from her beloved dead. This threw her into such an agony of grief and terror that they desisted. And she remained through the scene which followed, unmindful of all that transpired, awakening at times as from a trance only to repeat with that blood-curdling apathy : "But Willis is dead. Willis is dead. " Yes, Willis St. Aubyn was dead. Dead upon his eighteenth birthday and Daisy Zorlange St. Aubyn was left a widow at sixteen. The score, in which they had taken in duett the principal parts, was ended, and to her "Heart of Gold" which had been her chief charm through her days of childhood, she must now add the "Cross of Ebony" whose darkness was relieved only by its points of silver. What was the cause? Who knows f The two skilled physicians, Dr. Tr an Valkenburg and Dr. Winthrop, examined the body and held long and grave consulta- tions upon it, but when questioned replied that it was often the case after so protracted an illness, that the recuperative forces failed suddenly and without apparent reason just when the hope of recovery was highest. But it was noticed and commented upon that neither looked at those who questioned them but turned their heads aside as if fearful their real opinion might be written upon their faces. Lillian herself cut off the golden curls. Some were left about the beautiful face of the boy who had and did look like that angel whose wings he had so soon borrowed, upon which his soul had taken flight. Besides these there was one for each of those who had loved him so, and two for the widowed bride. And the beautiful melodies which made up the First and Second Acts of Daisy Zorlange 's life died suddenly away. For the harp-strings had broken and from those that were left only minor chords which ended in painful discord, could now be drawn. [END OF ACT n.] 300 LA GRAN QUIBIRA ACT III. CANTO THE FIRST. "A TRANSFORMATION." A strange thing had happened. An estrangement had grown up between Daisy and the St. Aubyn Family. Whether or no the oft-repeated accusations of Mrs. St. Aubyn, no matter how absurd they had at first appeared, had had their effect none could tell; but there was an undeniable coldness between its members and Daisy. After the death of Willis St. Aubyn, Emil Zorlange had sickened and died and Dasy was left alone in the world. Then she herself had been very ill. Had her baby lived, all might have come right again, but this comfort also was lost to her. And of all who had seemed to love her so devotedly, only one re- mained true to her. This was "Mein Herman" as she called Dr. Van Valkenburg. But Dr. Herman Van Valkenburg had gone East for a time and Daisy felt as if entirely alone in the worlc 1 . When Emil Zorlange died it was found that, like all dreamers and poets, he had been a very unpractical man of business, and had left his affairs in almost inextricable con- fusion. When finally his estate was settled, it was found that to Daisy remained the homestead and furnishings without any- thing with which to keep up the establishment. Daisy bore the matter with the philosophy of ignorance, and said: "I am young and strong. I can work. God has bestowed upon me a rarely beautiful voice. It shall make my fortune." This determination, to which she firmly adhered, was the cause of the first breach betwen her and her husband's family, who chose to think the action disgraceful. But Daisy had set herself steadily to work to prepare herself for the operatic stage. This was before her own severe illness. When she arose from her sick-bed, she found to her dismay that she had lost what she called her "one great gift," her marvelous voice. She could sing, it is true, 'and sometimes very well, indeed, but she had lost the control of her voice and found that it could not be depended upon at all times. CHURCH AND MARKET PLACE, BETHLEHEM. [Courtesy of The Pictorial American. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 801 It was, however, during her practice that Mrs. St. Aubyn, the elder, claimed to have been an involuntary witness to a dubious love-scene between Daisy and her music-master. The family was, of course, greatly scandalized, and Daisy, when questioned, drew back in haughty astonishment and refused utterly to deny the accusation. While Daisy's business affairs were being settled, the St. Aubyns went abroad. Daisy was given a cold invitation to join the party, which she as coldly refused. And when the family were gone, she removed at once to her own house, taking with her but few of the articles that were really her own. From the house itself she took only the two portraits which Willis had hung at the foot of his bed, those which he had had painted of himself and of her, her own clothing, and a few keepsakes which Willis had prized. When the St. Aubyns had gone abroad, the Governor had placed in the hand of a notary, whom he trusted, the sum of five thousand dollars for Daisy's use during the year of their intended absence, to be followed by more should their absence be protracted beyond that limit of time, and believing that Daisy was safely housed in the St. Aubyn mansion, no one thought more about the matter, except to wonder why Daisy did not write to them. But Daisy's pride had been stung to the quick, and no sooner had the family started upon their journey than she re- moved from the safe shelter of the Governor's roof. Then came upon her the losses of which I have spoken. Daisy, in her lonely and heartbroken state, wrote as soon as she was able, telling them of the loss of her babe, who came into the world to smile upon her, then went back to the home it had left among the angels, leaving the forlorn young mother al- most paralyzed with grief at her triple loss of husband, father and child. This letter, which she entrusted to the hands of the notary, never reached its destination, and Daisy believed herself de- serted by all. Daisy had refused the money left her by the Governor, saying that she could not owe her support to those who had es- tranged themselves from her without sufficient cause, and it was many a long day before the Governor and his family knew the utterly helpless position in which their own injustice had 302 LA GRAN QUIBIRA placed the young girl, or that the notary had pocketed the five thousand dollars left in his care after Daisy had refused to accept it. As for Daisy, she was possessed of high courage. And when well once more said: "I have lost my one talent, but I believe that I will be able to earn my own living by teaching. I remember that Virginia always envied me the knack I have of explaining clearly and comprehensively any difficult problem." Mrs. St. Aubyn, junior, cast up her accounts and found that she could take a year's review and study preparatory to entering the field of busy workers as a teacher. After long search she settled upon the National Normal School, at Lebanon, 0., as the one most fitted for her purpose. Accustomed always to consult only her own sweet will in all things, she enrolled herself at once as a pupil of this school, and went her way, leaving the notary to squander her sub- stance as he might. This sort of school was a new experience to her, and she enjoyed the novelty of the situation. There was, at that time, I think, no other school conducted upon such liberal principles. Marguerite St. Aubyn had written just before she started, to engage room and board with the family of the principal, but upon her arrival she found that her letter had not reached its destination, and she was compelled to take things as she found them. She first had a long and confidential talk with Professor Holbrook, in which she begged that he would tell no one her real identity lest it make a difference in her treatment, and cause annoyance to the St. Aubyn family, and he kept her secret well. She took a plain, scantily furnished room upon the third door of the Lyceum. The school was full, and for the first night or two she shared the room with a young widow like her- self, but an experienced teacher, from whom she obtained many little items of information that might prove of value to herself when once she had entered upon her chosen work. When Mrs. Bell left, to Marguerite's amusement and to her discomfort as well, she bestowed every moveable article in the apartment upon other occupants of the building from whom she was parting, as mementoes, leaving the room alto- gether barren of all necessities as well as decoration. Mrs. St. Aubyn soon had another roommate, however, in the A MUSICAL MYSTERY 303 person of a pupil teacher, Miss Owen, with whom, as was her habit, she fell desperately in love. The affection was mutual, and an intimacy sprang up between the two which made life a trifle more endurable to the bruised and bleeding heart of the bereaved young widow. She called her roommate Sallie, and Sallie declared that her own name was convertible into one that suited her to a nicety, and called her Pearl. Pearl St. Aubyn was soon the toast of the school, and the old scenes of love and jealousy repeated themselves, except that now her bright intellect won the regard of her teachers. If they placed the orthodox "Miss" before her name, she paid no heed, or at least made no correction. She saw but little through the school-day of her roommate, Sallie, for this was a busy hive of bees. Pearl had enrolled herself in the teacher's department, while Sallie was completing the Classical Course, and paid her way by teaching some of the classes. So that after rising the two met only at chapel exercises and in the rhetoric class, where the one acted the part of instructress and the other that of pupil, and then again at the hour for retiring. And in this busy life of study, frolic and flirtation, Pearl St. Aubyn strove to forget her past. 304 LA GRAN QUIBIRA ANTO THE SECOND. "ROSARIO, THE SORROWFUL/' She was Sallie's idol. Pearl St. Aubyn systematically ig- nored her own past and kept her attention fixed upon her un- promising future. She had moral courage in plenty; but there were times when it seemed about to desert her. One morning Saint Sallie, as she loved to call her, came into their joint room unexpectedly to find Pearl in tears. When questioned, she admitted her discouragement. "My dear Pearl, take courage. You are so bright of in- tellect, so beautiful to look upon, and so altogether charming, that success is assured to you. You need not look so incredu- lous, these last-named qualities count for as much, if not for more in the struggle for success, as does the first." "I dreamed last night that I stood in a beautiful flower- garden that was all my own. I wandered about plucking the different blossoms as I went, admiring them, then easting them carelesly aside. At length I reached the center of my garden where a magnificent rose tree grew. It was covered from root to top with creamy white roses, in bud, in blossom and full- blown. I plucked them, one after another, inhaled their per- fume, then cast them also carelessly aside. They fell at my feet, which were literally buried in the bed of dying roses whose perfume seemed somehow a reproach to me. Toward the last when but few remained upon the rose-tree, I grew more careful and more tender. I carried a great bunch of the most beau- tiful for some time, but at length they wearied me with their very fragrance, and I cast them away, as I had done the others. At length but few were left upon the tree, nearly despoiled by my own ruthless hand. These I gathered, one by one, having somehow learned to prize them at their worth, and missing the subtle perfume, of which I had thought myself weary; but behold, each, as I gathered it and pressed it to my lips, fell to pieces, strewing the grass at my feet with their snowy petals. And now but one rose, the most beautiful, the most perfect of them all, remained upon the tree. I watched it expand from a tiny green-encrusted bud, into a sweet half-blown blossom, then A MUSICAL MYSTERY 305 into full bloom, the most beautiful, the most perfect of all the roses that had sprung from that wonderful tree. I longed to possess it, but feared to pluck it from the stem, lest in possessing myself of it, I should lose it as I had the others. I waited for a long time, reaching out my hand, then withdrawing it in sudden fear. Finally I plucked up courage and drawing down the branches of the great rose-tree, I care- fully broke the rose which crested its very top from its slender stem, and took it tenderly to my heart, only to have it fall leaf by leaf at my feet, as had all the rest. Oh, Sallie, dear, my dream is but the symbol of my life. I had all the good gifts of life offered to me during my careless youth, when I did not understand their real worth, and took no pains to garner these sweets. Even the withered and fallen leaves would, if pre- served, have given their perfumed fragrance to me for a long, long time, but I fear now that they have begun to fall ; that all after which I now reach will wither and fall to pieces be- neath my touch. The dream is, I say, typical of my own life, and saddens and discourages me." Saint Sallie comforted her as best she could, but the story of the dream and of Pearl St. Aubyn's own foreboding inter- pretation of it, was the theme of many a conversation. All ridiculed her somber forebodings, and encouraged her. Failure or defeat in the battle of life was quite imposible, they said, to one so fair and so bright. So they founded the "Rose- Tree Club," in her honor, whose aim was to offer sweet encour- agement to the faltering. It was, in fact, a new and very se- lect literary society, whose essays and poems were weeded and deprived of all their thorns before a copy of each was pre- sented to Pearl herself. A beautiful pearly tea-rose was placed upon the center-table at each of their meetings, and one of the pledges taken by the members of the Tea-Rose Club was that each should plant a white rose, wherever they were after leaving the school in mem- ory of Pearl St. Aubyn and the folly of dreams especially those of ill omen. This life at the National Normal School was too busy a one to admit of much retrospect. There was the continual round of study and recitation from five o'clock in the morning until nine or ten at night. Monday forenoon was the only break in the routine, that being a half holiday. 20 306 LA GRAN QUIBIBA But even here unwelcome changes came. Miss Owen, whom Pearl insisted upon calling Sallie, or Saint Sallie as the whim seized upon her, was promoted to other classes and resolved to share her rooms with none. Pearl who had left at the end of the school year thinking that she would not again return, one short term having satisfied her that her chosen life-work was not to her taste, had at the eleventh hour unexpectedly appeared to find all of the best rooms taken and she was compelled to quarter herself in two down-town apartments outside of the rooms under the jurisdic- tion of Professor Holbrook. She found, indeed, much better rooms and Sallie begged her to take another room mate in the person of Elsie Ferris who learned to simply bow down and worship her beautiful mate. This was the third Act in Margurite Zorlange St. Aubyn's life drama and would have been but an * episode' but that it ended in her marrying for the second time. How it happened she herself could scarcely tell. She had passed a most successful examination before the County School Board and had been engaged as teacher to a school near Dayton, but she had been over-persuaded and consented to marry a most persistent suitor, Laurence Jerome, one who was more than twice her own age and with whom one might say she was scarce'y aquainted. But it so happened that none who could advise or influence her was there at the moment. Miss Owen and John Sea were away attending the wedding of another friend and schoolmate in Kentucky, and Wilson I, who was steward of the club and with whom Pearl had grown very intimate, loving and respecting him and treating him "just as she would another girl," as she declared, had left the school. So that the upshot of the whole matter was that one morning accompanied only by Elsie Ferris and Laurence Jerome, she made her way to a popu- lar church, on Cherry street, and Daisy Zorlange and Pearl St. Aubyn were forever merged into "Marguerite Jerome." But alas, and yet alas ! In less than an hour after her second marriage Marguerite knew that she had made a terrible mistake, and as time sped on the conviction deepened upon her and she felt that she had bound herself for life to a man whom she could neither love nor respect. And as the curtain fell upon this the third act of her life opera the music of the orchestra closed in one discordant crash. [END OF ACT in.] VIEW IN KEANE'S CANYON, ARIZONA. [Courtesy of The Pictorial American. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 307 ACT IV. CANTO THE FIRST. "WHEN THE SWALLOWS HOMEWARD PLY." The St. Aubyn family had returned to Paris from a pro- longed tour through Egypt and North Africa. The Governor had insisted upon total isolation from all business matters, and their mail had collected in Paris, few letters having been sent after them upon their travels. The accumulation of mail matter that awaited all upon their return to that place was something formid- able. Yet amongst it all there was no letter from the absent Daisy. Many and anxious were the inquiries put to one another, and it ended in a family consultation upon the first evening of their arrival in Paris, which had been chosen as the rendezvous for the party, and the probable place of their residence for the winter. Here they had been met by Dr. Van Valkenburg who had been to visit his mother and sister and brother in northern Germany ; and by Lillian Cavendish and her aunt, who had been at some one or other of the German baths since the whole party had left America. Here the double wedding, which had been so long delayed, was to be solemnized in a very quiet manner. Herbert had been appointed a member of the American Embassy at the Court of St. James, and Dr. Herman Van Valkenburg had determined to return to Germany for a time at least. Here it was then that all began to think of Willis's young wife, who had come upon them like a sudden gleam of bright sun- shine, making the dark places in their lives clear and bright, and they began to realize that the presence of Daisy among them was essential to the happiness of all. Caroline, Lillian, Herbert and the doctor each confessed that they had written more than once without receiving any reply from Daisy, who, they acknowledged, had every reason to be of- fended at their conduct after the death of Willis. But each had supposed some one of the other members of the family had been more fortunate. Great then was the consternation of all upon their arrival in Paris to find their own letters to her re- turned but not one word from Daisy. 308 LA GRAN QUIBIRA "Oh! my best-beloved," mourned the Governor. "I feel that I have been most unjust to thee. How could this terrible estrangement have come about ? And even so, how came I to be so remiss in my care of this young and orphaned bride? Had she been a total stranger I must have reproached myself most bit- terly for my unpardonable negligence, but my best-beloved, my own little daughter who brought only good to me and mine, I surely cannot hope for forgiveness in this." "Mammy" said Caroline sharply, "this is your doing. I feel positive that you have borne false witness against our good angel in this matter." "I I well, perhaps I may have exaggerated a little about that scene in Daisy's apartments. It was in her boudoir and not in her chamber that it occurred. And I have just been think- ing that as it was the master who had her in training for the operatic stage, they might have merely been rehearsing some love scene." And the good lady whimpered and added a little spite- fully: "But she poisoned Willis. I know she did. You know yourself Herman that he was poisoned," and the doctor looked grave but answered never a word. "Oh, Mammy, Mammy," groaned Caroline. "And you have two young daughters of your own. How can you be so brutal 1 ' ' The Governor's health had been so much impaired that a trip across the ocean was not to be thought of for him, although he insisted that it was his duty to look up this matter in person. For it was planly to be seen that whatever had become of Daisy she had left the safe shelter of the St. Aubyn roof. Herbert was due in London at an early date; while Herman had just received advices from Germany that demanded his al- most immediate return thither. So the double wedding was cele- brated privately and without the wished-for presence of Daisy. And they were obliged to content themselves with sending a stranger to inquire into the matter. Now for the first time they learned that Daisy had left the shelter provided for her, as soon as they had gone, and she, refusing utterly to accept the money left for her support, this had been appropriated by the notary. All trace of the missing one seemed for a time to be lost, and when after months of weary waiting she was found, it was only to be lost again and forever. For Daisy had in the meantime committed social suicide, . and by marrying for the second time had cut herself off from the St. Aubyn family, who mourned for her as for one dead. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 309 CANTO THE SECOND. " MAKING THE BEST OF THINGS/' But Daisy had turned her back upon her former life and never permitted even her thoughts to dwell upon it. Daisy Zor- lange and after a time even Pearl St. Aubyn were as if they had never existed. Both were merged into Marguerite Jerome. And Marguerite Jerome had that knack of making the best of things, whose possessor if not altogether happy, is yet incapable of real unhappiness. Her husband idolized her. And this fact and the conscious- ness that she held the good or ill of this one human being in her keeping held her to her duty amid the temptations that assailed her. Her married life presented such a kaleidescopic series of ups and downs, as to baffle correct description. From time to time, they moved from city to city, as the freak took possession of Laurence Jerome. And as they always boarded instead of keeping house these Sittings mattered but little to either. But when it was too late they both realized the mistake they had made; for one forms only aquaintances and can never hope to make true friends in this constant change of residence. They found themselves at length en route from Chicago where they had lived for two or three years, to New York City, Laurence Jerome having upon hand the furtherance of a new railway scheme, whose object was to connect the northern rail- ways with the Gulf traffic. The route passed from Denver, along the Denver and Rio Grande, through Espanola to Galveston, Texas. Of this new railroad, Laurence Jerome was in its conception and infancy, both president and general manager. Everything seemed propitious. The charter was procured. The preliminary survey was made, and the scheme met with much favor and re- ceived many concessions from the residents along the proposed route, especially from the native Mexican Land Owners, many of whose donations, and privileges of right-of-way were signed by 310 LA GRAN QUIBIRA three and even four generations, of the living heirs and assigns, of the same family and name. All was, as I have said, favorable to the enterprise. Arrived in New York, the bonds were issued and Laurence Jerome was about to sail for Europe having already contracted for their placing upon the London market, and that of Ansterdam. Of course, his young wife had to accompany him, for like all elderly men who marry young and lovely wives, she was scarcely permitted to leave his sight, and Marguerite besides was much pleased with the prospect of a trip to Europe, she never having visited any country outside of her native America. Business was at its best. Then the constant demand for "change" at any price, which is the one great feature of Ameri- can politics, gave this confidence a little jog. And upon the heels of this came the notorious and somewhat scandalous failure of Ferdinand Ward, in which General Grant was implicated. This was followed by the failure of the Marine Bank and the great financial crash. Where thousands were swamped and ruined by these failures, what wonder that the lack of confidence they inspired in foreign capitalists, sunk this incipient railway as it did many another legitimate schemes and Laurence Jerome lost all that he possessed? Then followed a series of disasters which deprived them of almost every penny they possessed in the world. But he was a true American. He had been educated as a lawyer and in his younger days had practised in his native State, New York, with some success. But having a taste for mechanics he had left the profession and becoming a practical stair builder had accumu- lated the small fortune which had now been sunk in this abortive railway scheme. "Needs must." And he began again, as it were, working when work presented itself, which was not often, for every line of business had been paralyzed by the panic. By dint of long and patient effort he had hoarded a few hundreds, and they de- cided to journey to the southwest, and build anew the structure of their fortunes. Laurence Jerome had been with the party who had surveyed the route for the proposed railway in which he had sunk all his fortune, and had while in New Mexico gathered many points of unwritten history and traditions of the country from the natives with whom he was a favorite. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 3 1 1 Those which possessed the greatest fascination both for him and for Marguerite, related to what she termed "the missing link" in the history of the country, which seemed to have been lost or suppressed by the Spaniards at the time of their conquest of Mexico. The story which most interested Marguerite was that of the "Metal Workers of the Seven Cities of The Cibola; the story of La Gran Quibira. ' ' She began at once to study all of the meager history left to us of this mysterious place. The subterranean ruins of a buried city called by this name was what gave the greatest scope to her fancy, and the two de- termined that this was the place of all others they were most anxious to visit, and which might prove to be the means of speed- ily retrieving their fallen fortunes. Their journey was without a break from New York to Al- buquerque, New Mexico. Here, however, they were delayed for more than a month. Their route across country from this point was unknown to most, and what to them at the time was most in- comprehensible, was the fact which from the first was most ap- parentthat, among those who had ever heard of this place at all, there was a reluctance to tell to strangers what they knew about it. Lawrence finally engaged a livery outfit and ' ' Ho ! For La Gran Quibira." The owner had warranted the team to accomplish forty miles a day with a heavy load. Ten days out they believed would gratify their desire for explorations among the ruins, which they now learned were those of a great church and monastery which reared themselves above ground upon the crest of a hill, and which for centuries had been the Treasure Trove of the fortune seeker. The tradition and imperfect history of the place was new to the Jeromes. The careful study of all the scanty items which came within their reach resolved itself into the fact that after many vain attempts by large bodies of soldiers to discover the whereabouts of "La Gran Quibira," (the central city of The Seven Cities of The Cibola, in whch it was said the wealth, laid up by the Aztec nation for many ages, was stored away against the need as the ransom of that nation from their enslavement by the whites, that enslavement which had been foreseen more than 312 LA GRAN QUIBIBA two thousand years before by the great Chaltsantzin, their Pro- phet and King) where the army had failed, the church succeeded, the wily priests winning the confidence of the people by their un- deniable charity both in words and works. For when was the story of the Redeemer ever told to altogether deaf ears? These Holy Fathers found the well-guarded Valley of Azt- lan; where in time they remodeled the palace of the Aztecs, con- verting it into a great monastery and deplaced the modest chapel by a church as vast as most cathedrals of the present day. That community of Franciscan Friars, who thus won the confidence of these Indians, dwelt here for many years and grew by some mysterious means, rich beyond conception. They kept their secret well and few outside their own community guessed the truth, that this brotherhood had found and held the much sought for treasure of the Aztec nation, they feared that should they disclose the secret, the Spanish King through his Mexican army would wrest it from them or demand the lion 's share of the spoils. The story comes down to us, but in meager fragments, that the friars were expelled when the other Spanish priests were driven from the country at the time of the great Indian insur- rection of A. B. 1680, is certain, and it is equally certain that but two of the entire number of seventy friars made their escape, and in time returned to Spain to that community of which they were a branch. These two friars told such wonderful stories of what they had found and possessed themselves of, that they were believed to be mad and were dealt with accordingly. But many years later when the second of the two friars died (the two had not held communication with one another for all these years) and there were discovered in his cell descriptions, maps and charts which corresponded exactly with those found in the cell of the first, already deceased, the heads of the Community began to think that there might be some foundation to the stories of the marvelous riches they claimed they had been compelled to store away in a secret hiding place, when the entire community had been massacred or forced to flee for their lives. Many expeditions were sent by the Catholic Church, both from Spain and from what is now known as Old Mexico. But the whole face of the country seemed to have been so changed by A MUSICAL MYSTERY 313 the ravages of the war which continued for thirteen years, as to completely baffle every effort to locate with precision the site even of La Gran Quibira. And it has only been within the past fifty years that the par- ticular spot which is now universally conceded to have been the Valley of Aztlan, wherein was located that ancient confedera- tion of cities called the "Seven Cities Of The Cibola," whose capital city was known as "La Gran Quibira," was discovered by Lewis and Clarke. Its isolated situation explains why it was an impossibility for any large body of men to make their way thither without the guidance of some of the friendly Indians. And the reason that this guidance was never offered to them was that this was their sacred City of Culhaucan as well. After this discovery, after the valley became the property of the United States of America, many other missions were sent by the church which placed a "ban" upon the place as a protection against the depredations of the curious and the avaricious. This interdict was still in force when our two adventurers started to visit the place. 314 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE THIRD. "THE COMANCHE'S REVENGE." It was in the middle of October when the Jeromes set forth with a mere camp outfit. The much- vaunted team (which could travel forty miles a day with twice their load) refused to make even ten miles unless allowed the entire day in which to ac- complish it. The second day therefore found them less than thirty miles from their starting point, this after travelling so late upon the previous day that they were compelled to sit up all night in the wagon, it being too dark to prepare supper. Following the eastern bank of the Rio Grande down the Mesa, they had crossed innumerable roads leading into the San- dia Mountains. Upon inquiry each of these was declared to be the road to Hell Canyon. "It would seem that it is impossible to get beyond these mountains except by the way of Hades ; ' ' said Marguerite, laugh- ing. "Suppose that we inaugurate a new departure and vamos around them. ' ' All was so new and interesting an experience to one who had passed her whole life in cities that even its discomfort was a de- light to her. Having taken the "river road" they passed through the An- cient Mexican Village of Thome, which had once been the scene of a wholesale massacre. It is close to the Rio Grande, directly opposite to Comanche Canyon, a narrow cut through these moun- tains which is not accessible by wagon. The story goes that in the olden days, many years after The Conquest however, a trader dwelt in Thome, which even at that early date was a considerable town, as towns went. This trader, whose name was I think Garcia, had a very bright and attractive little daughter, who was a great favorite with the Comanche chief, with whom the trader professed great friendship, and it was agreed between the two that when the little girl should be of marriageable age, she should wed the son of the Comanche chief, whose home was beyond the Sandias, in the territory wherein A MUSICAL MYSTERY 315 now is Manzano, Cyenega, Punta-Del-Agua, Quarra, and Abo, and which could best be reached by a short cut through the Comanche Canyon. This union of the races would be, it was thought, for the benefit of all. Time passed on. The child developed into a maiden of twelve or thereabouts. The Comanche chief, who had made the trader and the trader's younger daughter many valuable presents, be- came urgent in his requests for the beautiful maiden who was to become the bride of his son. But the crafty Garcia, who had either never been in earnest or had reconsidered his promise to the chief, delayed the nuptials upon some pretense or another. The girl had in the meantime been sent to school at Santa Fe, and as the chief became more and more pressing in his demands for the fulfillment of the promise, he declared at length that his daughter had died of small-pox at the latter place. The old Comanche chief mourned for her as if she had in- deed been his own daughter. But later his suspicions were some- how awakened, and without presenting himself at the Thome Trader's, he yet maintained a strict watch upon his every move- ment. The deception of the Comanche chief complete, Garcia brought his daughter home, that he might wed her to one of his own race; a Spanish grandee, who had sought her hand in mar- riage. A coldness had sprung up between the trader and his old-time friend, the Comanche chief, who had forbidden his peo- ple to go again to Thome, yet upon the surface friendly relations were still maintained between the Indians and the whites. It was upon a Monday morning that the entire population of Thome assembled at the church to witness the marriage ceremony which made the beautiful daughter of the trader, the wife of one of her own people. The "parochia" was filled to overflowing with the wedding guests. The times were seemingly peaceful, and great was the hiliarity over the neat manner in which the Comanche chief had been hood-winked and cheated out of his son's bride by the cun- ning Garcia, who in the belief that time had so changed the ap- pearance of his little daughter that the chief and his son would not recognize her as other than another daughter, even had the audacity to invite them to the nuptials. They had not however 316 LA GRAN QUIBIRA as yet made their appearance at the festivities. ' ' If coming, they are very late," quoth the facetious trader. They came; but not just yet. The whole community, as I have said, were assembled at the "parochia. " All were unarmed as was the custom of that day, for except in times of imminent danger no man carried arms to the sacred edifice. The priest had but well begun the marriage ser- vice when the tardy guests arrived, accompanied by their entire tribe. They came down quietly through the Canyon to which the deed of this day gave name, and crept stealthily across the in- tervening mesa, surrounding the church, unseen by the careless guards. The first intimation of their presence there, was that terrible war-whoop with which they fell upon the occupants of the church. The slaughter was complete. But few escaped to tell the story of the massacre, and that of the carrying off of the bride and some other of the maidens of hapless Thome. These were never heard of more, although many were the romantic stories handed down among the Indians of the beauty and good- ness of the white squaw of the young Comanche chief. A MUSICAL MYSTEEY 317 CANTO THE FOURTH. "LE GATO." They (the Jeromes), breakfasted at a rancho Mexicano. Their host arose suddenly in the very midst of the meal, and as- suming a most dignified air, he introduced himself to his un- expected guests as "Antonio Jose Arragon," and intimated that he would like to know the strangers by name. So Laurence, imi- tating him to a nicety, arose also and introduced himself and his wife. But when he said that they hailed from New York, Ar- ragon corrected him sharply and declared solemnly that it was "Ny York." It was not difficult to understand even without any knowl- edge of the Spanish language, by the manner in which he bewailed the fact, and by signs declared there was too much difference in age between Marguerite and her grey-haired hus- band, the Senor Mexicano had fallen in love and was anxi- ous to establish the fact that she was of a reputable family be- fore asking her hand from him whom he fondly believed to be Marguerite's father. With Arragon for a guide, they made their way to his next neighbor's ranch. This was "Los Aguellos," owned by Kirk- patrick, and here it was that Marguerite made her first aqiiaint- ance with that class around which so many romatic notions cen- ter, yclept cowboys in the persons of two Texas cattlemen who were herding their cattle there en route to Arizona. From Los Angeles they passed down the mesa to a Mexican ranch at the Limestone Spring. And here the unfitness of their hired team compelled them to camp for the night amid the filth and squalor of a Mexican corral. In the center of this corral stood a small adobe house in which were quartered for the right ful]y a dozen people, who seemed greatly surprised that Mr. Jerome preferred to take the trouble of pitching a small tent which he had brought with him, and to remain among the hogs which over-run the corral, to sharing the dubious accommoda- tions with them. Sitting in the wagon while the process of pitchng the tent 318 LA GRAN QUIBIRA was in progress, Marguerite, several times shook off ,-m immense cat as she supposed and complained of, which attempted to climb upon her lap. Her sight, as I have said was defective, and in the deepening twilight she could not see but could feel and hear the cat clawing its way upward. Three times Laurence Jerome came to drive the persistent intruder away, and each time declared that there was no cat or indeed any other animal in sight. The Mexicans crowded about. The dingiest individual of the lot, however, proved to be a Hoosier and he had told ih-;m that the senora insisted that a huge cat was clawing at the laprobe and climbing upon her. No one could see the cat. But a'l crossed themselves and told some story of witch-craft to the Hcosier v.ho refused to translate it to the Americans, only saying that if the incident had happened to himself he would at once retrace bis steps, for only disappointment and danger awaited one whom this invisible cat had visited. Next morning they chose to pierce the mountain, which were here known as the Manzanos, by means of the Salada Canyoii instead of going over the Abo Pass which scaled them :*t the same point of entrance to the range. Except by rail, Marguerite had never been through a mountain canyon, and her delight at the rugged beauty of the scenery was unbounded. They passed the ranch to which they had been directed upon the former day, without even seeing it and passed through Salada and the short Abo Canyon to the ruined pueV:p of the same name, where were the ruins of an old Catholic Church of the sixteenth seventeenth century, near and around which was the Indian Pueblo of Juanita within which was the tent occupied by the Government Indian Agent of that district. Thence they jour- neyed on to Punta-Del-Agua ("the point of The 'Waters")* where two streams meet and disappear into some unknown sub- terranean channel. From here they went to the Line ranch of the Antelope Spring cattle range, where they remained over night, making the aquaintance of a family of Tcxans who had the place in charge. The woman, who w r as the mother of seven childi'en was worn and fagged with the pranks of her unruly brood, who teased and tormented her continually. But so soon as she had finished her work upon the sewing-machine, after number! oss interruptions A MUSICAL MYSTERY 319 from her eldest son who clogged the wheel, forcing her to come to an abrupt stop every few minutes, she furbished herself np and when she had rubbed her gums with snuff looked os she went about with renewed energy, like a girl of sixteen chatting with her guests and confiding to them the fact that she hated the place and longed to return to the small Texas town from which they had removed and where she declared that she "had always been used to 'fast s'ciety.' ' From the Line ranch they crossed over to what is known as "The old White-Oaks Koad." This they had Lven told they must follow to be certain of obtianing water, the death of which was what had rendered this beautiful grassy valley uninhabit- able. They had heard and believed the story that when the Az- tecs had driven out the priests from all the surrounding territory, they had managed in some inexplicable manner to cover ail the known water supplies, in order to prevent the whites from again settling in and robbing the sacred Valley of Aztlan. The i'act that the springs at Abo and Punto Del Agua and other places had been uncovered from under solid masonry or a sort of cement, gave credence to the belief that the water-supply still existed in the great Gran Quibira valley. The story of this buried water was one of the things which tempted people to explore the greatest known ruins in America, especially the sheep and cattle men of the territory, all of whom at some season of the year fed their flocks and herds over this valley, which is fully forty miles in extent of both length and breadth. Marguerite said decisively: "I believe that I can find thft hidden water, which must flow from some buried spring," and an incident which happened to them along the route confirmed her in this belief. They had been told that if they required water after leaving the Line ranch and before they reached the Gallinas Spring, they could cross over and in the open fields to the left of the road some three miles, they would find a scant supply in a water hole, this being not very long after the periodical rains. They did this, and filling their water barrel, made their way back to the main road. They had travelled but a mile or so when Marguerite said: "Why that wagon-track upon the opposite bank of this ravine is the one that we have just followed to the water." "Impossible," said Laurence. 320 LA GRAN QUIBIRA "It is not only 'possible' but is. I am certain that if thou clamberest down this bluff at the top of which is the regular road, thou wilt find at its foot the very water-hole from which thou hast but now filled thy barrel. These idiots have travelled from time immemorial about five miles for the water which lay directly at their feet, by clambering down this embankment." And she was right. "Well, little girl, for one who does not see, you see more than the average." "It is 'quality,' and not 'quantity,' which tells in eyesight as well as other things. I recognized the descent upon the other side of the ravine at once. ' ' From the time that they had left the Line ranch, Marguerite had watched a figure in the clouds, and now she pointed this out to Laurence, anxious to determine if it were but a fanciful image of her own creation 1 But to her wonder and delight he saw it too. This was the figure of a giant woman whose waving golden blue eyes looked down upon them with an expression of intense anxiety, blent with tender interest. Her face of wonderous fair- ness was perfect in outline, of feature and in coloring. Her form seemed to float just beneath the clouds and kept in advance of the Jeromes looking backward and down upon them con- tinually. In her right hand was held a lighted torch as if to guide and light them on their way; while in her left she grasped a cord or chain by which she led a snow-white lamb. It was a most beautiful fancy, if fancy it were, and for almost two days Marguerite watched its movements and marvelled over it; be- lieving that if this were an omen, it must, augur well for their undertaking. Soon after they had left the Salada Canyon being in doubt as to the road which they should pursue for Punta Del Agua they had halted two young boys who were in search of their stray burros, and questioned them. This was rather a difficult task, the Jeromes not understanding the Spanish language, and the boys being totally ignorant of the English. One of the boys condescended to attempt a reply when addressed by Laurence, but the other, a child of ten or thereabouts with a beautiful boy- ish face, had eyes and ears only for "The senora," whose face was still one of beauty. He gazed in such openly expressed ad- A MUSICAL MYSTERY 321 miration upon Marguerite as would have been confusing in an older person. Evidently the lad had never before had the good fortune to see an American woman and certainly not in these, his native wilds, an American Beauty. This incident, slight as it was, bore fruit, beside forming a topic for amusement and con- versation between the two. It was indeed very strange that Laurence Jerome did not from this road behold the famous ruins of which he was in search, for although about six miles distant, they were plainly visible. For it must have been at a point just above the ruins where they lost sight of the image in the heavens of the beautiful woman whose mission seemed to have been to guide them hither. 21 322 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE FIFTH. "A WINGED MESSENGER." But Laurence Jerome's attention was then directed to what seemed to be the opening to a cavern in the mountain at their left hand. So greatly was he interested that he left his wife in the wagon and crossed over to the opening, which proved to be fully a mile distant although it appeared not half so far. He found upon examination that the seeming open-mouthed cave was but the beginning of a narrow canyon which pierced the foot- hills of the Gallinas. Left alone, Marguerite looked about her so far as her defec- tive vision permitted, with interest, and noted many land marks which afterward proved useful in locating certain disputed points. She hummed the air of a favorite opera. She was at the moment within neither sight nor sound of any human being, and was possessed of that exhilerating sense of freedom with which this inspires one ; when suddenly she was startled by the whiz of what for a moment she believed to be an arrow shot close before her face. She laughed at her own fears, saying that the sound must have been that made by the wings of a bird in flight. But this was followed by a second, and then a third. All came from the same point, a tree some fifty feet or more to her left, and followed the same direction in their flight. The third one came so close as to almost graze her forehead and to leave no doubt. No bird could have flown so close to even her dim vision without being seen, and beside the object pierced the air with steady movement and not with the flutter of wings. It was cer- tainly an arrow sped from a bow. She started up, calling to her husband with a whoop which would have done credit to that Comanche chief, himself, of whom she had heard. Laurence returned soon, without, however, having heard the Tocsin sounded. Diligent search was made in the vicinity of the tree, but no footprint or other sign that the place had recently been visited by human kind, was to be discovered. Marguerite was puzzled and much startled. She still con- tended that had the object of her fears been even a very small A MUSICAL MYSTERY 323 bird, she must have seen it as it had nearly touched her forehead and it seemed to her inexplicable that she could not have seen an arrow as well. But she put the matter aside to be thought over at some future time. Along this road they came to a wooden cross which marked the death place if not the burial place of some poor unfortunate who had met with accidental death upon this spot. And later they heard of another who had died upon this selfsame spot of hunger and of thirst, while fleeing in terror from those of his own species who were in pursuit, but whose death even was un- recorded. They journeyed southward until they came to the Jaccarillos Mountains, then turned about in quest of the Gallinas Spring, for they were again out of water, the team insisting upon being fed and watered whether they traveled or not. Some rough looking Mexicans en route by saddle and by wagon from White Oaks to Cyeniga, guided them through the mountains to the reservoir below the spring. They halted along the route for lunch and Marguerite expressed a desire to dis- mount and gather some Pinyon nuts which were new to her, she having never before seen nor tasted them. Without permitting her to alight among the men whose appearance was not to his liking, Laurence plucked a handful of the nuts and presented them to her. There was some laughing and apparent joking among the group of Mexicans, then the youngest of the party advanced and courteously offered the senora a second handful of the lucious nuts. Then one after another of the group came forward with a like offering which they also tendered shyly to the senora feeling amply repaid by the smile and "Thank thee," which she gave them in return. "Thou seest, hubby, that the 'devil is not so black as we would paint him.' Now who would have believed that an offer- ing could have been so gracefully made by these rough looking Mexicans ? ' ' They filled their water barrel at the reservoir and in the in- nocence of their inexperience they were coolly driving away when they were roughly reminded that something more tangible than mere thanks was expected, as an equivalent for this commodity, which commands a high cash price in that locality. Marguerite waa the cashier of the firm and an examination of the contents of her purse showed that it consisted of a single nickle and a 324 LA GRAN QUIBIBA twenty dollar gold piece. She innocently tendered the latter in payment for the water. Of course the Mexican who owned the reservoir could not change the coin, and equally of course he clamored yet more loudly for payment. Marguerite happily be- thought her of a box of fine smoking tobacco among her stores and settled the bill with that, to the satisfaction of all concerned in the transaction, and the Jeromes were permitted to go upon their way rejoicing. Later in the afternoon of the same day, they had gone into camp for the night when they were visited by the self-same com- pany of Mexicans who had guided them to the water, and_ had at the time denied all knowledge of the site of the ruins of La Gran Quibira. Now Marguerite explained to them their own de- sire to visit the place and this time they professed to know all about its location, and reluctantly, as it seemed, pointed out the way thither. One of them, however, declared angrily that it was his own ranch and intimated that he wanted no intruders there. By signs and pantomime they made him understand that they wished only to see the Ancient Ruins and then return at once to the river, and the party of natives rode away apparently molli- fied. It happened that the Jeromes concluded not to follow the road pointed out to them, Laurence declaring (and rightly) that it would lead them farther away from the place they were seek- ing. They were at the time encamped near the point of intersec- tion between the road to the springs and the old white oaks, or rather the old government road, to be more explicit, which had been the stage and freight route between Santa Fe, and Fort Stanton. Next day they travelled backward upon their homeward route fearing to leave known water, and that night camped near the "Poso" which they had, as it were, surrounded upon their way to the Gallinas springs. The moon was at its full. There were so many night sounds that were new to them, that neither could sleep. Some time past midnight they heard the approach of wagon wheels, and they arose and stepped outside their tent, when to their surprise the same company of Mexicans passed by, in apparent ignorance of their presence. They did not seem to see the tent which was A MUSICAL MYSTERY 325 pitched in plain sight not twenty-five yards from the roadway. The two neither spoke nor moved as the cavalcade swept silently past, along the road which, had they told the truth, they would have traveled the previous day. They could not but suspect that the Mexicans had followed the false path upon which they had sent the strangers, and that by some interposition of providence had been blinded to their presence here. 326 LA GRAN QUIBIBA CANTO THE SIXTH. "SANTA MARIA DEL SOL." The afternoon of the thirty-first day of October was without a cloud. The blue of the heavens was without a break. Then be- gan to be necked with fleecy white clouds which grew larger and larger flitting about in the skies like swans upon the blue waters. All day long the Jeromes had traveled through a forest of rin- yons and very old cedars. It must have been about four o'clock in the afternoon when suddenly, a dense black cloud appeared in the south and settled close to them, then another approached upon the north and one to the east and to the west. So sudden and unexpected was their appearance, and so low did they hang that they seemed to have risen from the earth instead of descend- ing from the heavens, and so dense was their blackness as to ren- der them almost impenetrable. Our travelers hastened to make camp at once, dreading a terrific storm. What seemed most singular was the fact that sur- rounded completely as they were by these black cloud walls, the sun shone brightly from above upon them and the small space which they occupied. Along the road near by, they heard the hurried trampling of horses' feet, and past them at full gallop went the two boys whom they had questioned. Laurence and Marguerite tried to halt the boys, but in answer to their loud "Halloos" they only crossed themselves and galloped off faster than ever. When they were gone the dense black cloud upon that side of the travelers seemed to deliberately cross the road and hide them from it. All through the night that followed they heard the sound of many voices and the trampling of many feet, and heavy blows as if the company were beating the brush and bushes in a prolonged hunt after something or some one who was missing. At first they "Hallooed" frequently but receiving no reply, ceased in great alarm. Long after when Marguerite heard the Legend of Santa Maria Del Sol, how Saint Mary Of The Sun had appeared to two lads while they were hastening homeward with their burros, after several days search, rising from out a thick black darkness A MUSICAL MYSTERY 327 which had fallen upon the earth in the middle of a sunny day, the sunlight resting upon her alone, from out of which she had smiled upon them and called to them each by name ; (which was the truth for Marguerite had always the habit of asking the names of all whom she met and of remembering them too.) And of how in their fear and awe they had vamosed pronto pronto, she knew that it was she who had played the part of the 'Blessed Virgin' in the story but she said not one word of this, for both of these boys had strangely enough died within the ensuing year and she had learned the superstitions of the natives, by that time, well enough to fear for her own personal safety should she be accused of "Witch-craft." Next morning they were on their way betimes as was their custom. Naturally the event of the previous evening was the theme of their thoughts and conversation. There seemed to be no doubt that they had been delivered from some unknown and imminent danger by a miracle wrought in their behalf. But few drops of rain had penetrated the sunshine by which they were flooded yet the roads beyond were very muddy from a heavy fall of rain. They left the forest some miles behind them and were at that point where the descent into the canyon from the top of the Mesa commences, when Marguerite gave a little cry and asked Laur- ence to stop the horses. But Laurence was grumpy and re- fused so crossly that she did not urge the point. Later, when she told him she thought she had seen, underneath a clump of bushes near the roadside, an oblong box which looked like silver and had a chain attached of the same metal, he was more angry than ever because he had not heeded her request. It was then too late to retrace their steps, and fixing the precise location as well as was possible in their minds they passed on wondering and speculating more than ever. As they journeyed they noticed that the few people whom they met failed to reply to their "Buenos Dios," but either started at them in mute surprise or turned their heads aside in apparent fear, never failing to cross themselves with pious fer- vor. When they passed through Punta Del Agua, it seemed en- tirely deserted except for the girl who attends to the store and who refused to enlighten them as to the reason why she, too, stared at them in the same state of fear and wonder. ' ' I begin to think there must be something ' uncanny ' about 328 LA GRAN QUIBIRA us," said Marguerite. "Is there anything astonishing in my ap- pearance, Hubby?" "Yes, little girl. You are the fairest, the most beautiful woman that these greasers ever set their eyes upon. ' ' One half mile to the east of Punta Del Agua they came upon the ruins of the ancient church at Quarra. This is of cut stone, (red sandstone) and must have been a very handsome edifice in its day. Laurence examined the structure and at the request of Marguerite he brought her a piece of rock from the point where the altar had stood. This ancient church is situated in a deep ascent they now mounted, the high or Mesa roads being always the best in the country. This Mesa road led them past the ruins of the Pueblo Abo again, then through the short canyon of the same name, to the mouth of the Salada Canyon, or to the entrance to the Abo Pass through which they chose to return. A MUSICAL MYSTERY o29 CANTO THE SEVENTH. "A RUNNING STREAM THEY DARE NA* CROSS." It was upon the ascent to a somewhat steep hill that their perverse animals refused to go forward and halted. It was of course impossible for them to camp in the middle of the road which was not wide enough for another wagon to pass them. Much valuable time was wasted for night was fast coming on, in using all manner of persuasive arguments to induce their stub- born brutes to push forward a few yards at least. Happily a ranchman, who with his wife had been to the mill upon the river came along and drew the team, wagon and freight of the Jeromes to a camping spot near by. Now if there had been trouble in getting into camp, there was much more in getting out, and no 'Good Samaritan' ap- peared to assist them. It was almost noon before a start was really made. For Laurence swore and belabored the refractory horses in vain, and Marguerite scolded him and protested against the injustice of whipping the steed that was willing for the de- fection of the one that was lazy and not willing. Suddenly this horse himself entered angry protest and rearing himself upon his hind legs showed his teeth in a vicious snarl and deliberately at- tacked the angry man whom he would have struck to the earth with his uplifted fore feet, but for the quick eye and timely warning of Marguerite. She had been watching the proceedings and was at the moment speculating upon what seemed to be the shadowy form of a priest sitting upon the cross piece of their wagon-tongue, which in spite of its shadowy outlines appeared distinct. In some alarm she spoke sharply to the figure and drew the attention of Laurence to it, but the figure vanished for a time, and it was noticeable that the horses relieved, of their extra bur- den, started off forthwith. They passed over the mountain but slowly, for the shadowy form of the priest or monk had once more mounted to its seat upon the cross-tree of the wagon and the team seemed to be labor- ing under a heavy load. In the middle of the pass they espied a monstrous rock. 330 LA GRAN QUIBIRA Both observed this in passing, for some time in silence, then Marguerite said as if to convince herself: "That rock never grew in that place. Immense as it is it has been placed there by the hand of man. ' ' "I was just thinking the same thing," was her husband's reply. "But it would really seem impossible." Marguerite pointed out the fact that it stood by the side of what might have at one time been a travelled road. Dost thou not remember in the Salada Canyon thou wast al- most deceived into following an abandoned roadway leading high up on the cliffs, and from which thou found there was no way of retracing our way, had we taken it, as the road was too narrow to turn without being dashed to the bottom of the precipice which grew deeper and deeper as the road wound on. And hast thou forgotten the Lost Mine where the Saladas are said to have got- ten the riches which made the head of this family desert the old homestead amid the wilds of the canyon and make his way to the great cities? Well that roadway circles around this mountain- top and comes out here. For if my memory is not at fault, it is directly over that crest yonder. No wonder that they who watched in the hope of discovering the mine from which the Saladas of the olden times obtained the fabulously rich ore they took to the markets, thought that the Saladas were in league with the devil who rendered them invisible to the eyes of mortals, for they invariably entered the place by that roadway and circling around left it by this path which is several miles distant. And I will wager that this immense boulder closes up the entrance to the lost Salada Mine." "I believe that you are right. I have never known your in- tuition to fail you, and am sorry that we have not the time or rather that we have not sufficient supplies to admit of our pros- pecting for the disused mine. We can only mark the spot and vist it at some future day." All this time Marguerite was straining her sight the better to determine the actual presence of the Priest upon the wagon- tongue. But she saw only his shadowy form and tonsured head, the bald crown gleaming through the thick fringe of grizzled hair, his habit of greyish brown corded at the waist from which hung by a chain a book or box which resembled that she believed she had seen beneath the shrubs upon the top of the Mesa. She supposed that Laurence saw this figure also, but neither spoke of A MUSICAL MYSTERY 3S1 the apparition aloud. Marguerite wished to be certain before de- claring herself. It was three o 'clock of the succeeding day when they reached the Limestone Spring ranch and found that the former occupants of the place had vamosed, and that they had been suspected of having made away with the Jeromes them- selves who had been reported to have mysteriously disappeared as they could only be traced as far as this point. They did not haU here wishing to get some miles farther on before night should overtake them. So they passed on down a somewhat steep incline to where the road crossed the waters of the brook which flowed from the walled spring itself. The bank of the little stream was as steep of ascent upon the other side and both felt doubtful if the apparently much- jaded horses would make the crossing successfully. Referring to the story of their own disappearance which they had just heard, as they were making the dreaded descent to the edge of the water. Marguerite said : "It makes one feel odd to hear that their own dead body has been searched for. I declare I feel as much of a ghost as that monk who has kept us company for the past two days. Ugh!" This last exclamation was very nearly a shriek, for just as the stream was reached the figure of the Monk dropped to the ground with a deep sigh, and in plain view of the astonished watchers strode toward the walled spring along the side of the little brook, and the horses, as if suddenly relieved of a heavy burden, crossed, and mounted the bank upon the farther side in a juanty fashion of which they had before seemed incapable. " 'A Running Stream They Dare Na' Cross' " quoted Mar- guerite in wonder. "Thou sawest the monk, didst thou not, hubby? Thou surely must have seen the ghost." "I both saw and heard him," answered Laurence Jerome, much puzzled what to make of the affair. "And a most spiteful look he gave as he passed me by. Like every other male upon the route he coveted my beautiful wife, I dare say," he added jocul- arly. That night they camped almost within sight of Los Aguellos, which they were unable to reach. A storm was impending, and the cowboys who belonged at the ranch coming that way declared their intention of returning for them as soon as they had cor- ralled their herds. The storm broke a short time later with such violence that 332 LA GRAN QUIBIRA Laurence Jerome had reason to congratulate himself upon his forethought in detaining them long enough to pitch the small tent in case they did not return as they had agreed. For they said next morning the darkness had settled upon them so suddenly they had lost a number from the herd while in the very act of corralling their cattle. They had not become aware of this fact until the break of day. They came however in the morning as soon as the daylight, with many apologies, saying that they had passed a sleepless night fearing the lady had met with some accident in the storm. The lady, being wet to the skin in spite of the shelter the tent afforded, and very cold, laughed as she usually did, over any mishap and followed them to the breakfast they had already pre- pared. The Jeromes remained at Los Aguellos over the next night to recuperate both themselves and their horses, one of which the cowboys dec'ared to have been locoed, and to be utterly worth- less. The following night they camped near the river bank hav- ing mistaken the way. And Marguerite declared that of all the hardships they had been called upon to endure during their 'Gypsying' which had lengthened from ten days into three weeks, that night capped the climax. The cold was so intense as to pene- trate through all the protection they had brought. And it was aggravating to be within sight and sound of the town while suf- fering this discomfort. Once there, however they began planning their return to search for the mysterious ruins of La Gran Quibira, as they proposed doing in the Spring. But "Man proposes and God dis- poses" and it was after many a long year of hardship and suf- fering that they once more took up the trail. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 333 CANTO THE EIGHTH. "A RETROSPECT 'HIDDEN TREASURES." It is strange how small events change the whole tenor of our lives. The fact that Marguerite refused to allow the claims of the owner of the worthless team to which they owed all the ex- posure and hardships they endured during their three weeks out- ing and their great disappointment at never reaching the wished- for destination was the cause of their being prevented from re- turning to this search for years to come. Money as I have in- timated was at this juncture not very plenty with the Jeromes. And Laurence set to work to earn the amount required to bring their plans to a successful issue. The livery man, finding that it was impossible to collect from Laurence more than the twenty-five dollars already paid him, and that should he bring suit to collect he would be worsted in the matter, set to work to revenge himself. It was of course not possible for a stranger without capital to enter the field as a con- tractor nor did the amount of work to be done in thispl ace warrant this. So Laurence braved all-comment and went to work by the day, intending to remain in the place only long enough to make a "stake." So the irate Iveryman contented himself with having his emissaries follow Mr. Jerome about and by some means to have his employer discharge him. (For in this country to owe a debt is considered much worse than to commit a murder, and the few friends they made pointed out among the most respected men of the community no less than three deliberate murderers whose money had averted from them the death-penalty). If Laurence Jerome had been aware of this underhanded work he might have defended himself from it. But he was for a long time unsuspicious of what was going on to his discredit, and as he was without doubt the best mechanic of his trade in the city it seemed very strange that he should not be permitted to earn his livelihood. But so it was. Detained here against their will, Marguerite set to work to glean all the information possible concerning the true history of this country and especially that portion of it which related to the ruins of La Gran Quibira. 334 LA GRAN QUIBIRA Many were the traditions which had been handed down of the evacuation of this place and of its ancient inhabitants and their immense possessions which all alike believed were still buried among the ruins or in their immediate vicinity. Marguerite compared these stories and carefully separated the probable from the improbable applying, as she said, "The test of common sense" to each, finding sometimes a single grain of truth and common sense in them which she carefully preserved and placed alongside of other grains of like order gleaned from other sources, until she was able in time to arrive at a more cor- rect idea of the place and its past history than had any other archeologist so far been able to do. The precise date of the discovery of the site of the Seven Cities of The Cibola was involved in mystery, but that the com- munity of Franciscan Friars had been massacred or driven out with the other priesthood in 1680 was an established fact. It is said that two of the brothers reached Spain in safety and as was but natural kept the secret of their settlement at La Gran Quibira and of the enormous wealth they had wrested both by fair means and by foul from the natives, for the benefit of their own particular order, which had to their chagrin not only failed to benefit by this disclosure, but to believe in it, and which dealt most severely by them as a couple of maniacs. And indeed the riches they claimed and named as having been left securely hidden there was so fabulously great in its entirely (amounting as they declared even at that date to what now would be thirty- two millions of pecos) as to be beyond belief. Marguerite went further. Arguing that these Friars when forced to abandon their treasures and flee for their lives through an enemy's country in time of active war, in the fear of not be- ing able to save their lives, must have left the great secret in whole or in part to some of the devout who were permitted to re- main in the country when the priests and many of the Hidalgos were driven out, she made a list of the ancient families of Span- ish origin who had come over at the time of the Conquest of Mexico and wrote to the principal representatives of each, asking for information of the history and traditions in which their own families had taken a prominent part. Her search was rewarded by many new and fascinating legends, to many of which an added interest was given by the fact that they were founded upon A MUSICAL MYSTERY 335 truth. For of all romances the historical romance possesses the greatest fascination. Two families of Spanish and Indian origin, that is to say who were the descendants of a Spaniard of high degree who had married a daughter of some Indian chief of high rank possessed among their family archives the story of the evacuation of La Gran Quibira, and the secret of the burial place of the church and monastery relics, which had been left to their families with the proviso that none should touch them under the penalty of a most terrible curse resting upon them and their descendants. This secret was in writing and was handed down from generation to generation as the keeper died. These papers did not descend from father to son as in all other affairs, but was always given in trust to the one most likely to preserve it, or who would give all that might be secured by their meddling fingers to the church, namely the most devout and bigoted catholic in the family. No member of these families except the holder of the secret himself knew with absolute certainty who was in their own time the guardian of this sacred trust. The rest could only suspect. With a patience and caution which she herself characterized as truly Jesuitical, Marguerite Jerome found out the two posses- sors of the great secret of those two families in the territory of New Mexico, and heard the story from their own lips proven by the written descriptions of the place of concealment and of what it contained, in the old-time Spanish which was as Sanscrit to her but which was duly translated to her by the holders of these an- cient documents. She owed her unprecedented success to Laur- ence's former intimacy with prominent members of these families, while among them upon the occasion of the preliminary survey of the railway line, and to her own attractions as well, for her fair face was much admired wherever she went, and especially by the dark faced Mexicans. The enormous treasure comprised the great church bell which was declared to weigh two tons and to be one half gold, while to it was attached the chain of solid silver by which it had been swung in the tower of the great church. (This was not al- together improbable for even at this day it is the custom among the Mexicans when a bell is to be cast for any of their chapels or parochias to throw in their offerings of jewelry and coins 336 LA GRAN QUIBIRA to add to its value.) Then there were the records which were beyond all value and in her eyes far more to be coveted than all the remainder of the precious stores, for by their means could be supplied that missing link in the history of the country and its inhabitants which rendered the intelligent study of the Arche- ology and Ethnology of the place so confusing to the student of today. Then their was the beautifully wrought golden church service, the seven golden candle sticks, as well as a great number of censors and other vessels used in service, described as being almost beyond belief valuable, besides the riches of the wealthy monastery whose value was incalculable. The remiander of this vast treasure consisted of ingots and nuggets of refined gold and silver in enormous quanitites, besides the great bulk of the valuables and jewelry of the people of the vicinity who had brought them here for safe keeping during the threatened troub- lous times. These were stored away in certain secret vaults, situated at a certain distance and in a certain direc- tion from a given point, and the precise spot which marked the entrance to these vaults which were covered and hidden entirely from view was indicated by a certain land-mark. The two lists exactly corresponded each with the other. Now as the representatives of these two families lived hundreds of miles apart and were total strangers to each other and to the fact that this secret had been left in the keeping of any save their own family, it was impossible in this generation at least, that there could be any collusion between them. Marguerite noticed what another might not have seen, that the wily friars while mak- ing each of these families the guardians of their secret, had taken the precaution of preventing their 'greed' from conquering their 'piety' to the extent of possessing themselves of the riches by omitting from the paper they had entrusted to each some im- portant item which effectually prevented them from easily locat- ing the exact place of concealment. Thus while each described hte starting point, one had the distance without the direction, while the other had the direction, without the distance and in neither was any mention made of the land mark by which the en- trance was to be found. Marguerite at once declared that there must have been a third guardian to the secret and since none could be found among the descendants of the Spaniards of the A MUSICAL MYSTERY 337 day she concluded that the third family must have become ex- tinct, or what was more likely the secret had been entrusted to some wily Casique who had been converted after the manner of such conversions even of the present day which is in appearance only. As time went on chance brought to her very door the third possessor of the secret, for whom she had sought in vain. 338 LA GRAN QUIBIRA. CANTO THE NINTH. "THE KING is DEAD LONG LIVE THE KING." The Jeromes finding it impossible to save a sufficient sum for the cherished purpose of looking up these old ruins and of re- maining among them as long as they wished had gone to house- keeping in a small way. One morning there came to their cot- tage door an elderly Indian accompanied by a very young squaw. She was a pretty young thing with a voice like the singing of the birds of her native wilds. Marguerite, with her facility for gain- ing knowledge from all sources, struck up an aquaintance forth- with, and to her delight saw that the Indan, in spite of his refusal to say so in plain terms, knew of La Gran Quibira. While con- versing the young Indian woman was taken suddenly very ill. Marguerite at once took her into the cottage and without think- ing further than that the young squaw required prompt atten- tion, she put her to bed and summoned a physician. Marguerite had in the beginning of their acquaintance pointed to some tiny birds which had been moulded to poise upon the edge of numbers of the pieces of pottery the Indians had for sale, and had intimated that the pretty young squaw was to her mind one of the same order of sweet songsters, and called her "Chipita." (Little Singing Bird). To which name the Indian girl replied with a laugh so sweet and musical that it quite won Marguerite's heart. That evening, just as the sun went down a boy was born, and the laughter and song of "Chipita" was stilled forever, or perhaps only for a time upon this earth. Who shall say with certainty, which ? There was no question as to who should pay the bills. With, out a murmur the fund they had laid aside for their prospect- ing tour was sacrificed to the needs of the Indians and this sacri- fice bore fruit. Chipita was buried and the babe cared for until a woman of its own race and tribe came to take charge of the child. In the meantime Ytzlacotl had told Marguerite many things A MUSICAL MYSTERY 389 that she whom he worshipped as a goddess, had not been able to solve for herself. He said that he himself was, as he believed, the last of his own nation, which had been the richest and most powerful of all his race. And that he had inherited all of the archives of his people handed down through generation after generation through- out all time. Most of these up to that date were buried away upon the very ground of which she had questioned him. Those which had since been compiled were now in his own keeping, to- gether with the history of this burying of the great treasure and the description of all that of the Spaniards. He claimed that he was descended in a direct line from the Casique who had governed at the time of the great Indian Insurrection in the beautiful sacred valley of Aztlan wherein was situated the capital city of Culhaucan, of which this ancestor was High Priest as well. This ancient Casique of the past was, of all his race and people the wisest of his generation, and finding it impossible to bar out the Spanish friars from his doman he played the part of friend to them and lived amicably with them until the atrocities practised by the white race upon the red led to this last and most effective uprising of the latter. Because of their unfailing kindness to the natives, the lives of two of the friars of La Gran Quibira were spared and they were permitted to depart in peace provided they did so within the time allotted to them and without the booty they had stolen from his people. It was a most delicate matter to play the part of friend to the Spanish Priests and yet still to maintain his authority among his own people, but the wily Casique was equal to the occasion. He had, the better to serve his own purpose, been baptized a Catholic. And it was under his own supervision that the wealth they had wrested from his people and had themselves accumulated from other sources, which were unknown and un- suspected by all except himself and the few, who deemed it policy to withhold it from the masses of their people, was buried and the place marked that it might be easy of access to the friars upon their return, which they had not the slightest doubt would be very soon, for all of the many Indian Insurrections of the past years had been promptly and speedily quelled. But this one we know lasted for thirteen years, during which time the water had been buried or to use the Indian term 'killed' by the Aztecs under the direction of this great Casique, himself, while 340 LA GRAN QUIBIBA the signs which had been placed there by the priests to indicate the whereabouts of the immense treasure had been removed. Then the whole valley had been destrted by those who survived this bloody war, for the greed of the Spaniards had by this time become so proverbial the Indians knew that having once made their way into the Sacred Valley of Aztlan and possessed themselves of much of its treasure the Spanish Priesthood would move heaven and earth, so to speak, to repossess themselves of it. Ytzlacotl, the descendant and namesake of this, great, good and wise Casique of the Seventeenth Century, drew from his own silver case and from the envelope of inevitable snakeskin cover- ing he produced the fac simile of the two Spanish documents already described. Marguerite fairly shrieked with delight as she beheld it, for here was the missing document which in its greater completeness contained the link that had been missing in the other two, for here was not only another list of the so-called treasure that had been secreted, but it told the exact distance as well as the direction from the point of measurement and de- scribed the precise spot in which it had been buried and the land mark they had placed above it, and other natural land marks by which the place might be found, should this one by any chance have been removed. It was by cajolery and some deception that Marguerite gained all of this information, for the Indian, although he had volunteered much, grew at times reserved and suspicious and would answer no questions pertaining to La Gran Quibira. At other times the two held grand council as to the best means by which the great treasure was to be unearthed and the uses to which it should be put. Ytzlacotl utterly refused to take any ac- tive part in the attempt to recover these riches and, as I have said, was some times very reluctant to pursue the subject. But his love and veneration for the ' ' Senora Americana, ' ' who had taken his Chipita, for whose loss he was inconsolable, to her heart as a sister, and who watched over the young Casique like a mother or a guardian angel, was great enough to sometimes conquer this reluctance, and little by little Marguerite gained the information she so eagerly sought. Marguerite took care to explain to him how it was possible to bring about the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Ancient Priest, King and prophet Chaltzantzin, by applying the great A MUSICAL MYSTERY 341 wealth so Jong hidden away in disuse and darkness to redeeming his race from the captivity of ignorance and the squalor to which they had been reduced by the Spanish conquerors, and their own intractibility. The chief listened in grave and pleased attention to Mar- guerite's plans for the good of his people and it was agreed be- tween them that the one-half of all that might be uncovered by means of this betrayal of his sacred trust, should be given to him to be used for this purpose while the remaining half should belong to the Jeromes. The secret of the whereabouts of the covered water supply was given to Marguerite without any re- servation upon the part of Ytzlacotl. "I will be godmother to the child" said Marguerite, "and he shall bear my own name, 'Marguerite.' ' "Mahraquirito," echoed the Indian, in an awe-struck voice. " Marahquirito 1 'She?' It has been foretold." And his rever- ence for the "Senora Americana" was intensified, although he re- fused to further explain his words. So the young Casique, the Chief without a province, the High Priest without a people, King without a Sovereignty, was christened; " Mahraquirito. " 342 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE TENTH. "CURSE GOD AND DIE." The wish to solve the mystery, as it appeared to her, grew to be a mania with Marguerite, and her eagerness to overcome the obstacles which fate seemed to have created for their especial hindrance became greater and greater as time passed on and found them still detained against their will from prosecuting their further search. Twice they had actually started for La Gran Quibira, but were turned back by the inefficiency of their horses. Marguerite hoped and prayed for the interposition of a higher power. All in vain. There were many other things which conspired to render her most unhappy and rebellious. Her youth and its capabilities for the enjoyment of life was passing away and she seemed bound hand and foot. Others around her were able to do as they liked but she . And there came a time when she rebelled against God Himself and blamed Him as the cause of her misfortunes. Goaded past all human endurance, there came a day when humbled to the very dust and trampled upon, she heard that whisper: "Curse God and die. Curse God and die." Life seemed so entirely worthless to her under the circumstances in which she was now placed. Her wish was but one and that so small an one that to be deprived of this was to be deprived of all hope for the future ; and death seemed preferable to the life she now led. So she hearkened to the Tempter and smarting un- der an unwarrantable insult she one day paused in her pacing to and fro across the narrow boundaries of her room and raising her arms and eyes to heaven she did as The Tempter bade her and in low but distinct accents cursed not only her Creator but pronounced one against that mother and father who had brought her into this world of sorrow. For was there aught left for her but sorrow ? Sorrow most bitter for that portion of womankind who strive to preserve their purity both of thought and of action ? So terrible were the words to which her smarting soul gave ut- terance that the very air seemed to hold its breath in mute horror at the temerity of this beautiful woman, standing there defying her God and reproaching Him and cursing Him as well. A MUSICAL, MYSTERY 343 "Curse God and die." The curse had been spoken yet the thunderbolt did not fall. 'Was it because of that involuntary homage as displayed by her bowed head which with her eyes had drooped and bent itself to receive the expected death-blow. (The confidence she felt that this must surely fall upon her was in itself a proof that she rendered that God all homage.) "Take care. Take care," was whispered now. But amid the awful hush of that moment of waiting for that death to be dealt out to her as had been threatened to one who had cursed their God,' she said: "But perhaps it is the Devil himself who speaks this warning. It were a pity as even he must think that a creature so full of every grace of mind and person should fall so completely a victim to his wiles as to court for her own soul mtter annihilation. ' ' But Marguerite paid no heed to the warning. Waiting until she realized that her defiance of God bore no fruit, she raised her eyes and again defied and mocked Him, daring in her insane wrath to revile Him in words which she alone had dared to use, and which once uttered can never be retracted. Then, resenting her own defeat and with a rankling sense of shame upon her, she went about her accustomed tasks which grew more and more distasteful to her day by day, but were never left undone. Yet Marguerite wondered much that the curse fell not in re- turn upon herself. She had been taught in the old Quaker school to believe in and interpret the sayings of the Bible literally, and she believed she had only to defy her God to court total destruction. The expected death-shaft had not been sped. She won- dered why. And still more did she wonder at the feeling of expectancy which was still strong upon her. Thus she won- dered and waited. The third day of this waiting came, and upon that day she was visited by a peddler, a strange uncanny looking person who must have been extremely handsome but for an odd yel- lowish pallor upon his dark face, making it appear as that of a walking corpse. He was selling fruit extracts and Mar- guerite requiring some lemon was prevailed upon to taste that which he was selling. This she did, however, with a strange 344 LA GRAN QUEBIRA reluctance, her eyes resting with a sort of fascination upon the corpse-like visage of the man whose handsome features seemed familiar to her. As she tasted the extract her lips stung with a sensation as if branded with a hot iron. The demoniacal tri- umph which shone in the glittering black orbs of the man startled and enlightened her. "Orville Roumaine. Thou Leper," she cried, then raised a threatening hand. The man cowered and shrank back, putting up his hands in piteous appeal. But the words by which he was driven out "doubly accursed," fell cold and pitiless from Marguerte 's lips. He went, slowly backing himself out with looks of fear and horror and supplication and spite, all blended upon his evil countenance. As for Marguerite, she knew that the curse had fallen. She might not die that sudden death which would have given her respite from all worldly cares. She was doomed instead to live the life of the Accursed One, from whom God has forever turned away the light of His countenance. Marguerite fe't the hot pain speed from her lips to her heart and scatter through- out her whole frame, then recede leaving a chill as of death upon her. In that one moment she realized the horrible fate which had overtaken her. But here, as in all things, her in- tense individuality asserted itself; and as was her wont, she laughed, and with mocking reverence said : ' ' Thy will be done, Oh, God," then took up the burden of her life anew, just w r here she would have cast it off. "What happened?" So many things that it would take a volume to .relate them all. Disease and trials, which ren- dered life even more unendurable. "Death in life." Poverty and disgrace, (not of her own courting, for after that one defiance of her God, Marguerite sinned no more, but took a sort of pleasure in bearing her punishment bravely, although not unmurmuringly. And through it all she heard the singing of the spider which had fastened upon her brain and wound it round and about with the eternal meshes of its interminable web. She knew she could not escape from its toils, so she said: "I will make use of that from which I cannot escape. Sing me to sleep." For insomnia had taken so strong a hold A MUSICAL MYSTERY 345 upon her that she had either to resort to the use of opiates or to hearken with undivided attention to the soft murmur of the spider's song in order to sleep at all. What the spider sang to her was a secret she never revealed. But it was Mar- guerite's habit to extract wisdom and knowledge from all pos- sible sources, and from its false blandishments she learned many truths because of her faculty of being able to detect the falsity of its sophistries. Her sight grew more and yet more dim. Her eyeballs stung and racked her nerves with their incessant pain. When she rubbed them to clear them of some foreign obstacle which clogged them, live things seemed to dart forth from them. These microbes she called "the bone workers." These seemed to be a slender insect, shapeless except for its long needle- pointed bill, headed by a single eye, and bits of bones which they had hacked away, both white and blackened by rot were forced out; then long hairs covered with vermin which may have been those of the hairy spider himself were removed by her unresting fingers. At last there sprang forth a tiny, spiral snake. These she preserved, but they met with accidental destruction before she could display them to the physician who visited her m her hapless condition. She spent much of her time in the bath, feeling somehow that water might purify her, but when she bathed her hot and aching head, each individual hair rose up on end and attacked her like the scourging of many lashes or the stinging of the multitude of serpents. Much she bore in silent, unmurmuring patience, feeling, by that one act of defiant insubordination against the Divine Will she had courted the severest chastisement; but often, too, in fear and trembling, when she called loudly upon the name of that God whom she had insulted and defied. Figures innumerable, clad in the blackened and soiled gar- ments of the grave, kept continual and tireless watch upon her every movement and action and thought, in a dread silence that was more terrible to endure than all else. There they stood in their grave-clothes, silent and motionless, the black spirits and the gray, their eyes gleaming with phosphorescent glow, turn- ing as she turned, but otherwise without motion. She outlined them plainly and their dead, expressionless faces grew, after a time, to be familiar to her. Sometimes she felt the clutch of 346 LA GRAN QUIBIRA their dead hands upon her, and time after time, they tripped her in her walk. All that she ate seemed instinct with animal life. From every kind of vegetable shot forth those tiny spiral worms or snakes, while every leaf was covered with lice, and round and round the loins of meat which they procured wound the terrible tape-worm, its length formed like the seed of a muskmelon blanched to snowy whiteness, and when opened were found to be filled with microbes, which were in their turn, like small, black seeds the seeds of destruction and of death. So Marguerite told her husband, as she pointed them out to him, and day after day they threw out these supplies and lived for months upon carefully prepared bread and coffee made strong as lye to supply them with the strength they required to support existence. And through it all they delved and saved for the purpose they had in view, and then, once again, were forced to put it to other use. Marguerite had grown too ill to walk about, and was or- dered by her physician to another climate. So the money saved, which was not yet sufficient for their great purpose, was used to carry them to Denver, where she could receive the care and attention she required. And Laurence began again. The change did Marguerite good, and except that her tor- mentors did not abate their torture, she was much better. Her courage and indomitable will asserted themselves, and she learned to ignore the tireless eyes which were ever bent in silence upon her, and to believe that success was meant for her should she be able to rise above the new and hampering influ- ences to which she was now subjected. In a few months they were able to return to New Mexico. But here, again, they were rebuked by accident, and did not reach their goal. Once again the life of Tantalus was theirs ; the point upon which their hopes were centered was, as it were, within sight yet just be- yond their reach. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 347 CANTO THE ELEVENTH. "HO! FOR LA GRAN QUIBIRA!" Event after event occured to delay the accomplishment of the wishes of the Jeromes. Events so trivial that they seemed more irritating than if they had been of. greater importance. Time after time their slender hoard had to be encroached upon as in the case of Chipita and her baby. Then, too, they were com- pelled to contend against that underhand persecution which continually went on, unsuspected, except for its dire effect. For years they fought this enemy in the dark, before the hand that tortured them was made apparent. It was late in the Autumn when they once more bent their steps toward La Gran Quibira. This time it was from a small railway town much farther to the south of the one from which they had before started. It was, too, by a very roundabout way they journeyed, crossing the Rio Grande by means of the bridge at San Antonio, through the Obscuria (dark) mountains, by a very long canyon whose intricate windings finally brought them out upon the government road to White Oaks near the "Malpis, " where the freighter who had brought most of their load thus far left them amid the vast piles of lava, as bleak and desert a spot as can well be imagined. They left this surplus baggage at the cattle range at Red Lake, and after many delaying adventures reached La Gran Quibira at last. This was late in the afternoon of a bleak Winter's day when their team of Mexican mules stopped short, refusing to go far- ther, within a quarter of a mile of the top of La Gran Quibira hill upon the summit of which the vast ruins of church and monastery reared themselves to the height of fully thirty feet. It was an utter impossibility to urge their tired mules farther. So they made unwilling preparation to camp just where the wagon had stuck in the sand. After a hurried walk to the top of the hill without however getting so far as the church itself, Marguerite returned disappointed, and made up the beds in the wagon for the night. Throughout the long and much retarded journey from the 348 LA GRAN QUIBIRA Rio Grande she had picked up all the information she could from the people they had chanced to meet. And from this and her own observations had come to a conclusion as to the source of the reputed wealth of the Franciscan friars who had evacuated this place more than two centuries previous to that time. Laurence, tethering the refractory mules, had strolled back toward the crest of the hill, and seated himself at a spot to which Marguerite had drawn his attention in passing, saying that; "Here might be the water," since she had noticed a section of rounded stone that might have formed a portion of the curb to a well. Marguerite herself made hasty preparations for the night, grumbling as she did so that she had not been able to penetrate farther into the ruins, the fast-approaching twilight rendering haste imperative. "This is surely the mysterious Valley of Aztlan, and I am convinced that my theory regarding the source of their riches is the correct one. There is nothing in the country through which we have just passed to warrant the belief that the brothers ob- tained their fabulous wealth from the mines as has been asserted. All the ore we have seen is refractory and certainly could not have been successfully handled at that remote period of time. The enormous buildings show however that this place was beyond question one of vast wealth. "Oh! How I wish," she cried, "I knew where to find the graves of the Ancients from which the friars took their riches. There may^yet be some that have never been despoiled." "Why not dig here?" asked a voice near at hand. And looking up from her occupation Marguerite saw that a man, habited as a monk, stood beside the wagon. She looked at him curiously, wondering how he could have approached so near with- out her having observed him. She was not startled in the least degree except by that sense of familiarity as of some one whom we have known before yet whom we cannot place or name. The man was tall and slender with that attenuation of flesh which implies great strength rather than weakness. Strength of spirit as of body, for his pallor was that as from fasting and prayer and not as from illness. His thin dark face was handsome in the extreme, his beautiful dark blue eyes seemed somehow to irradi- ate the pale olive tint of his finely cut features, and looked into A MUSICAL MYSTERY 349 her own with an expression of such loving gentleness that it was impossible to fear him in the least. Marguerite, at the request of the friar, went on to explain what her own belief was in re- gard to the place. He did not say this in so many words, but Marguerite felt from his manner which showed some surprise that she had indeed hit upon the truth. ' ' Oh ! sir ! Tell me if thou canst where are any of these graves which thy people have not plundered, that I may search them for myself." The stranger smiled kindly down into her eyes, and admir- ingly too as it seemed, and repeated his former question, "Why not dig here?" Then for the first time Marguerite felt a little startled, for she and the monk seemed to be standing upon the precise spot upon which she had left Laurence, and not in the wagon nearly a quarter of a mile distant from it. But before she could re- cover the shock this gave her, the voice of her husband asking: " What did you say, little gir)," broke the spell, and the priest walked away. And as he turned she seemed to recognize him and called after him: "Francisco! Francisco!" He turned with outstretched hands and smiling face as if he too had solved a doubt and softly answered "Is it Thou, Mauri, Mauri. Thou hast come to me at last." And he would have approached her the second time but again the voice of Laurence Jerome cried : ' ' Little girl ! little girl ! What do you want ? ' ' Then came rapidly toward the wagon, while the monk vanished where he stood. And for the first time Marguerite realized that she must have been speaking with a ghost, and not with a real person as she had believed. Laurence Jerome had been wont to sneer at all believers in the visitations of spirits, but such was his faith in Marguerite's perspicacity that he believed in the friar. Beside he had himself heard her voice in conversation with a second person. Marguerite did not even withhold from the promise that the friar had whis- pered as he vanished in the air, as it were, "I will come again." 350 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE TWELFTH. "FOOT PRINTS OF THE PAST." Next day after many futile attempts upon his part to induce the mules to draw the wagon to the top of the hill, Laurence made his way down to where he saw a shanty a half mile distant, and secured the services of a man and span of horses by whose efforts united to his own and those of his mules they got into their chosen camp directly in front of the ruined monastery and with- in a few feet of the church front. Here the Jeromes camped for two weeks, prowling about among the ancient buildings to their heart's content, but seldom alone, for to their astonishment there were many visitors to the place. The rainfall of that year had been almost without precedent within the memory of those who knew of the place. And the lagoona at the foot of the hill, a half or three quarters of a mile away, had filled with water, which it had not done for twenty years before. This brought the sheep men into the valley, and during the winter many thousands of sheep fed over the grassy slopes. There were no curiosities to be found here, everything seeming to have been well despoiled, and the pottery broken to atoms; while the ground was everywhere strewn with human bones. The great church was cruciform and measured almost one hundred and fifty feet in length, and was fifty-two feet wide within the walls which were fully six feet in thickness. The great entrance door faced to the east, and there was upon this side a door which led into a small room adjoining the church on the north, and from which a door led into the structure from the north side close to the front. The walls were unbroken from this door upon the north side back to where the arms of the cross reached out, but the south wall was pierced by three immense openings which seemed to have led into a portion of the adjoin- ing monastery. The north arm of the cross was a solid wall, but in the south arm was a wide low doorway which gave entrance to a large apartment that joined the church to the monastery. The church seemed to have been newly built at the time the place had A MUSICAL MYSTERY 351 been deserted by the Franciscan friars. It was of simple rub- ble work, heavy and massive as it was, while the monastery which seemed to ante-date it by centuries, showed much finer masonry, having in the beginning, as it would seem, been built of cut stone. "This, I am certain must have been the palace of the ruler at the time the wily priests took possession of the place," Marguerite declared. "But explain to me if thou canst, hubby, how it comes about there are are large and so to speak modern windows in this, as thou seest; and there in that other building which adjoined it upon the east, the whole surface of the ground is covered with smoky Topaz which shows the action of fire and looks very much like broken fragments of old beer bottles, or in other words glass which could scarcely have been invented at the time when this place is said to have been abandoned. "Which proves that the natives of this country were ahead of the Europeans in that most important invention," said Laur- ence, laughing. "Which proves," echoed Marguerite thoughtfully, "that this place was inhabited fully a century later than the supposed desertion of it and that here is a second mystery to be solved. Stand here and observe the interminable line of cedar trees, and mark this fact; that the oldest of these appear to have been set out according to a certain design, following certain lines and forms. And dost thou not see that the oldest have all been trim- med to a certain shape in their early years that of a cross. Na- ture takes upon herself many freaks, but I cannot quite believe that she trimmed those trees after that fashion." "I admit it would look that way, little girl. But it is impossible you see ." " ' Nothing is impossible, ' "quoted Marguerite, sententiously. "I am convinced that I am right in believing this place was inhabited for fully a century after its supposed evacuation, and that by a people who were up to the times in all things. I will never rest until I have solved the mystery, of who were these people and of what became of them." 352 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE THIRTEENTH. "MYSTIC MUSIC." All that first day of their stay among them the Jeromes devoted to the ruins. The church I have described as to size and extent. It must have been a most imposing structure, is still thirty feet in height except upon the west end, which had been capped by a great bell tower. When Laurence Jerome had visited the place some years previous to this a portion of this tower was yet in place and a part of the church was still under roof while the carved gallery timbers were all in place above the great en- trance door. The roof had been of tiles, and it would seem to have been floored and wainscoted by the same, as well, for many of these of both white and of a most beautiful blue limestone were scattered about. The monastery which adjoined the church had also been of immense proportions. From the number of rooms whose walls could still be traced, many of which were even now a full story in height and from the fact that there had been a second story at least to the building, it could be determined that the structure had originally contained more than seventy rooms. In the cen- ter was the customarypZacifa or inner court. This was the pleasance of the inmates, and extending around all of its four sides was a wide corridor, an unusual affair in most buildings of the period, where the rooms all opened directly into the placila, upon the west and southern sides of the buildings. There was but one apartment in the whole of this structure which bore evi- dence of having been heated. In a small inner apartment upon the southern side of the building was a fire place built after the manner of all Aztec buildings across one cornor of the room. This room especially was filled for some feet above its floor with debris from the fallen walls and an accumulation of ashes which seemed to have been strewn to a greater or less depth almost everywhere both within and without the buildings of this ancient town. Digging down to the depth of about six feet beside the fireplace Laurence found the hearth-stone upon which was the remains of the last fire that had ever been built upon it, as his- A MUSICAL MYSTERY 353 tory would indicate, more than two hundred years before. Two charred sticks of wood still remained in place, and upon the hearth-stone was a small pitcher and plate of that particular de- sign in pottery which Marguerite called "The Church Service," the bits which were found of this particular kind and design of pottery being nowhere except in and about the church and mona- stery. This was a very fine pottery of a light brown color with the designs in dark seal brown not baked in, but seemingly ap- plied with a slender brush to the plain surface. And this was bright like a shining varnish that had been made by melting the smoky Topaz and applying it while in solution. Most of the designs were the same which Marguerite had noted with surprise upon much of the Indian pottery of very ancient date. The Egyptian chain entire or with broken links, which was more common. (The pottery itself was nothing less than Terra-Cotta.) There was one room in the monastery which had a curious effect upon Marguerite. While Laurence was away collecting fuel for their camp she had wandered into the ruins once again in spite of his request that she should not do so in his absence, there being so many pitfalls occasioned by the tireless digging of the treasure hunters, and as I have said Marguerite's sight was extremely defective. Without knowing just where she was, Marguerite found her way into a small cell-like room or end of a short passage way, opening into the chamber, from which there was an entrance to the church in the south arm of the cross, which had formerly been a window or a niche. Here a nameless terror seized upon her and she sent forth shriek after shriek which brought Laurence running to her rescue. ' ' I cannot tell why, ' ' she explained, ' ' but I felt the presence of some unknown and horrible thing. Thou mayest laugh if thou likest, hubby. I am as brave I think as are most women, but I confess that I was very much afraid of this unknown, unseen presence. More afraid than I remember ever to have been in all my life before. I will never again go into that hideous cell, at least never alone." But it chanced differently from this, and twice again Mar- guerite blundered into this same room and with precisely the same result, and it was only by the horrible fear which seized upon her there, that she came to recognize her surroundings. Everywhere beneath and around these buildings were to 23 354 LA GRAN QUIBIRA be seen parts of human skeletons. Many deep and dangerous holes had been dug in and near the ruins and it was not safe for Marguerite to go about without a companion and protector. She did not venture to do so after her third scare in the narrow room with its one small opening, especially as her terrified screams had brought not only her husband to her rescue but two Mexican strangers as well. In the early part of the day of their first coming into the ruins, a shepherd had drawn their attention to a hole of some thirty feet in depth. This proved to be the descent into a vault which had some time previous to this been opened by a well known scientist, and which had been filled with skeletons small and delicate of frame. These it was said, had been exhibited at the Exposition or World's Fair in Chicago as illustrating the generally accepted theory that the Aborigines of North America were of very small porportions. Upon examination later, they found that it had been the custom of the inhabitants of this place certainly, and perhaps of all that race and people to which they belonged, to bury their dead of different ages in different apart- ments of their sepulchral vaults. And the particular one which had been opened by this scientist had been filled with the skeletons of those who had arrived at maturity, but who had not yet at- tained to their full stature. In many other places they found skeletons of immense size much above the average stature of the nineteenth, twentieth century American, Indian or Mexican. The shepherd brought up out of this despoiled pit, a pair of cross bones and a jaw bone of perfect shape. The teeth, which were perfect, were like small delicately-tinted pearls. Marguerite carefully preserved these relics for a time, then buried them and would not accept gifts of bones when offered to her. The tent the Jeromes had carried with them was large and cumbersome and they concluded not to unstrap it, there be- ing no secure place in which to pitch it here. So, as the sun went down each day they too went to rest. After the two had retired upon the first night of their stay among the ruins Marguerite arose, crying: "The Bells! The Bells." For she had been aroused by the ringing of the chimes. Laurence who was already fast asleep, had heard nothing. The two kept a long vigil, but having sounded thrice, the chime rang no more that night. Mar- guerite declared, however, that she heard the soft music of an A MUSICAL MYSTERY 355 aeolian harp. This sound continued day and night, but attempt to trace it as she might, she could not discover the place from whence it had its source. Laurence declared this to be purely imaginary upon the part of Marguerite, but a few days later he admitted that she must have bewitched him as he, too, could plainly hear the mystic music. Then followed many kinds of music, the sound of many voices singing and a chanting of the priests all of which sounded very realistic, yet which they were unable to trace to their source. They had spent three weeks amid the ruins examining them and wondering over them and their all but 'lost' history, and in futile attempts to trace the mysteri- ous music that went on by day and by night, to its source, when the water in the Lagoona at the foot of the hill began to fail. It had long been unfit to drink because the thousands of roving herds of sheep had been permitted to drink from it. "That water should keep us warm at least. It is so very nearly 'all wool,' " remarked Marguerite, as she spat out a mouthful of what she declared to be unfit for mortal to drink. "I will strain and boil down a barrel full and then it is evident that we must go over to the Gallinas spring for water." So they broke camp one morning at daybreak for it was their delight to get 'the start of the sun' when on the move. Marguerite won- dered how she had lived so long without the pleasure of seeing the sun rise or of drinking in the new life of that most beautiful and health-inspiring hour. They were nearly three days upon the road, the mew-els dic- tating terms and stopping at the approach of evening in the most desolate and impossible spots imaginable for the purpose of camp- ing for the night. As they passed slowly along they saw multi- tudes of shadowy forms traveling in the same direction as them- selves, who turned to pause and gaze upon them evidently as much surprised at the meeting as were they. The second day upon the road they camped upon a bleak and desolate spot, with- out grass or fuel. This they remembered was Christmas Eve. They made a scant fire that evening and next morning, of the dry sagebrush, and the animals were taken a half mile away where there was a scanty forage. Before resuming their journey upon the following morning, 356 LA GRAN QUIBIRA Laurence determined upon greasing the wagon and had the mis- chance to lose a wheel, letting the wagon down upon one corner. It took a long time to right it and during that time Marguerite watched the never ending procession of indistinct forms passing and repassing, some stopping to hold their hands over the smok- ing embers of their camp fire, or to inhale, as it would seem, the grateful perfume of Laurence's pipe, or to gaze in startled won- der at the picture the group made upon this desert spot the half -overturned wagon, the mules grazing nearby, the working handsome elderly man, whose blonde face was flushed with the unaccustomed exertion he was making to right his wagon, and the beautiful fair faced woman who watched him and them by turns, dressed in the latest New York mode. Throughout all the previous day they had heard shouts and cries, with the continued repetition of one word which at first they mistook for "Hosanna," but which they afterward dis- tinguished as "Hytanna." This morning the cry was the same and always it seemed to come from the ground beneath their feet, a dismal stretch of sand. "Hytanna! Hytanna," was shouted again and yet again, with an unceasing prayerful appeal which went to Marguerite's heart, and she somehow felt that the ap- peal was made to her in person. She was much puzzled, as she had been by many things that had occurred during their sojourn at the ruins of La Gran Quibira, especially by her interview with San Francisco, and the consciousness that she had known and loved him in some former existence of which she was conscious, but of which she remembered little. "Hytanna," she knew, was a goddess worshipped by the ancient Aztecs, and believed by many to have identical with the Serpent Woman, and she was the goddess to whom they ap- pealed for succor in times of extreme need from starvation and from thirst the goddess of Plenty, but why should these spirits imprisoned beneath the earth (for they could be nothing else) appeal to her as to the goddess Hytanna? Their appeal touched her strangely, and she promised them the succor they re- quired, should she come to the knowledge of what they asked of her. Laurence 'poohed," and tried to quell the nervous excite- ment into which the whole occurrence had thrown the sensitive Marguerite, but he shuddered and a dread settled upon him A MUSICAL MYSTERY 357 which would not be overcome although it was to him inexplicable. For he, too, heard distinctly the persistent cries of: "Hytanna Hytanna, Hytanna," which seemed addressed to his young wife' And it was as if they hailed the approach of one long supplicated and who had come at last. And all this time the bands of music and choirs of voices kept up each its own distinctive music in that strange under- tone to which the twain had become accustomed. 358 LA GRAN QUIBIBA CANTO THE FOURTEENTH. "FOOT-PRINTS IN THE SAND/' As they journeyed over this dreary waste, where few trees grew, both were attracted at the same moment to some footprints in the sand where it would seem from its desolation, the foot of man had never before trod. The footprints were at furthest, but a few hours old, and were those of some Mexican sheep hearder who had, perhaps, lost his way and who it would seem had car- ried a heavy burden. They speculated a little upon the circum- stance: "This is typical of our lives. We come from, we know not whence ; we make our mark upon the earth perhaps leave the traces of our footprints behind us; then depart, we know not whither. I trust that the poor fellow whose foot-prints these are, is not hopelessly lost. Ah!" This exclamation broke from Mar- guerite's lips as she pointed out to Laurence two huge, gaunt grey wolves which were coming from the draw whence the foot- prints issued, and who were evidently in full pursuit of their owner. "Hubby, your rifle. Quick! Quick," and she grasped the first article within her reach which proved to be a miner's pick, and hurled it full in the faces of the approaching brutes. These turned their heads for a moment, as if in doubt whether or no to leave the trail they were now upon and attack this new prey, but after one snarling glance, moved swiftly onward. Laurence grasped his rifle and hastily fired its contents after the wolves. One was slightly w^ounded as was shown by its angry growl, but he only halted for the space of a second then again took up the scent and steadily followed the footprints in the sand, or the blood-stains by which they were accompanied which had escaped the notice of the near-sighted Marguerite and to which Laur- ence had not hitherto alluded. Marguerite was wild with fear and pity for the poor unfor- tunate thus trailed by the savage beasts, and urged Laurence to turn and follow the trail to his rescue. But Laurence pointed out that it was impossible to overtake him in time to render him any A MUSICAL MYSTERY 359 assistance, and that it was almost certain that the herder must have reached some safe retreat long ere this. The wolves were even now out of sight and Marguerite was obliged to be content with the thought. But the mysterious footprints in the sand so troubled her that she urged their return by the same route. This could now on]y be followed by their own trail. The foot prints, the tracks of mules and wheels and an occasional wolf track, were all that was visible to show that some mysterious tragedy had been enacted, which will always remain a mystery to them al- though some one, somewhere would be reported missing, and the victim, perhaps, be accused of acts now that he had disappeared, of which living, he would never have been found guilty. He had gone but whither? There were at least some tears shed at the untoward fate of the unknown, for Marguerite Jerome's heart sorrowed over the dreadful doom she had pictured for him, and over their own utter helplessness in rendering him any assist- ance. That day too, the day upon which they had beheld the tire- less wolves upon the trail of the unknown, they seemed to meet a herald and trumpeters. The herald was reading a summons of some sort and when this was ended, appeared to be calling the roll of an almost endless army. No one however responded to their names and indeed it did not appear to be expected of them. Here too they could hear the tramp of horses' feet, for the herald and his attendants were mounted. All of these mysterious, illy-de- fined sounds could have but one meaning. The Ressurrection had begun. When? It had always been the belief of Marguerite that if this ressurrection and judgment had not been for all time, it must have commenced with that great sacrifice of Him who taught that ressrurrection after death. And she thought that all now passing around them having, as it would seem, nothing to do with them, but confirmed this belief without adding much of importance to it 360 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE FIFTEENTH. ' ' THE JUDGEMENT. ' ' By slow degrees the Jeromes reached water several miles from the Gallinas spring, which was in fact near the eastern slope of the Gallinas mountains, at two reservoirs or wet weather la- goons that had not as yet been exhausted ; near the entrance to the canyon which gave access to the spring. An Indian herder who was upon his way homeward from the Capitans to the San- lias, went far out of his way to show the beautiful" Senora Ameri- cana ' ' where the water was to be found. He would notpermit them to halt at the first of these reservoirs, where later they found that a murder had but recently been committed and the body of the hapless victim sunk in the water, but took them to the one far- ther in the mountains where he declared the water was clean. This man was so obliging that they paid him well and sent him on his homeward way rejoicing. Breaking the ice which en- crusted the surface of the reservoir which seemed not to have been visited of late, Laurence watered his thirsty mules, which Marguerite had christened Jock and Janet in honor of an old Scotch woman with whom they had passed a day upon the route. He then drove to the east some five hundred yards preferr- ing to camp within the thicket of pines and cedars there, than to occupy the vacant shanty within the enclosure at the water side. Here Marguerite set to work to replenish their larder with bread and baked beans and the like, that she might not be com- pelled to stop for long upon the road when once they took to it again. Here, too, she washed all of their clothing and camp equipments, wishing as she said, to commence the new year in cleanliness at least. And here in the open air by the side of the huge camp fire, both she and Laurence took their accustomed bath. No one was near during the night at least, the Mexican who claimed the right to sell the water living at the reservoir be- low the spring where they had filled their water barrel years be- fore upon their first journey to this part of the country. Marguerite had grown accustomed to the various kinds of A MUSICAL MYSTERY 361 music which was going on with greater or less distinctness all of the time, and often joined her own voice to one or other of what she called the "spirit bands" wondering that it all seemed so natural of tone with nothing of that awful sepulchral quality which one is led to expect from a ghostly quarter. Theirs were not the only ears that heard the music. They were visited one morning by the Mexican whom Marguerite face- tiously dubbed their "landlord," who was trying to sustain a sort of conversation with Laurence which seemed in some degree satis- factory to themselves but greatly amused Marguerite, who kept repeating after them : "Mucho Frio. Mucho Igre. Muncho Frio. Quant os milles for Whitee Oakee? Quantos milles a San An- tonio, A Socorro, etc. Mucho Frio. Muncho Igre," which was about all the Mexican of which Laurence was the master, and when added to the fact that he always insisted upon speaking at the very top of his powerful voice and with a German-Scotch accent of broad Irish brogue, was ludicrous in the extreme to the listener. Tiring with poking fun at her husband, Marguerite stationed herself upon the wagon seat at the other side of the camp fire, and began humming one of the airs of the mysterious music which was going on about them. The Mexican started, and turned to her curiously, whistling softly the self-same air, then by a sign questioned her as to the air she was singing. ' ' La Musico Espirito, ' ' was the prompt reply, and the Mexi- can after a quick nod of assent, turned hurriedly and hastened away, crossing himself as if greatly terrified, nor did they see him afterward. He seemed to be most in fear of Marguerite, for it was believed that women were not permitted to hear this spirit music. , That evening they retired very early, sleeping in the wagon, as the tent they had brought with them was too large and heavy to be pitched by one person. Marguerite was too weary to sleep and lay awake wondering and listening as usual to the variety of musical sounds which came from, she could not tell whither. The day and evening were intensely cold, and as is usual in such cases, intensely still as well. Nothing had as yet broken in upon this stillness but the continuous strains of the "Cantos Espiritos. " Many times Marguerite had complained: "All this is of the earth, and I wish I might hear something from another world. ' ' As she lay there listening and vaguely wondering at the strange. S62 LA GRAN QUIBIRA ness of it all, there resounded the strains of a different order of music. Never on earth had Marguerite heard anything so beauti- ful, so melodious. This then was the heavenly music she had so ardently wished to hear. It came from the water side and was like a band of golden harps whose strings were swept by angel fingers. Marguerite gave a little cry of delight and sprang down from the wagon. But a chill blast swept over her as if pushing her backward and she was forced to creep hurriedly into the wagon in fear of freezing. There she lay and listened, shed- ding tears of anger and disappointment that she was unable to go down to the pool where something inexplicable seemed to be going on. It was not possible to waken her husband without interrupt- ing or losing some portion of the mysterious proceedings, he hav- ing sunk into a deep and heavy sleep. ' The strains of sweet music, which were yet without any defined theme appeared to be a summons to all, to silence and at- tention. Then a voice sounded in command, and the stillness which had settled upon all was broken by the sound of one of the spirit bands and of many marching feet. They halted before the judgment seat, were confronted by their accusers and plead each their own cause through one who acted as spokesman for the entire band or family. Not one articulate word could she dis- tinguish, but by movement and the voices she seemed to under- stand how the verdict tended. Time after time was this re- peated. Some of each of those summoned seemed to be acquited while others were doomed to some punishment which caused them to murmur and to protest, and shriek and wail until the air re- sounded with the confusion of shouts of joy and wails of de- spair commingled, which was most heartrending, when the separa- tion of the good from the condemned came about. All this has been described before. I am not even now permitted to describe the scene then enacted at the water side, the preliminary judg- ment wherein the good spirits are separated from the bad, and allotted to their future sphere of life, some journeying upward to another planet to begin a new life under more auspicious cir- cumstances, promoted to a higher form of existence both physical and moral ; others doomed to remain upon the earth to finish their life work wherein they had failed owing to their own folly or vices, or to those of others, which prevented them from fulfilling their appointed task, without which they were permitted to go no farther. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 363 The miniature lake set in the midst of the mountain canyon, fenced around by rails within the enclosure a log cabin, de- serted and fireless (the scene as the Jeromes afterward learned, of a recent tragedy) ; the camp near by with its smoking, smoul- dering fire enveloped by the thick undergrowth, the solitary wagon with its occupants who were noiseless and perhaps sleep- ing; the mountain tops rising abruptly all about them with their rocks and trees and shrubbery standing out in bold relief in the cold light of. the moon which was at its full, made a strangely beautiful night picture. Not a sound except those which came from the great tribunal by the water side broke the intense still- ness not the rustling of a leaf nor the cry of a night bird, or even the stealthy tread of an animal broke the silence. It seemed as if all nature held its breath and listened as did Marguerite, to catch the meaning of the mysterious drama that was being en- acted there. But Marguerite was surprised in her spying by the alarm given by the watcher, which seemed to be a parrot, and which called out suddenly: "Somebody's looking." Her eyes had been riveted upon the car which bore the disembodied souls of those who had been promoted to another sphere. This was drawn by beautiful winged females, and children and was piloted by the figure of the judge which tallied with the descriptions of the Archangels. In spite of her fright at being detected in her eavesdropping, Marguerite observed many things which must have escaped the notice of another less prone to take note and to criticize minor points of all they saw. First she said to herself : "That figure at the rear of the car is that of my little brother Ernest as I well remember him." But she noted that while his body was still that of a child his head had grown massive and upon his brow sat the thoughtful gravity of a man in his prime. The face of the winged female who was first leader upon that side of the car was indelibly impressed upon her mind. This face was most beautiful, with a wierd unearthly sort of beauty ; her form was of a mould larger beyond the figures of earth born woman- kind, and was clad in a white garment which trailed its sheer tis- sue-like fabric far behind her upon the air, and which emitted a sharp crackling sound at her slightest movement, as if it were heavily charged with electricity. Her abundance of waving au- burn hair flowing backward as she moved, was brushed aside with one hand and Marguerite saw her face plainly as the figure 364 LA GRAN QUIBIRA looked downward at her, laughing merrily that she had gained by her strategy a glimpse of that which it was evident from the corn- motion the alarm had raised, she was not intended to behold. The face was stamped with eternal youth and in spite of its beauty had to the mind of Marguerite an uncanny look. That which most impressed her was the great strength expressed by the large white teeth displayed by her laugh, and in every movement and action. The figure of the Archangel, too, and his every feature was impressed upon her memory his massive, square-cut head, his beardless face, upon which the sternness of expression was tem- pered by a look of ineffable sweetness, his kindly yet piercirg blue eyes with their amused expression, as they looked down into her own terrified yet defiant orbs, the impressive gesture with which he pointed upward to where the clouds had parted, mak- ing, as it were, a passageway for the train which he led into what appeared to be a sea of radiance beyond. Even his gown, of some white woolen material girdled by a heavy cord, was noted by Marguerite. What seemed strange however was the fact that she felt certain that although the wings which sprouted from both the shoulders and calves of those who propelled the car upon which were piled those mysterious cloud-enwrapped intangible things she could only believe to be the disembodied souls of those human beings who had been on trial for the acts com- mitted upon the earth, might form a part of themselves, and that these might be merely winged spirits of the air; yet those which drooped from the shoulders of the great Archangel, (unused for the nonce) were detachable, and were in fact a mere flying machine, and it was somehow borne in upon her awakened con- sciousness that he was saving his own strength by permitting the bearers of the car to bear him upward as well so far as they went toward his own destination, which was farther away from the earth. Marguerite would have questioned the Archangel, but before she could recover sufficient presence of mind to do so, the whole train had vanished and the clouds had closed behind them shutting their onward path entirely from her view. Then she noticed that much of the music was resumed by the invisible choirs. And her heart went out to them in pity that through some untoward act of each they had been denied the much coveted rest which is the acme of all human hopes, of the Lethe that is brought by death, and were doomed to wander tn A MUSICAL, MYSTERY 365 and fro upon the earth until some other spirit was born upon it who would bring their own unfulfilled mission to a successful issue and so atone for their own negligence, and by so doing re- lease them from the bonds with which this unfinished work held them fast to the earth. It was perhaps a whimsical fancy, but this belief in the torment of those who had neglected to accom- plish that particular mission which had been assigned to them, or for which purpose they had been brought into existence, grew and strengthened upon Marguerite and led her (in fear of leav- ing her own work upon the earth undone) to brave in after years many dangers before which her timid nature must have shrunk, lest at that day of summing-up she should be weighed and found wanting. It was the custom for Laurence to make the coffee for their morning meal, and then call Marguerite to share it with him. Upon the morning after the scene of the ascension had been wit- nessed by Marguerite, in the surreptitious manner I have de- scribed, descending from the wagon at his summons to breakfast, she found that a light feathery snow covered the ground. Stoop- ing she lifted handful after handful, performed her morning ab- lutions after this fashion, then went forward to greet her hus- band who was just lifting the steaming coffee pot to their camp table, placed beside the roaring fire. Throughout the breakfast Laurence gazed at his wife in admiration and curiosity. "Why little girl," he said: "What have you been doing to yourself? You are more beautiful this morning than I have ever seen you. Your face is simply radiant. There seems to be a halo about it that I have never seen before." "No wonder," was the smiling reply. "I have but now brushed it with the down from angels' wings." Then she related to him the adventure of the preceding night and they speculated upon its meaning. Laurence was skeptical in all such matters, yet such was his confidence in his wife's truthfulness, that lie never questioned the fact that all had transpired just as she de- scribed. Besides in her face that morning, irradiated as he had nover before beheld it, was the proof that she had indeed been smiled upon by angel visitors. 366 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE SIXTEENTH. "THE SACRED SUN WOOD." The Jeromes had now no habitation, for when they had left their last abiding place they had not intended to return thither. As they had hired the mewels for the period of three months they now decided to return to La Gran Quibira remaining as long as possible (as Marguerite put it "between waters,") even if they were compelled to depend upon this distant reservoir for their supply, and to search for the signs which marked both wa!^r and treasure that had been described to her by Ytzlacotl. Returning by the way of the lagoona of Le Monte Solo, which if not now empty would yield them a water supply much nearer than that of the Gallinas spring, they got lost as is cus- tomary in this curiously formed country which is an almost end- less succession of hills and draws whose similarity and want of distinctive land marks, renders it almost an impossibility to follow any set course, when once one has left the well defined roads. They lost their way among the intricate windings of these hills. And near the close of an afternoon they found themselvr-s in the heart of what Marguerite with her aptitude for re-christen- ing every separate point of the Universe with which she became acquainted, at once called "The Sun Wood," and sometimes "The Labyrinth" from the fact that look which way one might along the lines of ancient cedar trees, they themselves seemed to be in the center from which there branched out into the distance like the rays radiating from the sun ; and from the fact that their way into the dense heart of the wood was an easy matter, but that the way out of it seemed blocked. In fact they at last found themselves so hemmed in, that Laurence was compelled to hew a pathway out of this strange labyrinth. The "Sun Wood" it was. The "Holy of Holies," the center of the Aztec burial place of their honored dead, who by their upright or glorious lives in this world had been deemed by their fellowmen fitted to stand in the presence of the great sun god himself, in company with the A MUSICAL MYSTERY 367 great Montezumas by whom he was of old represented upon the earth. ' ' But what had become of these ancient dead, of their bodies at least?" For here dig as they might there seemed to be only an unfathomable depth of sand, unbroken by a single rock so large as what we call a pebble, except in the exact center of the wood where was a mass of huge boulders piled high. These they had not time to examine closely enough to dislodge. And here it was that Marguerite saw in the full sunlight the vision of two mighty warrior kings and their armies contending for the hidden spoils, as she declared. They marked the spot as well as possible in the hope of some day retracing their steps to this point and searching for those spoils, which might indeed have been secreted here in the olden times. ' ' What had become of the innumerable bodies 1 ' ' After long thought Marguerite declared it to be her belief that they had been removed to the sacred hill of La Gran Quibira, which was their own destination, The Hump Of The Cibola, (Buffalo). And she further declared it to be her belief that they had there either been cremated as the ashes among the broken jars would indicate, or been buried again in the tombs of their dead Casiques. For the whole of La Gran Quibira hill proved upon close examina- tion to be one solid mass of skeletons. Making the best of their way back to the lagoona as a new starting point they met with a Mexican of the higher class, with whom they had formed a friendship when last at La Gran Quibira, and who like themselves was returning thither after a trip to the Rio, to satisfy his own doubts as to the whereabouts of the buried water and treasure. Telling him they would follow him upon the morrow they bade him adieu and went into camp, that their always jaded mules might have a rest. It was night when they drew up on the hill known as the Monte Solo, some two miles from the lagoona, and which was the nearest camping ground offering both grass and fuel. As they approached the hill they seemed to be accompanied upon the right hand side by a full band of music playing an inspiring and as they felt a victorious march; but upon their left was also an accompanying chorus of those soul -terrifying shrieks they 368 LA GRAN QUIBIRA had learned to associate with those damned. Between the two, they made their camp into which they were followed shortly afterward by a Mexican boy about sixteen years of age whom they had met a short time before in company with a wagoner who had encamped much nearer to the lagoona. This boy now ac- costed them, requesting that he might be permitted to camp in their company. Laurence refused, although Marguerite pro- tested, seeing that the lad appeared to be afraid to camp alone. But Laurence pointed to a neighboring clump of trees and said that they ' ' wished to be alone. ' ' The boy went over to the place designated, a few yards distant, and lighted his fire, while Laur- ence went some distance away in search of fuel for the remain- der of the night, and for the morning. Marguerite rested upon the seat which had been taken from their wagon and watched the preparations she had made for their evening meal. She was startled by the sharp click of a gun-lock directly behind her head, and as she cried out in alarm she heard the patter of retreating footsteps. When Laurence hurriedly returned at her cry, and searched the surrounding thicket no trace of their late guest could be found and his camp fire had been deserted. Marguerite was too much alarmed to sleep but the boy did not return and they remained over this day also in their present camp, the weather proving unpropitious and Laurence wishing to dig beneath a huge flat rock near at hand. Removing this rock he found a curious formation. When the rock was shoved to one side, beneath this was a huge boulder which rested upon another flat rock and so on, the two alternating, four or five deep and no telling how much farther down into the depth of the earth, for Laurence wearied of the search and abandoned his unfruitful work at the depth of about ten feet from the surface. These rocks were, strange to say, laid with the regularity described, and in a bed of mortar which showed skillful handiwork. It was long after this that the solution to the mystery of this strange formation came to Marguerite and then she was alone and in- capable through physical weakness of proving the correctness of her solution to the problem. Then they crossed the mesa by a route which had been pointed out to them and struck the regular road at a point marked by one of those crosses erected to indicate the spot where some poor unfortunate had lost his life by accident or by vio- lence. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 369 Reaching the foot of La Gran Quibira hill they found them- selves unable to mount it and Laurence climbed the hill in search of his Mexican friend. De Santa Ana was encamped a few yards to the south of the ruins and willingly offered the services of both himself and his two young mules to assist them to the top of the hill. This proved to be a pretty severe task even for their youth and strength but with a "Ayo-h. A-gee-ho," and a " Tiddy-a- whack, " oft-repeated, they made a triumphal as- cent and found a delightful camping ground near to Santa Ana's own, where Laurence at once began to construct a thick fence of brush to screen them from the winds, and, always hun- gry in this out-of-door life, set to work with despatch to boil the coffee. Once here they prowled about the ruins as before, made sport of Santa Ana and his "Mina," from which he hoped to extract untold wealth, and, by some mysterious hocus-pocus, combine the water with it, smiling in conscious superiority when Marguerite ventured to suggest that it would be impossible to mine with any degree of success under the water. It delighted her to tease the hopeful prospector about "The Mina De Santa Ana, " ' ' Le Poso De Santa Ana, ' ' wherein was not to be found either "Agua" or "Ora" "Neuna ne otra," as she treated her "Amigo Mexicano," to a night cap of hot spiced tea before bid- ding him good night. 24 370 LA GRAN QUIBIRA. CANTO THE SEVENTEENTH. "A SPRING OP LIVING WATERS." On the sixteenth day of January two old men brothers- uncovered a small spring of water near the foot of La Gran Quibira hill. This created a great sensation and the Ledington brothers were the heroes of the hour. Santa Ana deserted his "Mina" at once and returned to his home upon the Rio Grande in the belief that luck was all in their favor and against himself. To the Jeromes however this discovery only gave hope. The fact that this tiny spring had been deliberately sealed up with a curi- ous red pigment the overflow, if any, scattering beneath the loose sand around the spring, made them yet more hopeful that the main spring existed upon the hill and was covered in like manner, since it was impossible that the town upon the hill could, as the old men fondly believed, have depended upon this for its supply of water. They, Laurence and Marguerite, now set to work in earnest to find the signs spoken of by Ytzlacotl, but without suc- cess. Then they moved down by the side of the spring or at least within a hundred yards or so of the Ledington camp, since it was impossible for them to depend upon their own team to haul water up the steep and sandy ascent. Here they remained for some time, much against the wishes of Marguerite, who was so poor a pedestrian that she could not mount the Ihill as often as she wished. They were upon the best of terms with the two old men and with the frequent visitors of sheep herders and tourists who came to prospect for water and for the treasure, too. There is no created thing upon this earth so destructive as the average American, who can scarcely look at anything with- out attempting to pull it to pieces. So to prevent the total de- struction of the grand old ruins at the hands of these nineteenth century vandals, Laurence staked off the ground upon which the ruins were located as a homestead claim, thereby securing the en- mity of the treasure seekers and of the old men at the spring as well. He moved upon his claim at once, after making arrange- ments with the old men to haul their supply of water. With the aid of a Mexican who had brought their mail from the town A MUSICAL MYSTERY 371 where they had lived previous to their coming to La Gran Qui- bira, he had fenced off a corral of some dimensions, and within this he pitched his tent. Here, secure from observation he could prospect the ground more thoroughly and the very day of their removal to this ground he discovered the stone cross which pointed out the way to the much sought for water and relics. While camping with Santa Ana and his party and after- ward near the spring which Marguerite had christened "Living Waters" in due form, baptizing it with its own waters poured over it from a tiny crucible which one of the old Ledingtons said he had found among the ruins, and which a certain doctor had assured him was "A wine cup used by the medicine men of the former days for measuring out their potions," and who looked shocked as she raised it to her lips and drank first of the water from the newly christened spring. ( This learned individual like- wise insisted that the curious formation of the ground through- out the entire country hereabouts was due to the fact that a coal mine had existed beneath, which had undoubtedly burned out and fallen in, leaving the hills and hollows as described. They were indebted to the same individual of scientific proclivities for much other information of the same sort and value. But as I had commenced to relate they had numerous spirit- ualistic visitations, to which no one else was treated, both while camping near Santa Ana and the Ledingtons. These were mostly musical exhibitions and many by unskilled performers, as it would seem. But some of the simple minor melodies sunk deep into the heart and memory of Marguerite. Then there were the frequent chantings of the church services and many were the ghostly masses to which they listened wondering why the oft-de- scribed adjuncts of wierd sepulchral tones and ghostly lights were wanting. It would seem that the very best performances came off in the most unpropitious weather when it was quite impossible for them to make their way with any degree of safety to the point from whence the sounds came, because of the many deep and dangerous holes among the ruins; and besides neither of them had had the forethought to provide clothing suitable for such inclement weather. So far as they could learn all other visitors here were deaf to these almost continuous sounds, al- though many declared that they had heard of them from the Mexicans and Indians, who professed to have heard them. The 372 LA GRAN QUIBIBA priest from the parish of Manzano, declared that he did not doubt the story, at which the old men scouted, for more than one of his own parish had confessed to have interviewed the devil in this form at this place. One morning they were awakened by a full band of brass instruments which appeared to be heading the return from a long and wearisome march. A large army or concourse of people for the tramp of their footsteps lagged from seeming weariness. But before they could rouse themselves and look out the whole procession had gone behind an interven- ing hill which hid it from their view and by the time Laurence had dressed himself hastily and followed in its wake, all was silent as the grave. Marguerite had frequently expressed a wish that she might not only hear but see and converse with a bona fide ghost. One morning she awoke from a troubled sleep with a start and there bending above Laurence, but looking at herself, she saw a most beautiful Indian woman, for as any Spanish sefiorita. Her form, which was visible only so far as the waist, her lower limbs being hidden, as it were, by some dark and indistinguishable mass, was magnificent in its proportions. She was clad in but one garment which revealed her perfect form and which had been of sheer white but now was yellowed and discolored. One per- fectly moulded hand held this together upon her bosom, her pur- plish black hair fell over one bared shoulder in rich and waving luxuriance. Her face was of that perfect oval our great- est painters have delighted to portray, tinted with a pale olive, from which her eyes looked out with an expression of repressed suffering in their dark depths which struck to the heart of Mar- guerite, who, however, wakened suddenly from her sleep by the vision, was afraid and called: "The ghost! The ghost," so loudly that she awakened her sleeping husband and her own an- ger that her foolish fears had driven away the apparition for whose coming she had so wished. "So they burned women in those days of the holy saints," she said angrily. "Well, this woman died like a 'brick' at all events. I am very proud of her. If I were a painter I should strive for a life time to delineate that perfect face with its ex- pression of pain repressed. I can never forget that set, defiant smile, nor that cold resolute look in those magnificent dark he- roic eyes. But why is it, hubby, that in all this I myself seem to A MUSICAL MYSTERY 373 be a part. It stirs me strangely as something that I have known, yet forgotten." " It is all but the outgrowth of a vivid imagination, ' ' was the reply, but somehow it did not satisfy Marguerite. The Jeromes laughed much at the companies of treasure seekers who had been upon the ground at the time of their own arrival. There were at one time two representatives of the very families in which the secret of the buried treasure was held. But that these were not the two to whose keeping that secret had been entrusted in this generation, was evident. There was, be- side the four workmen by whom they were accompanied, a catholic priest. The tradition was that the bell, the water and the treasure were buried in three separate places, each of which, however, was indicated by the location of the others, and it was most amusing to hear the three heads of the unfruitful expedition wrangling after each day's unsuccessful efforts to find anything. The priest would say: "You claim to know where the cross stood. Show me the cross and I will show you the bell." Then Senor A would retort with : ' ' Show me the bell and I will show you the water. ' ' And in like manner Senor B would declare that if they would but fulfill their promises and produce the cross and water and the bell he would straightway point out the treasure as he had agreed to do. It is needless to say that they found neither the one nor the other; for had they done so this romance must have ended here. But Laurence and Marguerite Jerome found the stone cross within a few minutes after they began their search, and from the measurements and the abandoned work of the party in question they found the clue to the whole mystery, and they found, too, the exact spot described by Ytzlacotl from which the stone cross had been removed by his ancestor of old and where its former pedestal yet stood. All people who came here to dig for the treasure seemed to come under some confusing spell which Marguerite called "La Gran Quibira craze." They each and every one had certain set rules to guide them in their search yet in their actual work they invariably ignored these and acted upon some unknown influence. For instance, they would measure carefully a certain distance from their given point, being most careful to preserve a certain direction and exactitude of measurement. Arrived at the exact 374 LA GRAN QUIBIRA point they sought, they would look about them and thinking that the outlook there was most unpromising they would after a con- sultation upon the subject settle upon some point a few hundred feet or yards distant, as the case might be, and dig at that point instead of the one of their measurement, and as Marguerite shrewdly observed, "Had they been correct in their supposition that the treasure sought was at the point to which their measure- ment led them, they might as well have dug as many hundreds of miles away, for all hope there was of finding the hidden treas- ure." She determined to dig only upon the precise spot where Ytz- lacotl had said the treasure was to be found. But Laurence seemed possessed of La Gran Quibira craze as well, for he insisted upon digging at a point alongside of the one indicated by the cross. What seemed odd was the fact that the party mentioned, which was accompanied by the one-armed priest, had in making their measurements passed within a few yards of the cross, which stood in plain sight, yet none of them saw it. Marguerite could only explain this by the fact that they were under this strange spell and were not intended to find the buried treasures of water, etc. This was perhaps as well, for it was not long be- fore they had reason to bel-ieve that their own every movement was closely watched, and that nothing they might find here could be carried away with safety. Where the priest's party had dug they found underground walls and arches which it was evident that the treasure seekers had not noticed. Entering these Laurence found many things that were puzzling, if not altogether profitable at the time. A MUSICAL, MYSTERY 375 CANTO THE EIGHTEENTH. "THE LIFE BEYOND THE GRAVE." In the ruins was a room or vault which had been cleared of debris. The only entrance to this was through the top. Mar- guerite pointed out that this masonry was of a different construc- tion and seemed to ante-date that upon the surface of the ground, she declared it to be her belief that the city upon the surface had been built upon a subterranean city whose walls had been utilized as foundations and many of whose rooms, as storage vaults, and prison cells and dungeons. In this particular room whose walls did not, like the walls of the town above exceed two feet in thickness, they found the skele- ton of an infant less than one year old as would appear from the frail bones which crumbled at the touch. This skeleton was rest- ing upon a flat rock (one of the many metata, or stones upon which their flour was and is to this day ground by these people and their descendants). This metal was raised upon four blocks of stone, like an altar and beneath was a handful of charcoal. And beside the small skeleton lay the inevitable grinder which here is mostly found in the shape of a paddle to a canoe or rather the blade to an oar. A hole had been broken through one of the walls of this vault at its base, into what was evidently another apartment and here they found the skeleton of a woman of im- mense size and proportions, who seemed to have met sudden death while in the act of escaping from her prison cell, since her bones were half in and half out of the room and beneath the broken wall. The finding of these skeletons gave rise to a horri- ble fiction, of a mother who had slain her infant hundreds of years before and being caught and slain in the act of escaping, the murder had come to light only after a lapse of centuries. Marguerite laughed at this for already her quick eye had become accustomed to detect the true from the false, that is the line which separated the ancient from modern innovation. And she thought it much more probable that the present arrangement of the skeletons at least was due to the persons who had cleared the room of its debris ; perhaps the same hands which had erected 376 LA GRAN QUIBIRA a room a few feet square for a shelter near what she called: "Stover's Wind Well," and which the "knowing ones" pointed out as a modern Indian dwelling, priding themselves as it were upon the fact that the work was so much inferior to that of the ancients, which indeed was very apparent, the walls being laid up without any sort of mortar. And how she laughed when a party of scientific searchers carefully collected and preserved some corn-cobs they found at the Santa Ana camp and showed with pride and wide-eyed wonder at their wonderful state of preservation after more than two-hundred years; and which she knew had been stripped of their grain by Santa Ana's mules about two weeks before this exhibit. The puzzling noises went on as before and continued to re- main as inexplicable to them. Marguerite argued that they were permitted to hear them because they had something to reveal, and because they heard them where others did not, it was possible for them to obey the call. This tallied with the story they heard afterward, that it was only possible for one person of each gen- eration to penetrate the mystery and discover the hidden treasures. "Then I am that one in my generation," said Marguerite, for that it was she who was the medium was conceded by Laur- ence, and that this person was to be a woman was the tradition of the Indians which accounted for three distinct and separate attacks made, or rather as it would seem meditated against her life. For beside the event upon the Monte Solo, she had twice since heard that ominous 'click' of a gun-lock in close proximity to her and once had seen the fire-light flash upon the barrel of a rifle aimed at her and once seen the hastily-retreating figures of a man and boy whom she had as it were surprised in the very act of firing upon her. But so greatly was her interest deepened in this strange mystery that was about her, that although terrified for the moment at these cowardly attacks, she soon forgot or ig- nored them in that interest in the scenes passing before her, and the desire to ferret it out to a correct understanding grew to be almost a mania with her. Then it was that she began to realize she was leading a strange dual existence, which began indeed with her meeting with the friar whom she had called "Francisco," and whom she now understood was none other than Saint Francis himself. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 377 That she had been the "Mauri" of his youthful remembrance she was convinced. She had a vague remembrance of wandering in his company through flowering vineyards, plucking and feast- ing upon the rich clusters of grapes, listening to that "Old, old story," which is older than the world itself, yet which but gains in sweetness from its eternal repetition. She knew too that she had been well pleased and loved him too, but with that reluctance she had always felt at surrendering herself, had driven him from her side to wander in unknown lands, striving in the distance to win forgetfulness of the pain at his heart by weary vigils and self-inflicted bodily pains. She thought with a pitying pain at her own heart "in vain," for this great love had lived beyond the grave and was as fresh today as in the olden time. And she felt that she was just as reluctant now as then to surrender herself to him. It was when convinced of this that he ceased to come to her as she wandered off alone leaving Laurence to his endless and (as she thought) insane digging. Yet in all her interviews with San Francisco she had learned but little concerning what she most wished to know the life beyond the grave. For it seemed to her that of this he was almost as ignorant as herself, and the only conclusion to which she could come was that the leader of any great movement, religious at least, was doomed to remain upon the earth until the last of their followers were gathered together. The thought and conviction made her heart sink as she re- membered the mourning voice of Him whom she heard plead with such earnest prayerful pathos, and whom she had whispered to herself not daring to call the thought aloud: "Jesus of Naza- reth, Himself," whose voice had appealed to her as those of the unseen worshippers of Hytanna had done ; convincing her that in some manner as yet unexplained, it was possible for Him to secure eternal rest through her and through her alone. [END OP ACT iv.] 378 LA GRAN QUIBIRA THE INTERLUDE. A RETROSPECT. "THE CITY CALLED BEAUTIFUL." The night was far spent when the long train reached the foot of the hill upon whose summit rested the sacred city which was its destination, and which surrounded by verdure, gleamed in the moonlight like a huge pearl set with emeralds. So great was this throng, mostly pedestrian, that it seemed composed of an entire nation, yet they were but the helpless of that nation. For they were the women, the sick and wounded, the very old and the very young with their numberless attendants who were being removed to this last and most secure retreat, under the safe escort of their warrior king,Hermernehildo, who with his troops was in haste to bring the journey to an end that he might hurry with them to the far south where the war was still raging like a fierce and tireless tempest that swept with destructive force, blasting all things that opposed or impeded its progress. A few miles back they had rested for a time from their weary march within the very heart of the great sun wood from which the manes of their forefathers had been already removed to the precincts of their sacred city Culhaucan, "Where moth could not corrupt nor thieves break through and steal. ' ' For the city was defended by wall within wall until it must prove impreg- nable to aught but the heavenly host of the sun god himself, in whose safe keeping they were about to give those most dear to their hearts while with their might and strength of arm they would guard the outposts of this retreat whose very existence was suspected even by but few. In the great sun wood no telltale fire had been built. The immense company had been refreshed only by the period of rest, by a morsel of bread and a draught of water, bestowed and re- ceived in the deepest silence. And there, scouts had been sent back and onward to every opening in the almost impassible moun- tains. The long train of slaves who bore the burden of the vast EXTRACTING JUICES FROM THE MAGUEY IN MEXICO. [Courtesy of The Pictorial American. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 379 wealth of the Aztec nation were now sent to the front of the throng that it might be the better guarded from their own treachery, (for when since the beginning of the hoarding of riches has there been a time of which it could not with truth be said: "Every man has his price?") Here the sacred fire had been displayed at their sunset devo- tions, but cautiously veiled lest other eyes than those of its wor- shippers might be observing their movements, by stealth. And from this point all except the priests and the guard went forward blind-fold ; for the approach to the sacred city was, and was yet to be kept, a secret from all, for experience had taught them that the enemy most to be dreaded is ' ' The traitor within the camp. ' ' They had circled about, and the final approach to the sacred city was made from the east, bearing from thence to the north from which side the ascent to the top of the sacred hill alone was practicable. Once within the gates of the lofty outer wall, all knelt, and when the bandages were removed from the eyes which they had blindfolded the whole city was revealed to their astonished eyes. Like an island from the Green Sea rose the sacred hill, en- crusted from base to summit with beautiful buildings of snowy whiteness which gleamed and glistened in the light of the wan- ing moon. And these were surrounded by fruit-bearing and flowering trees interspersed with vines, verdure and bloom of the rarest and most beautiful description, set upon a green sward swept and garnished and free from a single fallen leaf. A low murmur which would have broken into a wild cry of triumphant joy and admiration but for the strict orders that had been issued, broke from the lips of all and died away in a long-drawn sigh of unutterable relief that the secure haven of rest had been safely reached at last. Then all arose as if possessed of but one body and the ascent was begun after the following order. King Hermernehildo and his royal guard dismounted, and stationed themselves upon either side of the way through which the train must pass. The palanquins, (see Prescott's History of the Conquest of Mexico), which had borne the Queen Marahquirita, and the royal family which was composed beside the royal pair of the queen's twin sister also named "Marahquirita," (the name the Aztec people had given to their queens, and to those also who by right of in- LA GRAN QUTBIRA heritance were by any chance likely to become their ruler,) and the two little children, the son and daughter of the royal pair; together with the ladies of the Court and their female attendants, discharged their loads, and these preceded the train to the great temple which crested the summit of the hill like a jewelled crown, the fairest the most beautiful building of them all. First Queen Marahquirita, who was High Priestess as well, and her seventy virgins climbed unsandalled the stairway which led up to the first terrace, and went forward appearing upon the upper terrace at the entrance to the temple itself, having bathed in the sacred lake and changed their garments for their priestly robes of office, and armed themselves with certain imple- ments of holy warfare before the train was in marching order, had taken their station as was the custom and duty of their ex- alted office, to await and guard its approach. First in order of march came King Hermernehildo and his royal guards, followed by a band of picked warriors. These paused upon the upper terrace at the foot of the temple stair- case, and opening formed into line upon either side of the ap- proach, through which the almost endless train of the treasure- bearers weighed down with their burden, the riches of their na- tion, passed in slow defile barefoot and bare-headed as were the entire company of women and wounded warriors, the sick and the old and little children who followed and who were guarded closely in the rear by the remainder of Hermernehildo 's troops. Even Queen Marahquirita 's face, usually as beautiful and cold as chiseled marble, lighted a little and her proud dark eyes flashed with a momentary fire at the scene of the approach of this endless train as it climbed flight after flight of the marble steps, and crossed the velvety lawns of the terraces and along the in- tersecting paths which, too, were paved with polished marble. For if these were but the weak and helpless of her nation, how numberless, how invincible must be that nation in its entirety. When the treasure bearers had reached her side, the Queen and High Priestess placed herself at their head and herself led the way to the secret subterranean vaults of the great temple. While the half of her armed vestals formed to guard their rear, and the second half held the following multitudes in check, for the safe storage of the treasure was the first duty to be performed. The treasure bearers deposited their precious burdens at the A MUSICAL MYSTERY 881 *oot of the great staircase which led to the entrance to the tem- ple, and retired to the rear while their burdens were taken up anew by the one hundred giant mutes belonging to the sacred edifice who came and went bearing the untold riches into its sacred and secret precincts, known as the great treasure vaults, whose location it was whispered was a secret to all save the High Priestess herself. So long now had the necessity for silent watchfulness existed among this people that even the youngest child there stood motionless as a statue, mutely attentive, as this formal receiving of the treasured hoards of the whole nation went on. It was noted with a feeling akin to terror which deepened into a fore- boding awe that the eyes of the mutes held an expression of horror and of appeal as they cast quick uneasy glances upon the multitude each time they came forward to laden themselves anew with the spoils of centuries of peaceful industry and of victori- ous warfare, none of which could benefit them in their hopeless, maimed captivity. The wistful, terrified yet mute appeal touched the hearts of all, yet they were ignorant as to its meaning, and, alike, were the helpless and unquestioning slaves to Marahquirita and to the Sun God whose will she represented and carried out. At length the mutes were ladened with the last load and disap- peared as before; but although the great assembly waited long and expectantly, they did not return, and the thought gained ground that never again would they return to the light of the sun. Again a shudder ran through the crowd, which found ex- pression in a stifled groan, when at length Marahquirita and her armed priestesses came forward alone, the Queens ' beautiful face set in an expression of stern resolution, her sword laid aside, but with a spot of telltale blood upon her white robe, while her hand toyed with a movement which seemed meant to attract the atten- tion of the assemblied multitudes, with a golden key that hung from her neck and rested upon her heart. And it was forever left in doubt whether with her own hand, she, as the instrument of their god, had slain the giant hundred and so guarded the secret of the entrance to the treasure vaults, or had left them hopeless prisoners there to guard them in person. Color was given to the latter less horrible belief however by the sending each day of stores of food down to the vaults where the treasure was heaped up in the unused rooms. But the terror deepened as time went on, and it was observed that one by one the porters 3^2 LA GRAN QUIBIBA of the vast temple disappeared also and the old time story was revived that the secrets of the temple were vested in the High Priestess alone and were guarded by dead men who told no tales. The treasure safely stored away, the religious ceremonies began. These were conducted by Marahquirita in person and it seemed auspicious that these were timed by accident to commence just as the sun broke above the mountain tops, flooding the beau- tiful hillside and the fair white temple by which it was crowned with a golden glory, which seemed to their hopeful gaze more dazzling than was his wonted light. Nothing could be more beautiful than the valley of Aztlan at this time, nestled among the mountain tops, its broad ex- panse dotted here and there with those of the Seven Cities Of The Cibola which rested upon its bosom like white and glistening islets upon the breast of a sea of verdant green. Three of these great cities guarded the mountain fastnesses and from thence issued hourly with unceasing watchfulness, the priestly guards and warriors. For this sacred valley of Aztlan had been devoted from time immemorial to their honored dead, and the sacred of- fices' of these; the highest order of their priesthood who had it in charge. And here were trained the pride of the Monte- zumian chivalry who, combining religious zeal with perfection of skill and strength, (for none were admitted here but they who were without blemish,) were invincible. Each of these great cities were dedicated to one or other of the seven great gods of the Aztec race or nation, and all of its temples were dedicated to its presiding genius, yet all were con- solidated as it were under one great government, ruled by one head. The Sun in the heavens but upon the earth by "She," the Serpent Woman from whom mankind had sprung, and to whom he owed all knowledge of good and evil, who controlled his destinies, and who was among all other gods the chosen umpire. Among the Aztecs this goddess was known by the name of Hy- tanna but more frequently by that of Marahquirita. The most powerful of all of these Seven Cities of the Cibola crowned the foothills at the west and was dedicated to the ex- clusive worship of Huetzalpecotl , the invincible God of War, and in the great temple upon its topmost heights to his skill and cunning and might. The approach to this was from the valley by means of a serpentine pathway whose windings traversed A MUSICAL MYSTERY 383 many miles of a narrow, rocky canyon and ended in a coil about the base of the great temple itself. The temple was a vast pyram- idal structure more gloomy and of more massive proportions than either of the other great temples of the Cibola; for no matter to what other god they had especially devoted themselves, all were alike the slaves of Huetzlapocotl, his sworn soldiers and priests, and perhaps his intended victims. The serpentine roadway which was its approach and which can now be followed along its sinuous windings for fully twenty miles, and is now known as Canyon Cosino, or Twisting Canyon, was paved with huge boulders whose rounded surfaces had been worn smooth and slip- pery from the continued trampling of myriads of unsandaled feet for many ages past, and it was whispered, with what cer- tainty I know not, that of those who slipped and fell by the way none were ever seen again. And beautiful and spacious as was this great temple of the God of War, more beautiful and more spacious still was the temple upon the central hill, the hump of the Buffalo, around which clustered the dwellings of the priests living and dead, pure white and ornamented with unique designs historic and allegoric, wherein beauty was sought rather than truth, for this itself was the City Called Beautiful, to which the treasures of the nation, both of the living and of the dead had been borne for safe keeping. "Beautiful"? Why it answered to the Christian's descrip- tion of the new Jerusalem, the walls, the paved roadways, the beds of the streams whose pure waters flooded through the streets from east to west the entire length of the hill ; all, like the build- ings themselves of white rockwork and stucco, were of the snowy glistening whiteness of alabaster or jasper. There was a giant w r all many feet in thickness around the entire valley, and within, each city had its particular portion of ground walled off, from the gates of which a paved roadway led to the central city. This, as has been said, was built upon a hill around the base of which run a high wall upon each of the four sides, but now that the times were more troublesome than had ever before been known, all of these were closed excepting that upon the north. Within this wall was a broad road paved with polished white flagstones and bordered upon either side with a broad band of greensward. And from this the three terraces arose, tier upon tier, walled about by the same white stone and around which ran another wall beautifully graven and ornamented, and each in itself was 384 LA GRAN QUIBIRA almost impregnable ; for the marble stepped ascent to each was barred by heavy gates and guarded by the many priest-soldiers both male and female, whose right it was to officiate in this most holy of holies. The ascent to each, were all of them zigzag or serpentine in their windings, (as indeed were all the roadways which led to Culhaucan), for it was never by direct approach that the Aztecs came near to their gods. Each terrace was planted with trees and shrubs and flowering plants from among the rarest and most beautiful varieties, many of which had been imported from distant parts of the country, and from among this flowering forest rose the myriads of buildings of all dimen- sions, the dwellings of the priests and the tombs wherein the living offered up their prayers for their honored and beloved dead, and propitiatory offerings to that especial god or god- dess upon whose kind interposition they relied for the favor of that Great Spirit who ruleth all. Upon the upper terrace within the inner wall were two beautiful miniature lakes whose bottoms were white and glisten- ing like all else here and strewn with golden sands. Upon these sacred lakes and along the streamlets which ran from one side to the other floated the stately white swans, sacred to the Goddess Hytanna, with her haughty grace. The streams wid- ened and separated, surrounding, as it were, the great temple which rested upon a hillock, which rose to a far greater height than the remainder of the ground. The temple was approached only by the draw-bridges which spanned the streams and which were never lowered except when some great ceremony of public import such as the reception, demanded it. And this had not happened before, this being the first time that any outsiders had been admitted within its sacred precincts. When these drawbridges were crossed, the temple was approached by a winding pathway which wound round and round it like a snail and step by step upward in a grand winding staircase until the upper tier of the pyramid was reached. To the lower stories there was no outside entrance. These were to be reached only from the nave of the temple itself and were entirely devoted to the secret devotions of the virgin priests who also made their home among these unknown chambers. The upper story was finished off as one grand audience chamber. Both without and within the building this room was surrounded by a row of carved pillars that upheld the massive roof, in the center of A MUSICAL MYSTERY 385 which was a large circular opening from which other pointed openings verged, forming a huge sunflower through which the rays of the sun penetrated, falling with greater or less intensity upon a facsimile in burnished gold that formed the immense altar, in the center of which burned the sacred fire. No horrible images here represented the god whom they worshipped. But behind the altar rose the wonderfully wrought throne-like chair of purest gold from its carven dais of the same precious metal. And in this, the judgment seat of the great, the nameless god, who ruled all other gods. She who was His representative among them seated herself upon such occasions as she was called upon to assume His prerogative of bestowing or of taking the life of one of His creatures, who had been duly tried and condemned by the other priesthood, and who by right of birth or office or by any right whatever could claim an appeal to this the highest tribunal. Each of the vast throng we have described had cleansed and purified themselves in the waters of the sacred streams and had cast aside their travel-stained garments before beginning the ascent to the temple itself. Now they once more fell into line, nude except for the snow-white cloth which bound and girded their loins. As they circled round and round the altar with its rays, guarded by its attendant priestesses, the little children were thrust to the front; then came the maidens, and the youths who were yet too young to enter the lists as warriors, but who were sent hither to learn the art of war from the soldier-priests, that never might the Aztec army wane for trained leaders for its countless of thousands of troops. Then came the aged, many of whom were children for the second time, and were carefully watched and tended as such by all; and in the rear, forming the van-guard, were the matrons with their babes in their arms, while Hermernehildo and his warriors surrounded all with their protecting presence. The incense was burned, the chant repeated, the religious hymns of praise and of prayer were sung, and the solenn dances trodden amid a hush as of the grave; the auguries repeated by the sonorous voice of Marahquirita herself from out the midst of the smoke of the incenses burned by her priestesses. These public rites concluded, Marahquirita the stern and resolute high-priestess was once more transformed into the sweet and gracious wife and mother, and with the Princess Marahquirita, 386 LA GRAN QUIBIRA and her little ones joined Hermernehildo, who was impatient to be off for the wars again. The palace reserved for the royal family and their court, was situated at the extreme west end of the topmost terrace, yet still between the sacred lakes, and bounded by the sacred streams, within what was looked upon as the most sacred pre- cincts, safe from intrusion from all who were not especially called within its hallowed walls. Here for the space of three days the royal couple held Council and Court, prior to the departure of Hemernehiido. The palace was a large square-built edifice, pure white without as was all other of the buildings of the Sacred City, but within it was ornamented with white and blue and gold. The palace formed a hollow square, surrounding a central inner court which was the council chamber as well. Within this court the throne had been erected close beside the fountain which splashed and bubbled without ceasing, through the eyes and mouths and nostrils of the hydra-headed, collossal form of the god who ruled the waters. Here all secret conclaves were held, for here alone could absolute secrecy be assured. There was nothing here to screen the form of a spy, and the court was surrounded upon all sides by a wide close corridor, guarded its full length by chosen members of the Council itself, Hermernehildo, himself, not disdaining to take his share in the eternal watchfulness that was observed. Here now assembled day after day and night after night, the royal household, the Court and councilors in solemn con- sultation, settling beyond dispute many weighty affairs of state, for Hermernehildo and his warriors might be long detained by the wars, (and this too was hinted at in the provisions made by the newly-enacted laws), might never more return to Culhaucan to claim his own. Hermernehildo was yet young and possessed the undis- ciplined impulsiveness of youth. He asserted his royal will and authority without reserve. Through all Marahquirita sat cold and motionless as a statue of marble, only rousing into action when necessity required her to do so, yielding graceful assent to the decisions of her hot-headed lord, waiving them aside but once and that when he declared that he would leave his queenly spouse and well-beloved family under the especial protection of his trusted friend Ytzlacotl. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 387 Then indeed Marahquirita roused herself suddenly as if she had felt the stinging fang of an adder. A quick flush shot athwart the strange pallor of her beautiful face, and retreating left the chill whiteness of snow or of death upon it. She stooped and rested her slender right hand upon the heads of her little children who played upon the dais at her feet, for such was this queen and priestess mother's watchfulness and care of her own offspring that never for a moment did they leave her watchful presence. She kissed the forehead of her twin-sister, w T ho it was said was dearer to her than all the world beside, and who inno- cently ignorant as was the babes themselves of all matters of state, yawned and slept alternately throughout the lengthy councils which possessed not the slightest interest for her; then she rose with haughty grace and said : ' ' Our country has been lost to us. We fight now for our religion and for our liberty. Hermernehildo hath need of every strong arm in his nation, to battle for his rights and for the safety of his weak dependents. We have no use for the able-bodied here. Let Ytzlacotl join his king in the battle for liberty. With Marahquirita at the head, no harm can befall Culhaucan." But Hermernehildo, urged to do so by a glance from Ytzlacotl, insisted, and Marahquirita offered no further word of remonstrance; although her lip quivered and her eyes flashed in resentful anger and she bit her lip lest she should be tempted to assert her own prerogative as queen in her own right, and high-priestess of her nation, and not that wifely obedience which she had schooled herself to observe upon all public occasions. But it was observed that she took Hermernehildo aside and spoke with him earnestly, and that although he sneered and made light of her words he still obeyed her, and Ytzlacotl was asked to retire and to absent himself from the secret councils, as affairs of the greatest moment to the community were to be discussed, and Ytzlacotl was after all but an interloper and because of his taint of blood being by birth half a Spaniard, had no right to be admitted to the Grand Council at all. And it was always noticed that when Marahquirita chose to assert her authority, which indeed was hers by right, she was obeyed even by the impatient Hermernehildo who worshipped rather than loved his stately spouse. So Ytzlacotl was left to protect his loved-ones when Hermernehildo and his warriors left for the front; but was by Marahquirita barred from the Conclave. 088 LA GRAN QUIBIRA The royal sisters, Marahquirita and Marahquirita, watched the departure of the troops from the topmost height of the great temple. Nothing could so demonstrate the theory of dis- tinctive individuality in a greater degree than did the appear- ance of these royal twins, whose features and forms were moulded in perfect imitation the one of the other. So exactly alike were they that it was said that the royal nurses were obliged to mark the one who had entered the world first by a short half-hour and so gained the right of precedence, and was known as the future queen and high-priestess of her nation. They formed the models for a beautiful picture of a group of statuary as they stood watching the departure of the royal troops which wound in stealthy silence around the base of the hill and through the windings of the draws toward the west and upward along the serpentine roadway to the Temple of Huetzopocotl, where their last religious rites, celebrated by many of them for the last time, in this their sacred valley of Azt'an or indeed upon the fair earth itself, were yet to be gone through and their last offerings to that god made. There was no sound of drum or martial music as the vast concourse took its onward way. Only the muffled tread of the army which was suppressed but not entirely hushed, came with measured thud to their ears. The twin Marahquiritas were as I have said, as like as if cast in the selfsame mould. Every line and curve of form and feature seemed precisely the same. But there the likeness ended. The lithe, willowy form of the queen was erect and stately, its every movement reflecting the haughty pride and cold reserve of its owner; while that of the princess possessed the quick and graceful abandon of the fawn in its every unstudied attitude. There was a marble-like pallor upon the oval face of the queen, relieved only by the scarlet of her lips and the changeful tints of her somber brown eyes, which in her most joyous moments held that wonderful golden light so rarely seen, then deepened into midnight blackness in her stormy moods; while the same oval of her sister's face flushed and paled with every passing emotion but never lost its radiance, and the golden lights in her soft brown eyes were never darkened but lent a softened bril- liancy to her every expression, which made her the most spark- ling, the most charming object that the sun shone upon. The queen's waving masses of dark-brown hair in whose meshes the sunshine appeared to have become entangled, and which in the A MUSICAL MYSTERY 389 shadow deepened as did her eyes into that purplish black so rarely beautiful, was braided and wound round and round her perfectly moulded head set proudly upon her slender neck, in a coronet upon which gleamed the jeweled diadem, the insignia of her exalted rank ; while that of the princess, braided too, fell in two long strands down her back, from which innumerable tiny rebellious curls were continually breaking loose and falling into her laughing eyes. Even the voice of the one was sonorous in its sweet yet stern intonations, while that of the other rippled and bubbled like the merry tinkling of sweet toned bells. Their garments were the same; a long and trailing robe of purest white which left both neck and faultless arms revealed. That of the queen was devoid of all ornament, falling in statuesque folds without a break from shoulder to the golden sandals with which her feet were shod, while at the back from her shoulders fell the gorgeous feather mantle, another insignia of her rank, carelessly trailing the earth. But the robe of the princess, fashioned after the same manner and from the same material, was caught up and looped here and there, after a pretty caprice of her own, with jewels of every hue, which studded her beau- tiful hair and encircled her beautiful neck and arms, and hung pendant too from her shell-like ears, adding a color and bril- liancy to her bright face well-nigh dazzling the beholder. At the feet of the sisters sported the two little children of Marah- quirita and Hermernehildo, who ever and anon imitated their elders and kept solemn watch upon the movements of the re- treating army. The love of these two like that of most who come to us born, as it were, of one thought, was greater than that of which most human beings are capable. The timid, gentle, child-like nature of the princess clung to the queen with that idolatrous worship such natures give to the stronger upon which they lean with that abandon of self which the stronger never feels; while the love of the queen for her sister was more like that of a fond, indulgent mother. She started now as they watched the sinuous ascent of the royal troops nearing the top of the hill of Huetzlapoeotl, and frowned in stern displeasure as she said: ' ' I forbade them to sound the tocsin or to toll the hour upon the great clock. How dare the priests of Huetzlapoeotl disobey my royal mandate? It bodes but ill to my authority that in the 390 LA GRAN QUIBIRA beginning my commands are slighted. But why dost thou weep, my sister? Tears are not for such as thou." , "It is for Hermernehildo who may never return to us again," sobbed the Princess Marahquirita. The queen looked long and earnestly into the sweet, tear- bedewed face which she had taken between her two hands, in thoughtful silence; then she said: "It were a pity that I could not have held my state alone and have left him free to wed." But here her gaze rested upon her two children, a dull red flush passed over her face; her eyes darkened with impatient anger as she pushed her sister gently aside and said in that icy tone which was one of her peculiarities: "They have entered the temple of Huetzalpocotl. Let us now to our own devotions." And turning she led the way toward the altar, the princess following with the children who were her especial charge and delight. Queen Marahquirita again frowned darkly, as among the women and children and the aged and disabled, she beheld the handsome face and the lithe and gracefully erect figure of Ytzlacotl, for the traitor stood among the assembled worshippers, over whose heads, bowed to receive it, she spread her hands in blessing as she strode toward the altar. Her eyes sent into his very soul a glance which told him that she had guessed the secret motive that actuated him in deserting his wonted post as counselor and friend of the king, for that of protector and would-be counselor to the exiles in Culhaucan. "Forewarned is fore-armed," and never again did the wily queen give sign that she suspected him. He was her husband's chosen friend, and to her husband she had vowed obedience, and however re- bellious she might be that thus her rights of birth had been usurped, she rendered it him in appearance at least. Time passed on; and days and months lengthened into years, yet Hermernehildo returned not. The youths grew to manhood and went their way to join the warrior host. For although there was yet no special war, the times were always troublous, for the Aztecs, conquered in name alone, contested hotly every step by which the greedy Spaniards advanced. The children of Culhaucan grew into youths who were in training for future need. Marahquirita never permitted these to quit the sacred precincts of the city, where she herself carefully watched A MUSICAL MYSTERY 391 over their training by the grumbling priests of Huetzalpocotl, who never before had deigned to teach any who did not come to them. But Marahquirita was inflexible and the youth of her kingdom were proverbially ''above reproach," it being im- possible to tamper with them or to win them from their al- legiance to their queen, their priestess, and their god. Her rule was just but severe. Many factions arose as is the rule in every dynasty. There were murmurings against her stern de- crees, and whisperings that the princess would make a more agreeable ruler. But Ytzlacotl, the wily, smiled as he noticed that however loud the complaints, how rebellious the spirit, it was quelled by one searching glance of this strange woman. Such was her wonderful magnetism and power that her very presence seemed to restrain them from many untoward acts of insubordination; and he paid her court without ceasing. She always listened to him with the attention due to her husband's friend; but although she received his advice with courtesy it was noticed by the wise-acres that she never followed it. "I will rule. I will never obey," was her motto and she yielded not one atom of her authority to another. The days passed on with little or no change in their tireless routine of religious rites and festivals, the instruction and training of the youth of both sexes in military .duties, and the ceaseless industries of a busy populace. If the army of Marahquirita was incorruptible as an army, it still was not proof against the insinuating influence of the wily Spanish priesthood. A bitter wail went up from the throne of Queen Marahquirita when she was told that King Hermerne- hildo, himself, had openly espoused the Christian religion. It was of no avail for him to plead in one of his hasty visits, that theirs was a conquered land; and that they could only hold to their lawful inheritance by pretending at least, to worship as the Spaniards dictated. The secret of their present seat of government and their habitation might by this means alone still remain a secret to the army of their conquerors. For he agreed between them that should he provide lodgment within Culhaucan for the holy order of the Catholic Church, they should remain unmolested and unknown to the Spanish king and to the Spanish conqueror and his army. To do this they had simply to endow these holy friars with a certain per cent, of their superabundant wealth, and, (as he added in a gloomy undertone), to "bide 392 LA GRAN QUIBIRA their time," when it might be possible to dislodge them and grasp their own again. All this suited the high-souled Marahquirita but little. But she withdrew her objections at the earnest prayer of her liege-lord and welcomed the strangers in their midst. There were more than fifty of these reverend guests. Mar- ahquirita welcomed them at the palace, which she then gave up entirely to their accommodation, herself retiring with her priest- ess and her family to a beautiful but smaller house at the very foot of the great winding staircase which led from the upper terrace to the door of the temple. And she now held her court, and her council as well, in the great judgment hall of the temple itself. The friars of the order of St. Francis came unarmed except with good words and deeds, robed in the simple habit of their order. But their manners were courtly and winning and the simple-hearted natives were completely won by their untiring kindness, and really believed them to be beings of a higher order than aught other than their own royal rulers, for it was not to be believed that Marahquirita their queen and high-priestess had her peer in the whole earth. When she appeared in their midst and bade them return to their old-time habits of worship they dared not disobey, but these religious rites came to be ob- served with more and yet more secrecy. The strangers were skilled in healing, (the art most esteemed of all others by their native hosts), and here there was full scope for their skill in surgery. For this as we have said was the refuge of the sick, and of the wounded in battle, who were conveyed to this retreat which hitherto had been un- suspected by the Spaniards, although they had long searched for its whereabouts to the east, the west and to the north. It seemed to the Spanish priests that there was little besides surgery they could teach to this wonderful people, whose queen they said, was the most beautiful woman and the most learned in all the known world ; albeit she had never before their coming seen a printed book. They manufactured shoes of tanned leather, but the natives would have none of them, prefering the loose sandals to which they were accustomed and which were tanned with a greater degree of perfection than the leather the priests displayed ; A MUSICAL MYSTERY 393 and they showed the friars the root they themselves used for the purpose. The friars wove cloth of various colors but none of it excelled, if indeed it equalled the snowy cotton webs of the Aztecs, and nothing was, I think, ever so beautiful as the gorgeous feather-work of the natives. The friars made delicious confections, but when these were offered to their hosts they ate them with relish but gave in return such won- derful condiments in the shape of fig-paste, stuffed dates, and pasties of chocolate which simply defied competition. Then there were their buildings of the snow-white and radiant blue stone, the slabs of which were many feet square, and of the glistening stucco-work, whose quaint designs were beyond any- thing hitherto known to the Spaniards, and the secret of whose production and composition was kept from them. Yet all the wishes of the friars were not only gratified (as to possession), but even anticipated. They had but to name their wish for aught the kingdom afforded, to receive. They wished to build a chapel and the rock they coveted lay, as if by magic at their hand, yet no amount of bribery or of cajolery was sufficient to enlighten them as to the place from which this building material had been brought. Marahquirita seemed to study and to anticipate their every want. Nothing was withheld from them except the royal presence itself. She permitted her people to mix freely with the strangers, hoping that they might benefit by this inter- course in many ways. But for herself, she held scornfully aloof. They could teach her nothing. Already she felt her own superiority of knowledge. She received and entertained them at stated intervals that etiquette demanded, but at all other times she held herself aloof. She saw through their soft speeches and insinuating kindness, the real motive which actuated it all. And this she knew was avarice, greed, the cov- etousness which would enrich them and their people at the ex- pense of her and hers, and at that of her religion, and she smiled proudly as she remembered that the secret of the hiding place of the great bulk of all their riches was in her keeping alone. She smiled again, that scornful, sarcastic smile which became her stately beauty so well, as she wondered how they would succeed in converting Marahquirita to their faith. Time passed on, and the history of the many Aztec prov- inces which had succumbed to this peaceful priestly conquest 394 LA GRAN QUIBIRA where arms would have been defeated, was repeated here in the Seven Cities of the Cibola. The priests encroached more and more upon the rights of the natives, made greater and greater demands upon them, until at length they were as much their slaves as were their brethren, of the Spanish king and his army. They took the fairest and sweetest of the Indian maidens for their ministering angels, under the pretense of teaching them the catechism, and the prayers of the church. Not even was the fair Princess Marahquirita exempt from this servitude, but she was claimed for his very own by he who, from his fancy perhaps for casting aside his priestly habit, with his priestly duties and in his hours of leisure and relaxation, donning a scarlet dressing gown instead, and from his haughtily asserted leadership, was known as the Cardinal. Only the queen herself had thus far escaped, and this not only because she asserted her rights, but more perhaps because she was coveted by and was set apart as the lawful prey of their ally the powerful Ytzlacotl, without whose assistance they could never have succeeded in gaining their present foothold. No hint of this had Hermernehildo in his rare visits to the place, for these were but hasty and his time was filled with what he believed to be more momentous matters then he was off again to the petty skirmishings which were never at an end and which he dignified by the name of war. This community of Franciscan friars, together with their priest, the Cardinal, now numbered without their Spanish retainers about seventy souls. The Cardinal, the priest Antonio Gonzalez, was among the latest arrivals and it was due to him that most of the more stringent measures had been taken. He brought with him a mistress, the beautiful Eulalie, who was called "Sister" by the monks and who veiled her won- derful beauty, in public at least, under the homely garb of the Franciscan order, but who was known to array herself each evening in all the paraphernalia of the European fashion of the day. and thus to preside at the dinner-table of the Cardinal. The Princess Marahquirita, too, was present at these feasts at times, but not often, for the Cardinal guarded this one of his prizes most carefully and lovingly. Her innocent, child-like graces of person and of mind were as balm to him after the dissipations which were shared by the most of the brothers an^ A MUSICAL MYSTERY 395 by Sister Eulalie; and he usually sent her to spend these idle hours with her royal sister and the little ones. It was this enslavery of the body and of the soul of her young female subjects which made Queen Marahquirita most bitter against her priestly guests, who tried to assert their rights as her priestly rulers. And most bitterly did she inveigh against the measure. But the Princess Marahquirita took her royal sister's hands in both her own and kneeling before her she looked up into her stern, cold face, and smiling shook her own head in denial. "Dost mean that he, the Cardinal, hath left thee pure and unsullied in person and in mind?" questioned the queen, her eagerness and doubt flushing the customary pallor of her face to a lovely rose-tint. "Just so." And the princess laughed a merry, childish laugh of triumph. "And for a strange reason where the one is the master, the other the slave. 'Because he loves me.' But he loves me, he says, this good old man, as if I were his own daughter. He says that I am as pure and holy in my innocence, as the Blessed Virgin whom he worships, and who was beloved by that God whom all these Spaniards worship. ' ' "Now may not only that God of the Spaniards, but our own fair Quetzalcotl, forever bless the good old man," cried the queen sister, tears of thankful relief for the once breaking up her studied haughteur of face and manner. Then for the first time she listened with patient interest to the stories of the Spanish religion, of the Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And to that of the Virgin Mary, and that of the birth, the life and death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. "It is a very beautiful story," she said, "suited to youth and to children. But the last great sacrifice seems to me insufficient. I would that by act so simple, I could redeem my own down-trodden people. What is life compared to their freedom? And ah! what is life without it?" And then she tenderly kissed and fondled the sister whom she loved with such devoted tenderness. And the princess remembered for the first time that she had for long been a stranger to these caresses. The sisters held long converse upon that day, and the heart of the princess was bared to the gaze of Queen Marah- 0D LA GRAN QUIBIRA quirita. She was so relieved from that anxiety upon her sister's behalf that she playfully called her "Marie," the name of the Virgin which was so near her own and in which she had been baptized. And when the princess returned to minister to his wants, in the guise of a household fairy, the Cardinal, the wily Gonzalez knew from her chatter that he had made greater progress toward the goal for which he was striving in that one hour of sisterly intercourse than he had made in all the years of his sojourn at La Gran Quibira. The princess had said to her queen and sister, of her own protector and teacher: "The good priest Gonzalez cherishes me as a well-beloved daughter. He loves Sister Eulalie as himself, and he worships thee as he does the Virgin to whom no other living woman except Queen Marahquirita, he says, can be compared." But the queen only smiled that sarcastic smile of hers which boded no great good to the wily priest, although she took pains to show him signal favor when next he paid her court, and to thank him for her sister's safety, by courteous acts since it might not be spoken in words, and by costly presents. Time passed on, and the encroachment of the priests, and their demands upon the native populace grew with time. Their thirst for gold seemed unquenchable. Already they were richer than any known community of their own order, yet they were not satisfied. This was but a small part of the whole, and noth- ing but the whole would satisfy their inordinate greed. They had taken their stipulated tithe many times over, but from Ytzlacotl and from the gossip of their many converts they had heard of that wonderful treasure which had mysteriously dis- appeared upon their coming to La Gran Quibra. Spies were incessantly upon the watch. The lower vaults of the temple itself had been secretly entered and explored by them, but without reward. Then the dread Inquisition which had brought to light the hidden treasures of the Moors, in Spain, was intro- duced, and this against the advice of the priest Gonzalez, who declared that the peaceful policy of the fox was the best, and showed how by patient watching and waiting they would gain their point and that then their sway over the natives would be held without difficulty, while if they resorted to extreme meas- ures with those whom he was satisfied knew nothing certain A MUSICAL MYSTERY 397 about the buried riches it must in time result in the defeat of their own object, and perhaps their own expulsion from the place. And then there were many of the tombs to be pillaged yet. For the secret that the Aztecs buried great treasures with their dead, Gonzalez had wrested from the unsuspecting Prin- cess Marahquirita, who just as innocently betrayed the fact that she had told it to her sister and queen. The brothers be- lieved that their own rifling of these tombs had been done in secret; but the Queen Marahquirita had her own tireless spies as well, and their every movement was known to her. She gave no sign nor heed and submitted to what she believed to be the inevitable. She had been told by her priestesses of their secret visit to the temple vaults, but she only smiled and said: "Per- haps their failure will satisfy them that there is no more treasure to be wrested from us." But that was a terrible day when the plundering of their honored dead first came to be known to the warrior priestesses and to the natives in general. And they called upon Marahquir- ita to head her hosts and to battle for the safety of their dead. This was perhaps the strangest battle fought upon the earth, wherein the holy charitable order of St. Francis took up arms against the Aztec priestesses, and the maimed and weak host of La Gran Quibira. The priests were worsted in the fight although they lost none of their number, while many of the old and decrepid and even of the Aztec children were left dead upon the battle- field. The friars, however, were forced backward, and within the palace and the chapel, and the grounds whose possession they owed to the generosity of their foes.' And here they were held captive until the terms of peace were made. Gonzalez, in the name of the Franciscan brothers, who were now but too glad to accept him as their leader and their adviser, offered to restore the stolen treasures to the tombs from which they had been taken. But to this the queen would not consent, for she knew but too well that they would never rest until by some means they had repossessed themselves of what they knew to be there. So she said: "Keep thou the gold, the silver and the jewels. But enter thou into a solemn treaty with me and with my people, never again to molest our dead without our sanction. ' ' o9S L.A GRAN QUIBIRA This was done. The rifled tombs which were indeed all of those of which the Spaniards had any knowledge, were sealed in the presence of the assembled multitude; and peace was re- stored for a time. But there is always "the traitor in the camp," and Ytzlacotl, baffled in all of his attempts to win the love of Queen Marahquirita, resolved to revenge himself for the slights she did not hesitate to heap upon the false friend of her husband, pointed out to them the fact that each of the beautiful, fairy-like structures scattered all over the terraces of the Sacred Hill, and apparently occupied by the people as habitations or as pleasure-resorts, were but the tombs of the most honored among the Aztec dead, and that here perhaps was stored that vast wealth which they had brought hither upon their Hegira from the stormy South. The princess again con- firmed this without well knowing what she did. Then these holy friars set their wits to work to find means to possess themselves of this wealth of the tombs, placed in the safe guardianship of the dead; and yet to adhere to the letter of their treaty with the queen Marahquirita. Council after council was held, and here it was that the wily Gonzalez grew to be respected because of his advice. He pondered long, however, over this riddle, but one night when his wits were sharpened with that wine which never dulled them, he brought down his clencher fist upon the supper-table with a resounding blow which shook and rattled the porcelain and crystal upon it, and cried out: "I have it. I have it at last." Then he bent for- ward and having first taken the precaution to have the doors guarded by the strictest of their order against all possible in- trusion or eavesdropping, he spoke in earnest tones. Such a shout of triumph as went up from their saintly throats, when the Cardinal ceased speaking, had never before been heard within the sacred precincts of their cloister. "Thou art the very devil, in thine ingenuity, Father Gon- zales," was the cry upon all sides, and the brothers laughed long and loudly. Then Gonzales, the pious priest, said modestly: "It savors somewhat of 'sacrilege,' but I can think of no other safe plan. The people I can count upon; but to hoodwink the wise Queen Marahquirita that is quite another matter." The plan of the Cardinal was simple as it was feasible. They were to take the story of the preaching of Christ among A MUSICAL MYSTERY 399 the tombs, and request that they be permitted to convert the Aztec dead as well as they had the living. Queen Marahquirita was indeed a wise woman, wiser even than the Cardinal knew. She was not hoodwinked in the least, for when the petition was laid before her she intuitively guessed its object. But she called together her own council, both of church and state, and laid the petition of the friars before it without revealing to any that she had solved the riddle. The council decided to let the Spanish priests have their way. It was something after the order of the decision of Gamaliel in the matter of the Christian religion. "If it (the mission to the dead) were a corrupt one it must simply fail and fall through; while it would be most ungenerous of them to deny to their dead the advantages they themselves had enjoyed, and which promised a re-union with the converted dead, in the world to come." The queen and high-priestess listened, and made known this decision to the suppliants never once betraying the suspicion and scorn which was within her own heart. She only stipu- lated that three days should elapse before the task of con- verting the Aztec dead to Christianity should be begun, and the priest Gonzalez noted with uneasiness that she made sundry preparations for some untoward event, and among these she took the precaution to take the Princess Marahquirita to her own quarters, and to as studiously bar out all of those Aztec maidens who had become the willing slaves of the priests and their friends. Among other things, Ytzlacotl was forbidden the royal presence. But all these preparations were made so quietly and unob- trusively as to excite no suspicion or comment in any mind save his, and Gonzalez learned a lesson from this wonderful woman and held his peace. ' But did she guess, this wonderful woman of the existence of the dread inquisition in her kingdom and suspect the truth regarding the almost numberless deaths which had occurred there within the past few months? The nightly court of the Inquisition was held under her very eyes, as it were, at what was the blacksmith's forge, where the vessels and implements used in the temple were made. The blacksmith, a mute of huge proportions, a slave of another people, had been converted to the Catholic faith. He 400 LA GRAN QUIBIRA was a vicious wretch, rendered more so by his slavery, but had been chosen for this office, because of his strength and skill in forging the metals. And a fanatic in his new faith, he had been selected by the friars as the executioner of the In- quisition. Did she suspect? She not only suspected, but knew all things which passed upon her ground. She knew to what a fate had been dedicated those unfortunates who had disappeared in numbers and singly of late and whom the priests had professed to bury secretly because they declared that these had died of that disease we know as "small-pox." For she knew what Gonzalez and his train of holy friars did not as yet suspect, that the ground upon which the temple and the temple offices were built was honey- combed with tiers of vaults and passages to which she alone held the key. For from one of these which adjoined the council chamber of the Inquisition, she had watched their pro- ceedings and listened to its horrible verdicts, yea, and had witnessed their execution as well. But Marahquirita was a wise woman and she held her peace. Her policy was always pacific ; but when these things became known to her people, and they of their own account rose to punish the offenders, she would quietly take her place at their head as was her custom and right, and would lead them on to avenge the wrongs of which they were as yet ignorant. And with this knowledge gained in secret and kept by her a secret, it was no wonder that in face and in manner she seemed to grow more cold and proud. For she must have simply been frozen with horror at the sounds she had heard the sights she had seen. The battle this time was something terrible. The whole populace engaged in the fight upon one side or upon the other. But the brunt of the battle fell in reality upon Queen Marah- quirita and her seventy warrior princesses, and the Cardina 1 who headed the seventy holy friars. It was a sight unequalled in history. The attacking party was the band of female warriors who drove back the hooded monks time after time, until at length they were virtually im- prisoned within the walls of their own cloister, but newly built, A MUSICAL. MYSTERY 401 and by means of the generosity of these very people whom they still persisted in robbing. Gonzalez had relished the situation but little, and grumbled loudly that their want of patience had brought all this about, but assumed the leadership nevertheless. For the priest was of noble birth (some whispered that he was even akin to royalty), and had been knighted for deeds of valor in the Spanish army, before he had chosen the more quiet life of a priest. Many were the stories told of his prowess in war and of his excesses in love. The Cardinal was well-skilled in arms; but he was mute with admiration at the tactics of these female priestess warriors. Such uniformity of movement allied to such perfect grace he had never beheld. Their action in battle seemed unrestrained, yet he observed that there was a certain system which ruled; a system as perfect as it seemed impulsive. And he gazed in unbounded admiration upon the spirit which seemed to govern tho whole, the beautiful Marah- quirita. For Father Gonzales, priest of the Holy Catholic faith had met with his deserts at last. He was madly, hopelessly in love with the queen of the barbarians, Marahquirita, high- priestess of the idolators. He had paid little heed to the ribald jests of the brothers who relaxed the rules of their holy order to suit their own pleasure, secure from the merited reproof because of their great distance from the heads of the church and of the order to which they belonged. But the generous minded, pacific queen, who had lavished wealth and honors upon them, had now given as her command: "Strike to win. Strike to kill." And the number of the Fran- ciscans was diminished by many, until in the fear of total ex- termination they were glad to make peace upon any terms. It cut the Cardinal to the very soul to see the scorn upon the face of Marahquirita when the treaty was signed. For he at least knew that she credited the pledges of the holy friars not all. And this had been the cause of it all. The priests had been given leave, as has been said, to preach the gospel in the tombs. They had chosen the hour of sunset for the work. And daily after vespers the procession had formed at the chapel door, and had marched with chants and music to the tombs. These 402 LA GRAN QUIBIRA were the beautiful mausoleums of which mention has been made. The friars had called these the "Bird Palaces," for here in front of each upon the great flat flagstone which paved the entranceway was placed each day fresh food and water, and pulque, and hither flocked innumerable feathered songsters to regale themselves. But the flagstones were, they now found, the altar stones upon which was placed the daily food for the dead who by some deed of their own or by some accidental disfigurement, were unable as yet to take that upward flight to the heaven of purified souls, and were detained upon their way to finish some appointed mission, to minister to those neglected here. So the paroquets and mocking-birds were put to flight. The stucco removed which sealed up the doorways, the great stones rolled away from the openings, and the priests filed in bearing their burning censors, and the images of the Holy Virgin and the infant Jesus. And here under cover of prayer and the administering of the sacrament of baptism they delib- erately robbed the tombs, declaring that the added weight of the images wherein they had stuffed the glittering plunder was due to the weight of sin which the Virgin and the Savior had taken upon themselves. When a tomb was completely plun- dered they sealed it up once more until the coming of the Judgment Day, when all were to be called at one and the same time. This was repeated night after night until the greedy maw of this sacred community was filled to overflowing. Marahquirita looked on in scornful silence, she alone whom nothing could blind; she, who was more wise than the Serpent Woman whom she represented, knew all. And Gonzalez sus- pected this, and more than this that during those three days of council she and her priestesses had managed to remove the greater part of the valuables from thence. "But how?" Ask the winds that could be heard moaning like the myriads of lost spirits, beneath their feet. Ask the bones of those one hun- dred mutes which were found guarding a blank wall in the vaults beneath the temple. But be sure, Gonzalez, that they will tell you only that she had left for the church just that tithe of the whole which was agreed upon; no more, no less. For their lips are forbidden to tell the secret of how this was accomplished or where the treasures were stored. "It is nothing short of witchcraft," he grumbled. And he was overheard. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 403 It was by the merest chance that the defection of the priests was discovered by the masses of the people. The chambers of the mausoleums were entered only by the officiating priests for their space was small. Here under cover of their religious rites they, as we have said, filled the hollow images with the riches of the tombs. The guard and escort provided and the friends of the dead, and the populace at large prayed in chorus outside and sang and sounded the cymbals as success was said to crown the efforts of the priests. Then the bodies were re- moved to be re-interred in consecrated ground, or left within the tombs as their friends dictated, and the tombs were closed again. It was the Cardinal himself who had descried a jeweled ornament with a chain attached which had been carelessly dropped by those whose duty it was to care for the plunder, and he picked it up and as he supposed, thrust it into a pocket which hung from his girdle. But he too had missed his cal- culations and the ornament had fallen to the ground unper- ceived by him. It was Carrenino, the brother of Hermerne- hildo, who had but lately arrived with dispatches from the wars who saw it fall, and who courteously raised it and presented it again to Father Gonzalez. The Cardinal was startled out of his customary calm by this. "Did Carrenino suspect?" But the stolid face of the young Indian told him nothing. It was as unmoved as a piece of sculptured marble. He had the man watched closely. But Carrenino did not attempt to have speech with the queen. He sought the princess instead for he loved her, but the spies declared that he spoke only love to her and not one word of his suspicions, if indeed he enter- tained any. Yet he was kept under close surveillance during all of that night and far into the next day. He spoke no word yet, before the evening service began, the whole populace knew. The Queen had held her Council, and it had ended in her rising at the close of the secret conference and belting her sword at her side. This was the signal for War, and her Priestess warriors followed her example. Together they marched to the plundered tombs. Again these were unsealed and the secret of the maraud- ing friars was a secret no longer. The populace arose en masse, all the more furious that their own defection in their religion had been the cause of this second robbery of their sacred tombs. 404 LA GRAN QUIBIRA The result we have told. And now a second treaty was en- tered into with the holy friars and the tombs were to be un- molested for the future. The priests were forced to return the bulk of their ill-got- ten gains to the places from which it had been taken, and things went on to all appearances much as usual. Genzalez felt this defeat more bitterly than the rest and writhed under the scorn- ful gaze of the woman whom he loved. Yet he did not refuse to accord to her the full credit of her astuteness. When ridiculed and taunted by his contemporaries, because of his unwonted fail- ure to win the favor of this most beautiful of all women, he re- plied: "Why should I complain? I behold hourly the three most beautiful women upon the face of the earth. The one I cherish as a beloved daughter; the second I love as my mistress; while the third I worship as my queen." Carrenino was among the 'missing.' Many of the Aztecs had mysteriously disappeared, and search had been made for them in vain. The friars, frightened at length by the angry fur- ore this was raising, and finding that the plea that they must have stolen away to join the army was not received, and, taking the hint at last that secret communication was kept up continu- ally between the recluses and their countrymen outside, took care after this to assign as a reason for the disappearance of others that the dread disease, small-pox, had broken out, and that these were separated for a time from their friends as a sani- tary precaution. But those of the Indians who were said to be thus stricken down were never known to recover, and the mur- murs grew so loud it was necessary to show the intended vic- tims of the Inquisition to the Populace and to carry them openly in litters to the blacksmith's forge, which was declared to be re- served for hospital purposes and quarentined, that their friends might know their destination. And sometimes even the faces of those, who had not been mutilated by the torture, were exposed to view, to still suspicion. This had the desired ef- fect upon all save Queen Marahquirita, who watched in secret, and feeling the utter uselessness of telling the accursed tale, which could only have the effect to arouse the vengeful spirit of her people possibly to their own annihilation, kept the hellish secret of the Inquisition and patiently bided her time. But Carrenino was a prince, the King Consort's own brother A MUSICAL MYSTERY 405 and was as dear to Hermernehildo as his own life, and his fate was not to be ignored, or steeped in doubt. Thrice had the priest Gonzalez demanded the return to the palace of the Princess Marahquirita, and thrice had his demand been refused. The Princess had been ill ; but the proud Queen disdained to make use of this fact as an excuse. She simply said: "She cannot go. Her queen desires her presence," and the Cardinal's eyes glowed with admiration at her bravery, al- though, he sadly missed the sweet presence of the Princess from his household. At length the queen asserted herself. "Oh, for a trusty messenger," she cried. "All of my people are more or less im- bued with this new and damnable faith, and I know not who to trust. Yet by tomorrow eve, Hermernehildo should know of Carrenino's disappearance, and of all those other dire events which I have, mistakenly perhaps, withheld from his knowl- edge. ' ' The Queen had spoken in soliloquy, but had spoken aloud and the Princess answered her : " I know one who can be trusted, if I but ask him. This is GeraJdo, the Chamberlain to the Father Gonzalez. For Geraldo loves me, and he is besides un- corrupted by the friars. For he will have none of them albeit he is in service among them. ' ' The Queen shook her head in doubt. She had heard and seen much of Geraldo and knew that it was for some such reason as her own that he hated the masters whom he also served, "the Princess Marahquirita, has many suitors," she said at length, "and it ill pleaseth me to use love's messengers in a case like this. But," she added impatiently, "Needs must," and she sent for Geraldo. When the m appeared she stared at him in unfeigned sur- prise. Never before had she been in such close proximity to him, and much was now revealed to her keen gaze which had escaped even the notice of the wily priest whom this man served so well as to be indispensable to him. In spite of his clever disguise she recognized in him one of her own people and one high in rank. Finding that his secret had been read by this wonderful woman, he made her that obeisance due to his Queen from a sub- ject of exalted rank, and bared his breast to her view, whereon 406 LA GRAN QUIBIRA was imprinted a sleeping tortoise in that vivid blue color (known only to the few and never used for any other purpose), which established his rank and his identity as well. ' ' Cibolo ! " she exclaimed. ' ' Cibolo, himself. Our truant Em- peror. " And Queen Marahquirita bowed her proud head more humbly than she had ever bowed it before, except to the Deity whom she worshipped and represented. Then she waived him to the seat upon the throne which she had vacated for the purpose. But the Cibolo shook his head in dissent and took his stand before her saying: "Be thou Cibola! Rule thou in my stead, wise and beautiful Marahquirita. For thou art better worthy of the throne than am I. I am here for vengeance alone." Then he told her the story of his bitter wrongs at the hands of the Spaniards. Montezuma of The Cibola, thy story has been told and acted and sung by scores of thousands of people of all races and in all tongues, yet none have told it truly but thyself, and that to Marahquirita, Queen of La Gran Quibira. Long and earnestly the two talked of the terrible situation of their people, and consulted as to the best method of warding off from them or at least of mitigating the unhappy fate that had overtaken them. Thrice Montezuma repeated, in admiration of her wisdom, "Marahquirita, I ran away all too late. Hadst thou been ruler in the time of my mistaken confidence these Spanish priests had never gotten this foothold in our kingdom. ' ' But Marahquirita shook her head sadly and replied in sub- dued tones: "Had I but ruled alone! But my duty as a wife has ever conflicted with my duties and my will as a sovereign. It was under my rule, but against my will, that they entered even into our sacred valley and settled themselves in Culhaucan." Together they visited the vaults beneath the temple, for through these was the way he must take in his flight to warn and assemble the Aztec army to their protection, should leave of ab- sence be refused him by the Cardinal, which was more than probable, for the priest had grown suspicious, he said. Marahquirita showed him the chamber in which lay the skeletons of the one-hundred mutes who had carried the treasure to its hiding place. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 407 "No." She replied in answer to his inquiries. "No. I did not slay them. They were only imprisoned here for life, lest they should disclose the secret. They were well tended and well fed. But some horrible disease broke out among them and within a few hours before even the sick could be removed, all were dead. This is but the entrance-chamber as thou knowest, and these cun- ning priests, having taken their measurements and finding that this covered the entire underground proportions of the temple, believed that what had been told them was true, and that the treasure had been distributed among the tombs, and had been given into the guardianship of the dead. But from hence thou knowest the way as well as I, Cibolo. Lead on." Montezuma took from his girdle the counterpart of the tiny golden key which hung ever at the side of the Priestess Queen, and went straight to the center of the northern wall, where plac- ing the key in a tiny crevice which seemed but a flaw or a scratch upon the center of a huge block of stone, he turned it round and round thrice to the left. The huge boulder swung back as if by magic. They crept through the narrow opening and stood many feet below the cavity, before a great door. The great key which unlocked this, was found in its customary hiding place, and, passing through this and another long passage beyond, they found themselves in a second vast chamber. This was filled with their mummied dead. For with the Ancient of their people, the art of preserving their dead by embalming their bodies, had reached perfection, as it would seem. There was much riches here, for the Aztecs were too astute not to deceive any plunderers who might reach this place into believing that they had found the whole of the secreted treasure, Montezuma did not, however, pause here except to glance, hastily around to see if all was in its accustomed place. An exclamation broke from him. "Some one has been here," he cried in alarm. "Only I," replied Marahquirita. "This is the only way by which the vaults can be reached, in which the Spanish priests perform their nightly hellish work, of which thou seemest so skeptical. And it is the only way, also, to the outlet in the outer wall we wot of and which thou must take if the priest Genzalez refuses to permit thee to leave the place. Now come." They had shoved aside a group of mummies which were ban- ded together the members it would seem of one family. The 408 LA GRAN QUIBIRA golden key had been inserted for the third time in the face of the rock and for the third time they faced a heavy door. This opened, another appeared, and yet another. Throwing these open one by one they stood at length in the great treasure chamber. Yet strange to say here no treasure appeared. The walls were simply lined from floor to ceiling with huge stone coffers, heav- liy locked, and these showed not but seemed to be but a portion of the walls themselves. Cibolo closely examined the unbroken Stucco which covered the locks of many. Marahquirita showed him that one had been disturbed: "It was necessary," she said: "To meet the ex- penses of Hermernehildo's latest raid upon the Spanish army." Montezuma nodded approval : ' ' Yet I could not have be- lieved that it had been tampered with hadst thou not told me. How earnest thou to be mistress of the secret of the Stucco- Work?" Marahquirita smiled. ' ' I was initiated into all of the secrets of our Priesthood," she said. "Else would I not have been High-Priestess. ' ' Montezuma shook his head in turn. ' ' I suspect thee of spy- ing, Marahquirita. This is one of the things which is reserved for male intelligence alone. To this thou hadst no right." Both laughed. But no more was said except that Marah- quirita repeated with emphasis: "There is nothing, nothing I do not know." This empty coffer marked the outlet. A spring was touched and the coffer swept aside, they passed singly through a narrow opening into a long and winding corridor, from which many others branched off ; and Montezuma noticed that along its length was stretched a stout cord of Yucca ribre. "I am fearful lest even I should lose my way," explained the Queen. "But thou" questioned Cibolo in surprise? "I come here nightly now," was her rejoinder. "Why? thou wilt soon know." At length this passage seemed to end abruptly. And Monte- zuma was about to touch another spring upon the right when Marahquirita held him back saying: "Silence. As thou valuest A MUSICAL MYSTERY 409 thy life." She then touched another spring upon the left and disclosed the entrance to a small secret chamber of whose exist- ence he was ignorant, and hurried him across it to where stood another huge stone coffer like those of the Treasure Chamber. Placing a warning finger upon her own lips and then upon his, she softly opened this, and Montezuma could scarcely suppress an exclamation of surprise and delight For there, revealed, lay the lost Archives of their race. There were innumerable tablets of stone and roll upon roll of picture writing. Then he bowed low before the beautiful, triumphant woman at his side, whispering softly: "Thou art thou must be 'she,' else how came this knowledge to thee?" Marahquirita laughed softly and whispered back to him: " I am ' She. ' For I alone have solved the mysteries ; ' ' then she relocked the coffer with a key which she displayed for the first time. It was one cut from a huge diamond and which Montezuma eyed greedily. "It is indeed the lost key to the lost Mysteries. The key for which I pledged myself upon my own initiation to search without ceasing." "And thou hast found it at last, and in the keeping of a woman." The coffer swung about and disclosed another passage in which were steps leading upward. They mounted these and Marahquirita halting upon the topmost landing, motioned the Cibola to set down his torch as she had done. Then she pointed out to him two loopholes in the solid wall before them, and whis- pered: "Look and listen." These loopholes which were large enough upon this side of the wall to admit of the insertion of his head narrowed to such small proportions upon the opposite side as to defy detection, from the rooms into whlich they looked. Cibola looked and listened as he had been commanded. And when he drew back, his face was ashen pale and his eyes held in them a look of unspeakable terror. Marahquirita looked at him keenly, but spake never a word until they once more reached the secret chamber where the Archives were stored. Then she said : "Thou sawest Carrenino upon the rack. Thou knowest now the hellish secret which these Spanish priests have safely kept 410 LA GRAN QUIBIRA from thy knowledge, although thou hast lived in their very midst. ' ' When he had rested a little and drunken of the pulque which she offered him, saying simply in explanation : "I come here nightly and alone, and for fear that my hope for future ven- gence may not brace me up for my safe return, I keep this re- storative here. ' ' "Thou? A woman?" he cried in awe. "And hast thou visited this place more than once?" "Well," questioned Maraquirita, "What sayest thou now? Art satisfied that thou knowest but little of those among whom thou hast lived?" "I saw," replied Montezuma, in a tone that betokened that he even now believed himself to be dreaming. "I saw what thou callest 'The Chamber of The Inquisition' and in it were assembled the members. I beheld the tortures which they in- flicted upon the hapless Carrenino. I heard his shrieks and prayers and denial that he knew aught of the buried treasure; which indeed is true. And I saw by the chagrin they manifested that their one object is to obtain knowledge of and to secure this. I heard too the dire and terrible threats made against both thou and thy children. All except the good priest Gonzalez seemed drunken with human blood." Marahquirita laughed again : ' ' Gonzales is the prime mover of the whole. The greatest fiend of them all," she said. "His soft-spoken objections but inflame their desires the more. Trust a woman's instinct, Cibolo, Gonzalez has but one pure thought and that is his love for the Princess Marahquirita. That one passion is pure, is genuine. ' ' "But I heard him plead most earnestly for thee and for thy children. Why the man must be a devil else. ' ' "He is of all devils, King Devil himself. His scarlet gown is typical of his soul, and upon that rests the blood of all who have perished by the hands of the executioner of the Inquisi- tion. ' ' "But, sister, I heard them threaten even him, and say that saints had before been tempted by womankind." "And didst thou not note him pale and quail and withdraw all of his former objections at this threat, as I did? No Cibolo. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 411 The priest may even deceive the God whom he worships, with his suave manner and his lying tongue; but he does not deceive me. In him through force of contradiction, I behold the instiga- tor of all. It is unusual for the Inquisition to meet at this hour. Alas! Poor Carrenino! Didst hear my words of encouragement to him and my promise ? ' ' "I heard a voice which came from I knew not whence, but which semed to fill the great hall of Justice. It said 'courage,' in that language that is used only by royalty and by the higher priests of our people. * Courage, brave Carrenino. Man dies but once. And thy death which was appointed thus shall be bitterly avenged upon thy murderers.' And Carrenimo answered by calling out thy name ; then smiled and died, while Gonzalez trem- bled and paled as if he too understood, and looked anxiously about him." "Well may he tremble and grow pale. It was I who spoke. The power to throw my voice wheresoever I will has been given to me. There is no need now to ask the Cardinal for permission to go upon a journey for not only canst thou not see him for many hours to come, but these are troublous times and he would refuse, and perhaps suspect thee. 'What thou tellest of his treat- ment of thee but confirms me in the belief that he suspects thee even now. Let us go forward that we may be certain the way is clear and then we will return to the temple by the nearer route which is above ground and fit thee out for this expedition. And remember that thou nor none will ever tread this route again until peace and prosperity is our own again. For before the night sets in, I will with mine own hand loose the weights of gravel and fill up the passages. So expect not to return by this route. ' ' The spring upon the right hand was now touched by Monte- zurna and they entered the winding corridor beyond which, through many other chambers and through seemingly solid un- broken walls, they reached a staircase which led them into the house of one of the guardians of the temple gates. From thence their way was open, and their return to the temple was followed by the hasty outfitting of the Emperor who was to act the part of an humble runner, a lowly servitor of the people, who were his lawful subjects. 412 LA GRAN QUIBIRA He purified and refreshed himself and again descended the secret stairway from the guardian's house, bearing with him the writing which Marahquirita had prepared against the time when she might find a trusty messenger, and provided with a small supply of food and water for his own needs upon the way, in company with the Queen, he then threaded anew the subter- ranean passages but farther to the north. At length he reached the doorway at the end which led to an opening directly under the outer wall where the thick trees hid him from the view of the sentinels both of the Spaniards and of the Aztecs. Marahquirita waited here and listened until she knew from the time that had elapsed since his flitting he must have safely reached a point far beyond the outmost guard. She then returned and as she went she did as she had promised. And shute after shute was opened by means of the great chains which held them in place and many of the vaults and corridors were instantly filled with loose sand and gravel, disguising perfectly the uses for which they were intended. She could not resist the temptation to halt and enter the secret chamber of most import- ance among them all which were indeed secret chambers, and to be present for a last time at the council of the secret Inquisition. And well it was for her that she did, for now she learned the doom that was intended for her and her little ones. For at last the time was fixed for the execution of their hellish designs. As for the rest, she had heard it all before. Then indeed she hastened to complete her work and sped upward through the temple vaults. What was her terror to find upon her return to the temple that the Inquisition had, as it were, forestalled its own decisions, and had taken into the custody of the church bailiff the Prin- cess Marahquirita and her own little ones. "To be kept as hostages" they told her. She said never a word, but made her way to the palace of the priests, and without one word of explanation took her little ones, each by a hand, and led them unresisting back to their quarters in the temple, followed by the princess. None opposed her. No one dared. But Gonzalez was furious that she set the decree of the dread Tribunal at naught. To all of his messages, which grew into entreaties Marah- A MUSICAL MYSTERY 413 quirita returned but one reply : ' ' Their Sovereign requires their attendance upon her person. ' ' It was noted with fear and tremb- ling, lest, indeed, she knew all, that the messengers of the holy friars were permitted to come no farther than the lower-most terrace of the temple, where they were dismissed courteously, but curtly too. And they went away muttering : ' ' This woman is a witch. She knows all things." Well, the Spanish Inquisition had a mode of its own of deal- ing with witches, and that night the priests rose in a body, be- seiged and surprised the guards of the temple, and took queen Marahquirita a prisoner. They could not, however, find the re- mainder of the royal family, for Marahquirita guessing their object, had safely secreted them. They locked the queen of the Aztecs in one of the chambers of the palace. Next morning they found the door still barred but the Queen Marahquirita was not within the chamber; and looking upward toward the temple they beheld her performing the customary rites of her religion as the first rays of the sun flashed over the eastern hills. Gonzalez himself was non-plused. He took little stock in witch-craft. He was too well skilled in the erratic movements and tempers of the female sex to be surprised at their sharper wits; but this disappearance through locked and bolted doors savored too strongly of the unreal for him to disbelieve. The morning service ended the high priestess addressed her priestesses and the few retainers who still preferred the old-time ceremonies to the mass of the brotherhood. In a few strong words she told the story of their threatened fate. A sacrifice was demanded by the gods of her people a human sacrifice and she was about to offer it. What could pur- chase the liberty and salvation of their great but downtrodden nation, if not that demanded by the priests of that conquering people? They demanded as victims for their torture the two children whom the gods of the Aztecs had made her own. To save them from the doom which was certain, and to propitiate the gods of the Aztecs she offered them up a willing sacrifice A peace offering. The children lay bound upon the table of the shining altar, nude but spotless in their perfect beauty of form and feature, 414 LA GRAN QUIBIRA smiling up at their mother, their priestess, their judge and their executioner. The mother smiled back at them, and her smile was a ten- der caress. The Queen annointed them. The priest blessed them. The judge spoke a commending word to the gods for them. The executioner raised her hand, struck two blows and the sacrifice was completed. So great was the magnetism of this woman's presence; so overpowering her manner; so sublime her words and gestures, that a spell was laid upon all, and not one dissenting voice was raised. No hand was raised to stay the blow. No wail arose to tell of sorrow for the two young lives cut short; instead at a signal from "She" who was ever obeyed, a shout of gladness arose and of triumph and thanksgiving for deliverance was now assured to them. The gods smiled upon them once again. But before the beauteous forms of the children could be placed upon the perfumed fires of the altar the alarm was given ; all to late. Into the sacred temple of the Aztecs crowded the seventy-and-one friars, armed to the teeth, and even the members of the Inquisition cried out in horror as the meaning of this scene was revealed to them. Then en masse they fell upon the executioner and bound her fast, but when they turned to take up the forms of the little ones, as proof of the mother's 'guilt' as they called it, they were nowhere to be found. Even in this try- ing hour the wonderful presence of mind of Marahquirita did not desert her, and she had but to make a quick sign to the nurses of her slain children and the forms which the chill embrace of death had not yet frozen into rigidity, were hastily and stealthily removed. Yes. Queen Marahquirita and her seventy priestess war- riors were in captivity to their foes. The priests sought long for the bodies of the victims but in vain; and vainly did they question the Princess Marahquirita who was wild with fear and grief, and who clung to the priest Gonzales as to her only earthly friend. It were better to daw a veil over the scenes that followed except that some things are necessary to be told, else this story must be cut short, and many things which happened generations later, and of which this was as it were, the seed from which A MUSICAL, MYSTERY 4l5 sprang untoward events of a later day, must have proven inex- plicable. The friars did not dare even now to expose the work- ings of the dread Inquisition to the people. That was too far removed from their teachings of love and forgiveness and charity. So the priestly court was held in the palace itself, which judged and condemned the Queen of La Gran Quibira and her priest- esses, and aJl of these were turned over to the keeping of the black- smith until the morrow when they were to be burned at the stake in company with the witch, their mistress. What happened upon that night you may guess, and what brutal tortures w r ere inflicted upon these vestal virgins, none so horrible to body and to soul as that which deprived them of their virginity. "She" who passed through this terrible scene as in a dream, centuries later, viewing all as something which was familiar to her; some long- forgotten scene in which she herself had taken an active part, shrieked and groaned and cried out, in chorus with the despairing accents of those seventy maidens who turned their beseeching gaze upon her either in reproach or as if expect- ing succor or revenge from her. Queen Marahquirita alone was freed from this indignity. First she was closely watched by Gonzalez himself. And then they stood in terror of her, these friars. They dared not ap- proach too near this strange woman whom their very awe and terror bespoke their superior. But the dread verdict was rendered against her too; and the funeral pyres were laid during that night of fearful expect- ancy, filled with the horrible and most mysterious wails and shrieks and groans which seemed to proceed from the earth be- neath the people's feet and fill and make heavy the air about them with bitterest woe. The bodies of the two murdered children were not found, else their mutilation by the fiends of the Inquisition would have been the inevitable result. So they but added this to their charges against Marahquirita. "The witch had spirited them away." The sun was now about to rise again in all his splendor. Early mass had been solemnized and the victims to their greed and lust were forced to be present. 416 LA GRAN QUIBIRA Marahquirita, grand and majestic in her bearing seemed in their midst what she was, a Queen superior to all those about her, superior in all things. She turned her unwilling eyes upon her priestesses who had been robbed of their crowning glory and grasping the meaning of their bruised and broken bodies and spirits at a glance, her voice broke forth, and her hand was raised first in blessing over them (her words both soothed and blessed them) then the same hand and the same voice pronounced and sealed a malediction so terrible upon the murderers of their bodies and of their souls that it seemed as if the very walls must have been shaken and have fallen about them. This curse was thrice repeated by her. Once in the Aztec tongue, then in the sacred language used only by royalty and the priesthood, and then in purest Spanish, which made the seventy priests writhe and shiver as if they were but one. Nothing could check her. Nothing daunt her. A voice spoke to her. It said : ' ' Marahquirita. Thou canst still be saved. Come to me. Confess. Thou and I can yet pur- chase thy liberty and thy life with the secret of the hiding place of the treasurers of thy nation. ' ' "She" alone knew whence that voice so broken as to be unrecognized by all others, came. The Queen lowered her own eyes which were turned upward toward the sun, and looked straight into the sleepy blue orbs of the Cardinal, sleepy no longer but with a look in their fearful depths which told plainer than words could have done of the all- absorbing passion of the man for the woman whom he adored. And the expression in her own grew sterner, colder and as he thought, more deadly than ever, while her sarcastic smile would have frozen a heart of fire. And when with her glance she turned his gaze from herself to her sister who huddled close to him there was in it a warning and a threat so terrible that he shivered again. The procession was formed in dread silence, which was to escort the Queen and her maidens to their doom. Then the sil- ence was broken by the wails and prayers of the people of the faith of the high-priestess, and this in turn was drowned in part by the band of the friars whose triumphant strains rose more and more deafening upon the air. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 417 The Queen had purified herself and had dressed herself in her priestly robes of office. A hot flush illumined the dusky pal- lor of her beautiful face for a moment as her garments were rude- ly stripped from her person and a guazy white robe was thrown over her which revealed rather than concealed the perfect out- lines of her statuesque figure ; but when they removed the Tiara from her forehead ( for when did the Spaniards ever permit any- thing golden to be sacrificed to aught save their own greed ? ) her magnificent dark hair which caught in its meshes the red and golden tints of the rising sun and held them there, fell like a veil over her bosom, which rose and fell with the heart-throbs no human eye there could believe beat the faster for fear or dread of the coming torture. The friars had gone through the mockery of baptism. The Queen laughed a scornful taunting laugh and shook the drops of water from her forehead, while the offered sacrament she spat back into the face of the officiating priest. Now she walked at the head of her own funeral procession with stately grace, her undulating movements seeming not in the least degree hampered by the thongs with which her graceful limbs were bound. She mounted her funeral pyre with un- daunted mien, then turned and addressed her people in a few worda. This was a generous woman and a just. Not one word of reproach did she utter because of their disaffection, not one word of censure against the new religion by which all were more or less bound. She only pointed to her seventy young priestesses shorn of their womanly purity and glory and said that which was equivalent to our own saying: "Whom God loveth He chastiseth." And these seventy and one women alone of the great nation had remained true to the gods whom they worshipped. Then they bound Queen Marahquirita to the central stake and lighted the fires beneath her. The flames rose slowly en- circling her stately form, kissing her dusky cheek. A tremor ran through the assembled people and a long- drawn sob escaped them. But in their Queen and high-priestess there was no trembling. Instead, with a scornful smile she raised her naked arms which gleamed like polished marble in the sun- light ; the arms which they had but now bound firmly to her side, 418 LA GRAN QUIBIRA. and then from without the hush which fell upon friend and foe alike, there came the sound of her sweet, senorous voice, not in the accustomed mockery of the brave of her race under the tor- ture; but in a simple pean of thanks to that fair God to whom she had dedicated herself, that she had been deemed worthy to suffer for His name's sake. Her form never flinched from the flames which bound it about. Her gaze was rivited upon the eastern heavens where the sun shone for a single moment then hid himself in darkness, as if awestricken at this terrible scene of man's passions let loose. The Aztecs bowed themselves to the earth, yet could not take their eyes from the face of this heroic woman, whose sweet voice rose higher and higher in that pean of praise. And the Spanish friars, too, gazed in awe and gloom upon her, for th^y felt that their hopes of securing the wonderful treasures which had led to this dire deed of sacrifice, were some- how slipping away from them forever ; While no look of worship from her people equalled that of the priest Gonzalez whose blue eyes seemed glazed with the horror that he dared not express in words. Then a strange thing happened. The smoke and flames which writhed and curled about the majestic form of Marah- quirita fell backward at her feet and died there. The raging flames drew back of their own accord and the beautiful form appeared before them blackened it is true, by the flames, but scathless. Yet Marahquirita was dead. A jealous friar would have rekindled the flames, but Gon- zalez, always fertile in resource, awakened suddenly from his stupor and interfered. ' ' What ! Would you throw away this chance to win the whole of this rebellious nation," he cried? "See ye not that a miracle has been wrought among us this day. Use it to your own ad- vantage. Quick, brother Anselmo. None so skilled as thou. Copy thou faithfully now the features and tints of this beautiful be- ing whom God hath redeemed from the fires of his church, and purified by them as well. By vesper hour the holy virgin must take her semblance and the infant Jesus be remodeled to re- semble the boy whom she slew but yester-morn. ' ' No sooner said than done. And when the whole populace assembled for the evening prayer, behold a miracle had indeed, A MUSICAL MYSTERY 419 as these simple-minded people thought been wrought. For the blessed Virgin was the image of their High Priestess and they could worship both the future Montezuma and the Jesus of the Spaniards in one. The sun rose upon a new day : but scarcely had its first rays crept to the tops of the eastern mountains, bathing them in a flood of light, when through the outer gates which had been sil- ently opened to them, there trooped the Aztec army. The Franciscans were all at their early Mass, and the church and monastery were surrounded and were in the possession of Hermernehildo and his band ere the sleepy eyes of the friars ' were opened to the fact. Then Hermernehildo sought the Prin- cess Marahquirita and heard of the fearful fate which had over- taken his Queen and the rest of his loved ones. He found her with the Cardinal, who was lying very ill at the palace. "111?" The proud prelate's heart was broken, his pride humbled. The fate of that grandly beautiful creature who had read, but who had disdained his unspoken love, had told upon him to that ex- tent that he felt he would never rise again, and he clung to the Princess Marahquirita as did she in her helplessness to him. Hermernehildo and his warrior band visited the temple after posting a strong guard over the captive priests. But here to their horror they found the sacred fire extinguished, the altar stone cold and bare. Of the seventy priestesses who had suffered such cruel wrong only twelve had suffered death with their commander. But the rest had been defiled, and none could officiate in her stead. A warrior stepped from among the throng and ascended the golden throne. He took the half-burned brands from their resting place, breathed upon them and Lo ! they blazed anew ! He placed the rekindled fire upon the golden alter, then rose and threw back his robes, and when the people beheld the sleeping tortoise emblazoned on his breast, they cried as with one voice : "Cibolo! Cibolo! The truant Cibolo!" For none other upon the earth had the power thus to create fire. Then their true high priest went through the ceremony cus- tomary at the morning hour, as if he had never forsaken his duties, or left them to be performed by a woman, but alone, for there were none to assist him or to lighten his offices. 420 LA GRAN QUIBIBA It was very hard for King Hermernehildo to reconcile his duty with his inclination here, for he had become a true convert to the Catholic faith. But justice must be done. Vengeance, because of his murdered family, must be taken. A secret council was held and its decrees were carried out to the letter. The priests did not understand what was to be their doom. For the verdict of the Aztec council was read to them only by sections, as it were. They were told in the first place that they would be compelled to restore the treasure which they had stolen whence it had been taken. Ytzlacotl had been named Casique in Hermernehildo 's stead by the so-called rulers of the land. The wily traitor to friend, to country and to religion alike, believed that he had well-nigh gained his end ; and that not only the beautiful Marah- quirita but her kingdom would in time become his own. He had attempted to save her from the doom which had overtaken her as much through his own machinations, as through any other cause, by claiming her as his own. But he was signally defeated in his well-laid schemes to win her through the gratitude which this would awaken in her heart, and looked on in agony at her martyrdom. For one also looked on in agoney even greater than his, who was yet more powerful than he and whose love for the hapless Queen was greater by an hundred-fold than was his own, yet who was as powerless to save her. When Hermernehildo entered La Gran Quibira and took captive its praying community, Ytzlacotl arrayed in all the pan- oply of his new state, came forth to meet and to greet him. No thought of the danger of his false position seemd to occur to him. When within a short distance of his true Sovereign, he called a halt to his musicians and guards and advanced alone to greet his Sovereign and friend. He came with arms outstretched for the embrace he was wont to receive; but when he was with- in a few steps of King Hermernehildo, the latter raised his own right hand with an impressive gesture which halted him where he stood, and gave the signal to Hermernehildo 's own guards as well, who fell upon the traitor and before he could give a single out-cry they had hacked him into a thousand pieces. For Her- mernehildo held close to his own bosom the last picture-writing which Marahquirita had sent him, and this told the story of his knave's treachery and ambitions. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 421 The religious rites at an end the council of the Aztecs ended too, and Hermemehildo proceeded to carry its edicts into effect. He had embraced the Catholic faith, and was more sin- cere and zealous in his belief than were most of his race who had been baptized in the faith. Yet it was not possible to brook the indignity offered to the religion of his fore-fathers and to his own family and to his sovereign (for Marahquirita was that in her own right. The sovereign being his only as the consort of Marahquirita and not by right of inheritance.) And he said: "No penalty is too great for the falsity of friends or the falsity of priests." For these were in reality his guests and owed all of their good fortune to him. And he now understood that in keeping them here against the will of Marah- quirita he, himself, had been the true cause of the sacrifice and death of both her and her children. The people mourned in sack-cloth and ashes within the great temple and within their own dwellings. While the army with their warrior king at their head, carried out the sentence. None other were permitted to enter within the wall which separated the quarters of the Aztecs from those of the Franciscans, where hourly could be heard the requiem mass chanted, by the priests over their own dead, and although each time it commenced anew, the Aztecs exchanged significant glances as much as to say: "An- other has been executed" they spake no word of comment. But there were no executions going on within the limits of the church community walls, for it was but under this guise that the stolen treasures were being restored to the guardianship of the dead Casiques from whose keeping it had been wrested. The hours usually chosen for this restoration were those di- rectly after the setting of the sun. Then the procession of the hooded friars formed within the church, that grand and beauti- ful structure which was but newly finished and which was their pride and their glory, A coffin filled with the stolen riches and with the riches likewise which had been the gift of Hermemehildo and of his generous Queen as well, was placed in their midst. This was meant to deceive the chance spy into believing this to be a real funeral procession, and issued therefrom with the customary lights and music used by them in the burial of the Catholic dead. These processions filed through lines of soldiery which 422 LA GRAN QUIBIRA noted their every movement, and rebuked any attempt to com- municate with outsiders, but these attempts were few and con- fined to some poor wretch to whom some presentiment of his own overshadowing doom had been unhappily given. For the priests were credulous and Hermernehildo had ever proven himself to be strong in the faith, so they for the most part believed them- selves to be under his immediate protection as they were under his guard. Hermernehildo had told them as a state secret which he was betraying for their good, that the whole of the Indian race would, at the full of another moon, rise in open rebellion against their conquerors, that every Spaniard priest would be driven from the land, and that it were therefore better for them- selves that the gold to which they laid claim should, like the rest, be safely stored away against their own return should the Spaniards again regain the mastery as they had so often done before in the petty insurrections which seemed never to have ceased. They even acted upon what they believed to be the ne- cessity of leaving some one to guard the tombs to deceive any chance looker-on. It was a strange scene this burial of the treasure. Night after night the bugles of Hermernehildo sounded, just as the sun went down. This was the signal not only for the priestly procession to form within the walls of the great church, but for every Aztec without the walls to hasten to the safe shelter of their own great temple, or of their own dwellings. At the third bugle-call the chanting of the requiem was heard; the scent of the burning incense filled the air; and when the bogus rites within the church were duly solemnized over what appeared to be the coffined dead; the double line of soldiery was formed, and between these, heavily armed, filed the procession of the friars, chanting as they marched toward the burial-place of their own dead. (The tombs of the ancient Casiques, which had since their clearing been set aside for their solemn need,) and high above the voices of all the rest, clear and full of sweetest har- mony, rose the voice of the priest Gonzalez ; sweet as the notes of a flute, yet wiih that quaver which age gives, and that of the youngest of the friars, Anselmo, whose rich and powerful bari- tone was the pride and wonder of them all. Brother Anselmo led, while the rear of the procession was brought up by the A MUSICAL, MYSTERY 423 palanquin of the Cardinal, who was himself ill perhaps unto death. The pallbearers bent beneath the weight of the burden they were made to carry, which was each night deposited in one or other of the tombs. Here they found that brother whose body they were supposed to bury, awaiting to receive them and their burden ; and there they left him, as they supposed, upon guard over their ill-gotten gains with a supply of food and drink. Not for one moment did they suspect the truth, that, as their proces- sion wended its way back to the palace and monastery, the great stone was rolled into the opening and sealed there for all time to come. The story went about among the Aztecs that some dread and terrible disease had broken out within the palace walls and that it carried off at least one victim each day, and this story was corroberated by the daily falling off of the number of the holy friars. Gonzalez, indeed, suspected, but what could the Cardinal do ? He succeeded in giving warning to the two whom alone he was able to trust with this horrible suspicion, and these two with the help of one of the natives succeeded in making their escape. When all of the treasure was buried there yet remained twenty of the holy friars, and these were deliberately walled up alive to guard their riches. Then Hermernehildo escorted the Cardinal to a small vaulted chamber in the very midst of the labyrinth of subterranean chambers. "Because of thy guardianship over the Princess Marah- quirita, reverend father," he said, "Thou shalt escape this doom. Here are food and drink sufficient to last thee for a fort- night. I will leave the stone at the entrance ajar, so that thou shalt have fresh air, and when the temper of my people have subsided somewhat I may perhaps be able to release thee openly, or, if not, I will secure thy safe and secure retreat." The Princess chose to bear her old friend company, and lit- tle objection was made to this by Hermernehildo, who really wished to save the life of the old Priest, or if he were in truth so ill as he seemed, to permit him to die a natural death, and the attachment of Marahquirita to the Cardinal seemed to guarantee his safety. The priest had read the love of these two for one another upon their first meeting in his presence, and exulted over it. For himself, his passion for the martyred Queen, and 424 LA GRAN QUIBIRA the horror of her fate, had thrown him into a fever .which was rapidly consuming him. So the vault was rendered yet more habitable and the strangely assorted pair the aged but still handsome priest, and the beautiful young Princess Marahquirita took up there their temporary abode, since the custom of his people forbade the King Consort to woo the Princess who was his own wife's sister, under a certain limit of time. He thought too that she would soon tire of the close confinement, and would join the other women in the temple. Then what happened? Ah! The story is a sad one throughout. Hermernehildo busied himself with the affairs of the nation. It had been de- cided to render this, the sacred city of Culhaucan, the resting place of their dead, uninhabitable by man, that those of these their most honored dead who were yet undisturbed might re- main sio to the end of time. This was the work of many weary weeks. First they meted out to the beautiful sister Eulalie the fate which the priests had accorded to Queen Marahquirita but with more satisfactory results. The beautiful sister was a brave woman as well, and bravely did she bear the torture, scorning to weep or to cry aloud, but the beautiful form writhed and shriveled and blackened and was consumed by the ravenous flames. Only with her dying breath she uttered one long-drawn- out shriek of mortal agony, the echo of which has never ceased but can be heard to this day, growing louder and more distinct the nearer the time to that dread anniversary of tortured innocence, for she bore a reverent love for the hapless Queen and her lovely young sister and had opposed with all her powers the indignities offered them by the friars. Then the Aztecs cut off the water supply from the church community and the retainers of the priests were left to die of thirst. One by one the wells were filled and sealed over, and the spot hidden under masses of debris and planted over with trees and shrubs. Only the main supply, the great spring from which the reservoirs had been filled, was left to the last for their own needs, while they still occupied the place. Then they, with their own hands deliberately demolished the beautiful temple and the fair mausoleums, refusing however to sully their hands A MUSICAL MYSTERY 425 with the work of the Spanish brothers. Perhaps this was due to superstition, or Hennernehildo was imbued with the Catholic faith to a far greater extent than he himself supposed. Be that as it may, the church and monastery were left intact, where all else was ruined. The work of destruction ended and the people ready for the march, Hermernehildo sought among the women for the Princess Marahquirita and found her not. Inquiry showed that she had not been seen since that day when she had been left to keep the old priest company. He rushed to the vaults. He descended to the second tier of the tombs and there, what a sight met his gaze? The Cardinal was dead. He must have died soon after he had been left there; and beside him, still holding his dead hand in hers, was the hapless Princess, dead too, but with a look of such terror in her glazed eyes as showed that she had gone mad with fear and of starvation and thirst, for of the food and drink that had been left, not one bit remained. He who had been left in charge over the two had disappeared, and the nurse who had tended her in her childhood and later the children of the royal household, and who had been told to bring her away, were miss- ing, too. After long search, one was found who led Hermernehildo to one of the underground vaults within the community walls, and, to his joy, showed him his own little daughter, Marah- quirita, who had survived the blow struck by the Spanish dag- ger her mother and priestess had used. The child, recovered from the cruel wound, was nestled among the branches of sweet herbs and grasses in one corner, while the body of her brother, which decay had as yet refused, as by a miracle, to touch, re- posed upon a small altar erected by the nurses. Beneath the wall, which separated this chamber from the one which ad- joined it upon the east, was the body of the second nurse, her head upon one side of the broken wall and her lower limbs protruding into the chamber beyond. One can but speculate how death overtook her, while apparently making her escape from the tombs , for it was fully two hundred and twenty years later that the hand of an American woman uncovered the two bodies, after Hermernehildo and his warriors had buried them as they found them, as was the custom of the day, those of the 426 LA GRAN QUIBIBA young prince and of the faithful nurse ; and Marguerite Jerome knew not, but could only guess at the ending of this incident while in reality she was living the whole story over again, after the lapse of all those two hundred and twenty years and was puzzled to know whether in these familiar scenes she herself had played the part of the high priestess and queen, or that of the Princess Marahquirita, for in her nature she seemed to combine the characteristics of both, since she possessed the grand self-sacrificing spirit of Queen Marahquirita, blended with the timid, loving nature of the sweet young princess. Then Hermernehildo took his little daughter in his arms and went his way, leaving the remainder of the work of devasta- tion to the Cibolo, who followed him soon. Leaving the ground to the echoes, awakened at intervals by the grand choir-band of the friars; the rich baritone of Brother Anselmo; the sweet quavering treble of the cardinal, Gonzalez ; the sonorous sweet- ness of the tones of the voice of Marahquirita and the agonized shriek of Sister Eulalie, besides the many echoes of the voices of the past. And the history of the Aztec nation was here lost for many generations, until the curiosity of woman ferreted it out, and the Chief Ytzlacotl, the tenth of his name, betrayed his sacred trust to her to this woman, to whom it was given that his nation might yet be redeemed from its slavery, not only to the white race, but to ignorance and to superstition this woman, to whom it was given to hear but not yet to understand in full the meaning of these oft-repeated sounds. [END OP THE INTERLUDE.] AZTEC SACRIFICIAL STONE. [Courtesy of The Pictorial American. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 427 ACT V. CANTO THE FIRST. "THE BEGINNING OF THE END." "All aboard!" It was but the customary trainsmen 's cry, yet it fell like a strain of sweetest music upon the ear of the solitary woman, who had been the last to enter the railway car. She was ushered to her chair in the middle of the crowded car, which had been provided for her by the kind forethought of the friend who had made her present journey a possibility, and which had been reserved by the busy conductor. She shook the snow from her damp garments, removed her wet over-boots, placed her traveling hat and parcels in the rack above her head wrapped her grey cloak more closely about her shoulders, then sank back into the depths of her reclining chair, and, as was usual with her, "made the best of things." She looked about her with interest. Her eyes were wide and bright, yet they saw but little. She saw, indeed, that the car was full of people, but the forms, which flitted too and fro along the aisle, were shadowy and indistinct to her imperfect vision. The sound of their voices in laughter and in conversation came to her ear, mingling in a strange unreal confusion with the noises of the fast-moving train. But no one spoke to her. None gave her greeting. And that terrible sense of loneliness, which had become her constant companion of late years, fell like a pall over her sanguine hopes for the future, "Alone!" It is to most the saddest word in our language; and, to the woman watching with un- seeing eyes the phantom-like faces and forms about her, whose helplessness rendered her more than another dependent upon the society of others, a most terror-inspiring one. That feel- ing of having been set apart for some great work, which had once been her glory and her pride, had become a horrid night- 428 LA GRAN QUIBIRA mare to her, chilling and subduing, but not daunting her in- domitable spirit. But her trials and sufferings had so told upon her physical strength, she found it harder and yet more hard to "kick against the pricks." It seemed that in every new occurrence of her life there lurked the temptation to turn aside from or to abandon what she had accustomed herself to regard as her God-appointed mission. But through all her unaccustomed exertions to earn that necessary daily bread, which had all through her life been supplied to her, she never for a moment lost sight of her chosen work. Like a little child she questioned all. She had met and conversed with the clergy of every denomination and of every creed. Each, it seemed to her, had given to her some new and beautiful thought ; but to her dismay these grew more vague and mystical. All alike seemed to worship an unnameable, inde- scribable something, without body, which they called "God," who presided over a heaven of like indefiniteness, and their ideas of death and what came after death were as indistinct and unformed as those of an ignorant, untaught child. They were all content to live out their lives, feeling that if they kept themselves free from all the greater sins of life, they might safely leave the rest to God. She laughed, as she remembered how she had shocked one of these divines by saying ittitably: "Thy faith is sublime in its child-like trust and dependence upon this unknown God of thine. But that state of ecstatic, beatific idiocy thou de- scribest as the Heaven of 'seeing God' does not satisfy my mind. The Infinite need not be indefinite. ' ' She had been sent to the hospital to have removed some unnatural inward growth that had long been sapping her physical strength, and which her physician assured her would otherwise, in a very short time, prove fatal. Under the influence of the heavy doses of ether adminis- tered to her, she had lain unconscious for many hours, appar- ently dead to the world. She knew her soul had not been dead, nor even stupefied, during this time, but had only been driven temporarily from out her body, and that it had traveled to the very spot to which her present journey was taking her. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 429 There she had gone down into that subterranean passage, which she had insisted was the true entrance to the subterranean vaults in which the long-sought-for church relics had been stored. But here she had found the whole place honeycombed with passages or underground streets, and with her accustomed ill luck, she had chosen the wrong one, which led not into the center of the hill beyond, as it seemed, but ended abruptly after two buildings had been passed. She seemed to be accom- panied by a child of some twelve years or so, as she determined by its height and voice, rather than by its face, which for some reason was studiously turned from her. She could not, however, for the life of her, say whether this child were a boy or girl. The voice might have belonged to either. Together they had threaded the passages enclosed by blank walls and roofed over by great stone arches into this particular street, upon which was situated the blacksmith's forge, and in odd juxtaposition, the school. An anvil, which looked as if it had never been used, stood in front of the forge, which they would have entered, but before they could more than glance into what seemed its barren blackness, the doorway was blocked by the burly form of the blacksmith himself, who looked most savagely at them and denied them admittance. The woman remembered every feature of his threatening face. She would know that burly figure and brutal, red face should she ever meet with them again. She even noted that he was at- tired in a snuff-colored suit of recent date, and that instead of the blacksmith's regulation leathern apron, he wore that of the butcher, one of spotless white. With her accustomed bravado, she was about to enter, in spite of his angry protest of action, rather than of words, or, perhaps, because of it, but the attitude he then assumed was so threatening, the movement by which he ordered her to "pass on" was so authoritative that she obeyed, much against her will, and because the child, by whom she was accompanied, was in an agony of terror. They passed the school-room and went a few hundred feet beyond. But here they found that the street ended, having been walled across. Turning about, they went up to the door of the school-room. The teacher met 430 LA GRAN QUIBIRA them, evidently intending to deny them entrance, as the black- smith had done. But the woman, who had succumbed to brute force, was not to be daunted by one of her own sex, and, with a commanding gesture, she waived the school-mis- tress aside. The latter obeyed with a terrified stare into the countenance of the woman, as if she recognized and cringed before one whom she had been accustomed to obey, and the woman stepped past her into the school-room. This was furnished at the upper end with a table which stood in front of a single high-backed chair of cumbersome solidity, with solid back and arms finished with a heavy mould- ing of the same hard cedar wood. And around the wall a single row of the same chairs was closely ranged. Many of these, like that of the teacher, who still stood near the door, as if meditating flight, were empty, except that upon them were piled, in great disorder, books and slates and papers without number, while upon some twenty or thirty of these children of all ages were seated, who seemed to have been suddenly overcome with sleep, which had overtaken them in some strange un- natural attitude or other. The woman glanced at them, smil- ing at their uncouth attitudes, then, as if accustomed to the place, went toward a panel in the white stuccoed wall. There was a sudden cry from the teacher, as of warning, but the woman heeded it not, and pressed a spring, when the panel slid aside, revealing a small iron door set deep in the wall. She took a key from a niche beside it and unlocked this door, then turned the latchet, and was about to throw open the door, when a second cry of alarm from the teacher caused the woman to look around, and to her amazement, she saw that each reclining figure of the scholars had assumed a rigid, upright attitude, and that all were staring at her with beseech- ing dead eyes. She echoed the cry of the teacher with one of pitying horror, and turned toward her with a threatening ges- ture, before which the other woman quailed and quaked and cringed, as if in deadly terror. What did this slaughter of the innocents mean? She noticed now that the book which the teacher held in her hand was opened toward herself. She bent forward to scan the printed page, but had read only these words: "Thou art A MUSICAL MYSTERY 431 she who hast been chosen for this work," when she was startled by a sharp click, and on turning about quickly, she found that not only had the door and panel closed, but the wall in which they had appeared presented the same blank surfac<> as the rest of the wall. The woman had not the courage to again approach these rigidly upright childish forms, and so she passed by that of the teacher, and on, out into the passage, disappointed and angry with herself, because of her own un- wonted timidity. The burly blacksmith still stood in his doorway, with arms raised, and with a coarse, red hand upon either sill, and he greeted her t as she passed on in haughty silence, with a brutal leer. She made her way up the winding staircase, which led to the surface of the earth, alone; for somehow she seemed to have lost her young companion upon the way. 432 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE SECOND. "LIFE'S HOPES RENEWED/' "'Why, it's three o'clock," she said aloud, and the Sister who bent over her asked how she knew this. "The hall clock has but just struck the hour," as indeed it had. As soon as she was able to leave her bed, she begged that the hospital priest would visit her in his regular hospital rounds. This hospital was a grand one, belonging to the Sis- terhood of the Order of St. Francis. It had a beautiful little chapel attached, and kept its resident priest. The priest, who, when he came explained that it was not customary with him to intrude upon Protestant patients, was a man of more liberal habits of thought and action than were most of his calling. The woman was charmed with his seeming earnestness, and he proved very willing to attempt to solve her doubts upon many points, and especially to explain to her the tenets of the Roman Catholic faith. There was much that was beautiful and poetic in this faith, and which appealed di- rectly to her heart. She was able to attend the early Christ- mas mass, but she could not explain to herself the sudden fear which took possession of her upon first entering that little chapel, bright and dazzling from its cleanliness, its varnish and its electric lights. It was a feeling as of being cast down forcibly into the black depths of a fathomless abyss. She had been present at the Christmas festivities of the evening before, and among the many Sisters and patients, she had more than ever felt that sense of loneliness stealing away the enjoyment of the present hour. She had somehow been set apart here as else- where. Still she munched the candied fruits of the beauti- fully adorned Christmas-tree, although they had for her very much the flavor of "dead sea apples," and had stored away upon its couch of downy cotton, the tiny black baby that had fallen to her lot as a keepsake and a reminder of her stay in this place, which, but for the daily visits of the priest, must have become irksome beyond endurance. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 433 She delighted to hear the melodious voice of the priest grow soft and tender and sweet, as he pronounced with ten- derest devotion, the name of "Jesus," or that of the "Virgin Mary," and was just as pleased to note the stern severity of its tones when she dared to laugh at some of the more strained doctrines and opinions he advanced in his pleasingly dogmatic manner. When was there ever a time when the woman did not laugh. The woman was a new revelation to the priest, with her eager earnestness about the truths of religion, her bright fancies and her sarcasms and her laughter. And what wonder if he came, upon each of his daily rounds, to instruct her in the one faith as he believed it to be, and to have a merry chat over the events of the hour. He never suspected what the woman knew, that his every movement was jealously watched by the over zealous Sisters, who perhaps had every right to object to his visits to a heretic. The spirit of mischief possessed her here as elsewhere and she felt that she would have given worlds, had she possessed them, for the loan of one of his cassocks that the untimely nightly visits of some one or other of the Holy Sisters who were strangers to her might bear fruit. Yet she knew that she could never forget the beautiful teachings of the faith, which, although it appealed more strongly to her love for the beautiful and the poetic than most other creeds had done, was yet unsatisfactory to her. For in this too, she was called upon to believe in that nameless God in an ideal heaven and a realistic hell. She laughed a little now and blushed a little, too, as she remembered the air of the courtier with which he had tossed into her hands the gift of a rosary, a pretty little white and silvered toy, and said that it would have pleased him had he been able to transform it into pure silver and pearls. But she listened in unfeigned delight to his revelations of the mysteries of the joyful, the sorrowful, and the glorious rosaries. The conception was full of poetic interest, and she obediently repeated the "Hail Marys," after him with down- cast eyes and truly devout air. Of course only "good" could come of all this. And the rosary which the priest had tossed over her bowed head never left her person after this. She had said : "I will wear it as a charm against all evil, and 434 LA GRAN QUIBIBA perhaps the true belief will come upon me unawares." And as the train sped forward, she touched the snow-white crucifix which lay upon her bosom and laughed lightly as she seemed to see him once again as he offered this gift to her acceptance, and she thought of this teacher whom she had learned to love, as well as his teachings, which had so enlightened and enlivened her otherwise dreary and wearisome convalescence. How charm- ing had been his haughty, courtly, dictatorial air, which savored more of the military than of priesthood. She had told him so once, and learned that in his early youth he had indeed served for a time in the standing army of the country of his nativity. She had been restless and dissatisfied for some days. It had seemed to her that there was nothing more for her to learn in this new creed, and she was not satisfied. She had insisted upon attending midnight mass with which the New Year and the New Century were to be ushered in, and that, in defiance of the prohibition of some of the Sisters who looked upon her with suspicion and distrust. The service was very beautiful. The melodious voice of the priest seemed more sweet than was its wont ; the grand music of the choir of female voices was most soothing to her troubled spirit; and she felt such a sense of peace and comfort steal over her, as had been a stranger to her for a long, long time. The sermon was directed almost entirely toward herself. The priest had no sympathy with her work and she had ceased to dwell upon it, when con- vinced of this. He had greatly opposed the journey which was the acme of all her hopes, and upon which she was now under way. She well knew that it was to her he spoke when he said that "All should cast aside with the old year and the old cen- tury ill-advised plans, etc." She knew she must offend him by going on with, her work, for which she believed God had created and appointed her, but her plans had been made before she had met and known him, and after all she Knew he spoke in ignorance of what that work really was, and of how she had come to undertake it; therefore his opinion was utterly worth- less to her. But it pleased and comforted her that he deemed her of enough importance to demand an exhortation from the pulpit itself, and she was nearer to becoming a Catholic at that moment than ever before or after. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 435 She had left the little chapel at peace with the world and better still, at peace with herself. She paced the narrow limits of her small room for an hour or two, then wrapping a great white bourneous around her, she went out upon the balcony, determining to greet the sun which rose upon this new century on his first appearance above the moun- tain-tops. 436 LA GRAN QUIBIRA CANTO THE THIRD. "LOVE'S DREAM BROKEN." Upon the balcony the woman was joined, a little later, by the priest, and together they measured the length of the balcony which surrounded the south and east sides of the immense build- ing. They talked for a time, he chiding her gently for the whim which had seized upon her, an invalid, to brave the chill morn- ing air. She answered simply: "It is the last time I shall ever see the sun rise upon a New Year. My life ends with the present year." Then he seemed really angry and spoke of the sin of morbid thoughts. "But these are not morbid fancies. They do not sadden, they comfort me," and she laughed long and merrily when he muttered something about "women being past all understand- ing." But the footsteps of the woman became irregular from the weariness of this unwonted exercise, and the priest first drew her hand within his arm and supported her with the other ; then finding her perversely set upon seeing the sun rise upon the new century, he seated her upon a bench facing the east, and went to fetch some rugs from her own room. He then seated him- self beside her, and startled her a little by resuming his former attitude of protection by again placing his arm about her, for seated, she needed not his support. After this they talked by snatches, the woman carefully avoiding any further allusion to the much-disputed question of her journey southward, leading him rather to speak of himself, and of his calling, making him laugh at intervals that merry, rollicking laugh of his which so delighted her and which gave her new trust and confidence in him, it was so like the unbridled laughter of a little child. But more often they gazed into each other's eyes in silent content, happy that they were alone together with all the world before them, but with every other living creature out of sight and hear- ing. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 43? Then the sun rose. Not with sudden dash and flash of color, of red and purple and gold as was sometimes his wont in these mountain regions , but with slow, majestic stride in a faint, pale golden glow which deepened and deepened and grew and grew into a burnished golden ball that glorified and made strong all upon the whole surface of the earth upon which it looked down. The eyes of the woman were fixed as in adoration upon this golden glory which seemed more like a stern, cold command than like a sweet promise for the future. But the eyes of the priest never left her face, upon whose soft whiteness a reflected glory rested, and he sighed a trifle impatiently as he arose to at- tend to other of his priestly offices as yet unfulfilled. The woman rose also, but her eyes were still fixed upon the sun. With another sigh the priest raised his hand in the ac- customed blessing over her sun-crowned head ; then bent over her and said: "Peace be with thee. My peace I give unto thee." Then he softly pronounced her name, for the woman had a name, and it had never sounded so softly beautiful as when it was spoken now. Then he bent still lower over her, gently kissed her upon the forehead and turning hastily strode down the dark corridor within the huge building upon his way back to the chapel. The woman was startled, but she had no time to dwell upon the thought of this unwonted act. For there through the corri- dor into which the priest had but now vanished, she saw a troop of darkly-outlined figures stealing silently toward her as she stood, her right hand resting upon the outer railing of the balcony. She knew and understood. She cast a hurried look down- ward to the place she knew was paved with unyielding flag- stones upon which she had heard the ring of horses' feet; then with that presence of mind which seemed never to desert her in time of need, she deliberately turned her back upon the dark figures whose hands were already uplifted for the blow and said distinctly in a voice whose sweetness held never a quaver : ' ' The good priest is right. The holy catholic faith is the one and only true faith. I will embrace it as he desires me to do." She never turned but she felt rather than saw the threaten- 438 LA GRAN QUIBIBA ing hands fall the figures shrouded in the robes of the Sister- hood from which only their glowing eyes gleamed like those of the ghouls they seemed, looked at each other, then in wonder and in dismay, silently as they had appeared, they filed singly out from the corridor and followed in the footsteps of the priest to- ward the chapel. Then again the woman glanced down to where she knew the cruel flagstones paved the court fully a hundred feet below and wondered while her frame shook with the first tremor of fear which had yet assailed her, what she would now have been like had she not saved herself by her woman 's wit from being hurled down into that black abyss which the golden rays of the sun of a new century had as yet not lightened. Then she, too, followed them all into the dark building but not to the chapel as she had intended, and which she never entered again; but to her own room where she made preparations for a speedy departure from this place which she felt to be for her at least, accursed. She had then taken modest quarters in the city, as her limited means demanded, and here the priest had visited her. It had now been but a few hours since she had bidden him farewell. He had visited her frequently during her short sojourn there, and the mysteries of the rosary had taken upon them a new meaning for her. The word obedience had grated harshly lipon the ear of her who owned obedience to none; and some- thing in the face and manner of the priest had startled and angered her. She felt as if she could have throttled him when he nodded significantly to her, as he dwelt upoa the submission of the Virgin Mary to the divine will. It was well for the priest that his own attitude toward her was always one of the greatest respect. That idea of the sur- render of the person, which had ever been so repugnant to her, saved her from becoming a convert to the Roman Catholic faith. For, as she for the first time realized the full significance of the lesson he was attempting to instill into her mind the lesson of implicit obedience she rebelled at once; and took a cruel pleasure in correcting him when he spoke of the Divine Will and the Divine Love, by saying curtly that " divine lust" would be the more correct term. The priest had hastily changed the subject and asked her of A MUSICAL MYSTERY 439 herself and of future plans, saying something about "woman's whimsical actions." And she had said: "I think father, thou canst not judge of my actions by those of other woman. I have doubtless known many more of my sex than thou, and I have never found one who was in the most remote degree like myself. I am only one and not one of a class. I do not think or act according to those set rules which govern womankind. As to my plans for the future I have not modified them in the least. I only ceased to name them to irresponsive ears. I start in the morning for the South, unless" she added a little wistfully, "I should determine upon waiting for the excursion which leaves here by the same route two days later." At this the priest's pale face had taken on an added pallor, and he had said beseechingly : ' ' You will wait for the excursion train. I will see you again upon Wednesday, when I will have more time in which to talk seriously to you." And angry with herself and with him, angry at she knew not what, she had said: "Quien sabe." (who knows?), then added as he made his adieux, ' ' But lest I might exert my woman 's priv- ilege and determine upon going earlier, thou hadst better bid me good-by now" and added once again with her old time teas- ing effrontery: "And lest I do not get out to the hospital to bid my little sisters farewell, please kiss them all goodbye for me." She was sorry for this speech of hers, for no sooner had the priest departed, than she found it possible to start upon her journey before the night was over, and this was, as she then thought the last time she might see him upon earth, and she wished that she had craved his blessing upon her journey and undertaking, instead of teasing him to the last, for since it had been made possible for her to do so, she had determined to run away. For of all the follies I have ever committed throughout my life, (and they are many) she thought, that of flirting with a holy priest is the greatest. No. I am a better woman than he thinks me, and I will never with my eyes open to the enormity of the offense, tempt a priest to forswear his priestly vows for my sake. There is nothing for it but to run away. 440 LA GRAN QUIBIRA And this she had done. The priest had with quivering lip bidden her farewell in the grey twilight of the evening, and in the yet more dreary twilight of the next morning she was speed- ing fast as steam could urge her to her longed-for destination. No. She would, she said, put all thought of the priest be- hind her, as she would that of the place she was leaving upon this bleak snowy February morning. But this was easier said than done. For the rosary upon her bosom writhed and crept about like some living thing, a hand that sought to find her heart. Yet she was glad that she had possessed the courage to say to him coldly in answer to what he had said of "the wiles of woman:" "Thou art wrong. The love of a good woman is a protection to its object. For that object's sake, rather than to tempt him to forswear vows which shut her out from his heart she will crush every thought of him from her own heart although she break it in doing so. And the love of a bad womanf Why there is no such thinir. That would be an anomaly in, and a libel upon, nature." "And so endeth the first and last chapters of the Book of Love and "Wisdom in which the good priest figures as hero and I as heroine," she said with another careless laugh. But the chapters in our Book of Life are not so easily closed by our own hands. And it was fated that she think of the priest very often, and that she meet him once again. A MUSICAL MYSTERY 441 CANTO THE FOURTH. A REMINISCENCE "HAUNTING DREAMS." (The following has been taken from the written ac- count of the woman herself, after her fancied escape from the horrors of this place.) She writes: As yet I have not had sufficient courage to even think of the strange and terrible experiences which were mine at La Gran Quibira: although the success of my mission both here and there may depend solely upon my forcible recital of these. While there I was without the means of keeping an ac- count of these events as they occurred, being at the time without pen, pencil, or typewriter, and am able now to recollect but few of the dates. But for my own future guidance I will now jot down in the most matter-of-fact, commonplace manner possible these events as they transpired, trusting that I may be able at some future time, should occasion demand, to weave them to- gether into a pleasing web of fact. Nothing betrays the utter prostration of my nervous sys- tem so completely, as the fact that I am unable to give adequate expression to the thoughts in my accustomed way and not fear- fully and hesitatingly as now. Let me think. * * * It was against all advice and in spite of all discouragement that I started from this, the most beautiful town in Colorado, early upon the morning of the fourteenth day of February last, all alone, to make my way once more to La Gran Quibira. The railway journey was accomplished by me without difficulty. My ticket had been purchased to Socorro but I had checked my bag- gage to Limitar, a Mexican village some seven or eight miles short of that place. And here I insisted upon leaving the train despite the protests of the conductor, who at once declared he would not leave so helpless a person as my blindness made of me, alone, at dead of night at this lonely railway crossing, which was fully a half mile from shelter and a mile from the town. It is one of my most firmly-rooted principles to always have my own 442 LA GRAN QUIBIRA way, especially when my right to do so is disputed by one of the opposite sex. So by dint of argument, persuasion and subter- fuge (for I was compelled in this instance to ignore other firmly rooted principles and to resort to a 'white lie' or two) I had it then, and was left by the conductor of "Through Express No. ," at two o'clock in the morning, seated flat upon the ground near an old tool shed beside the railway track, in solitary state, with the prospect of remaining there for full two hours. * * * At the end of this time, so the conquered conductor told me, the mail-carrier would here meet the 'up train' and I might then accompany him to the town. I had quite a leave-taking, the con- ductor and all of the train men trying to make me as comfort- able as was possible, combatting in their turn the arguments and objections of the score or so of passengers who, wondering at the unusual length of time the train had been halted at this out-of- the-way point, and fearing some disaster, had alighted and who now loudly protested in their turn against leaving me alone, and who finding themselves worsted in the discussion, ended by giv- ing me all of their good wishes (the very best) calling them out to me from the platforms of the cars as far as I could hear them for the rumbling of the train and the repeated "huzzas" of the more enthusiastic. Left alone in the night, I fell to munching a sandwich and enjoyed to the utmost the moonlight and that sense of freedom which the solitude gave me. All was so peaceful and so nice and so cold. At the end of an hour and a half the mail-carrier arrived. And after he had received his quota of the north bound mail and answered a few of my questions put to him in painful Spanish, the procession started. I insisted upon carrying the mail -bags part of the way at least, and did so without being sworn in to the office. These we left at the village postoffice, then we marched along the full length of the straggling town, no short distance I can assure thee, for the place strings along the road as is the habit of all Mexican towns, for an inconceivable dis- tance. The person one wishes to visit always lives at the ex- A MUSICAL MYSTERY 443 treme opposite end from that of one's approach, and my old Mexican friend proved to be no exception to the general rule. * * * The walk along the dusty highway was a long one but was -vastly interesting and decidedly funny. The conversation was carried on in two separate and distinct languages, interspersed with spasmodic attempts to amalgamate the two which resulted in a sort of linguistic "hodge-podge" equally unintelligible to both. We got there, however, and my old friend and his familia were finally, after many futile attempts, aroused by the terrible thumps of my official guide administered upon the lower part of the door. I wondered much at this odd manner of knocking , but remembering that although the average Mexican of today may be the happy possessor of a dozen or more of bedsteads, he almost invariably sleeps upon a sheep-skin laid flat upon the floor, I wondered no longer. * * * My friend aroused from his heavy slumber, I was taken into his custody and introduced to the Senora who kept her bed ; and after explaining the meaning of my unexpected appearance at this unconscionable hour and holding a grand council as to the ways and means of forwarding me to my destination, I was es- corted to the guest-chamber and bidden to sleep until breakfast time, which I was very glad to do. * * # Two days later, amigo mio drove me into Socorro, that I might there purchase my supplies. For propriety 's sake I took with me two small members of this familia Mexicano, and in the teeth of a violent New Mexican sandstorm with pater familias for a walking guide-post, and my two small guides par-excellence veering in this direction and in that, I sailed about this historic city like a ship in strange waters and without a rudder ; but man- aged with the added pull-back of not being able to hold any lucid conversation with my friendly companions to complete my pur- chases and get them and myself back to Limitar in triumph ; all of us in a state of high glee at the success of our trip. * * * Early Sunday morning after the customary bickering and the disputes inseparable from such an undertaking, I parted from 444 LA GRAN QUIBIBA my good friend and his family including my prime favorite Felicite, aged one and a half years, the happiest and sweet- est little Mexcan bebe grande in all the territory, and be pleased to remember with a view to gratifying the taste, the greatest lover of sweets in America. If thou couldst have seen her bat- tling against the administering of a necessary dose of some medic- inal herb tea, her mother holding her nose with one hand, a brother upon one side, a sister upon the other, and imprisoned from behind, her mouth held open from in front, into which her mamma was pouring the contents of the cup, hemmed in and held fast by them all, coaxed and threatened and laughed at by them all, gurgling and sputtering and spitting, utterly refusing to swallow the mixture, reach out her tiny hands for the dread cup at sight of the handful of dolces which I offered as a bribe, smiling serenely through her tears and take down the obnoxious mixture with a relish borrowed from the anticipation of the promised sweets, thou wouldst journey as I should a hundred miles out of thy way with a pound of that candy so dear to the Mexican palate of old and young alike, to have the droll scene repeated, and would smile each time the remem- brance of it crossed thy mind, and at the thought of the happy Jittle Felicite De Santa Ana wert thou a thousand miles away. * * * I loaded the last and perhaps the last of my belongings, upon my hired wagon, and started upon my journey across the country to La Gran Quibira, with only the sacrifice of my water- barrel, the tent-poles I had taken great pains to secure at Socorro to replace those which had been lost or stolen along my route, and items too numerous to mention, all of which I had be- lieved to be absolutely necessary for my individual comfort, left behind by Mexican carelessness or Mexican stubbornness; and mounting upon what was left of my possessions, I trusted my- self to the care of the Mexican, whom I had hired and his aide, Willie. * * * An hour or so later I did what I had frequently declared that I would never do I forded the Rio Grande which is al- ways a rather serious undertaking because of the depth of its channels and of the shifting quicksands of its bottom. We ac- complished this uncertain feat in safety, however, with the as- A MUSICAL, MYSTERY 445 sistance of three extra horses and one extra boy and many extra lashes inflicted upon our horses. Then began the tough and tedious pull across the miles of sandy river-bottom up on to the top of the mesa cut into many sections by rocky aroyas. We stop- ped for the night at a ranch whose usual occupants had gone into town for the stormy Spring months, owing to which fact I was able to secure the unusual luxury of a room to myself. * # * Next day we partook of our noonday chilli concarne and torties and drank our black coffee at the rancho of the owner of the rig, which he had modestly christened '"El Ojo a Dios" (The Eye of God Ranch.) This was at the entrance to the Can- yon Cosino (twisting canyon) to which we had climbed during the forenoon. Here the Major Domo remained behind after see- ing Willie and I safely into its mouth, and after enjoining upon the former a speedy return. * * * I had supposed there was a post office at Montezuma, a small village a few miles from La Gran Quibira, and it was because of this supposition I had dared to venture here alone. But what was my consternation in passing through the place, which was my only means of communicating with the outside world, to find it absolutely deserted, the water-supply having failed three years before, although the place was still upon the county maps and the name still appeared upon the post office directory. * * * Arriving at the spring which I had upon the occasion of its uncovering christened "Living Waters," I was both chagrined and frightened to find the place entirely deserted by my old neighbors and that there remained at the store only a strange Mexican family instead of the Americans whom I expected to find there. ' ' Living Waters ' ' had now the audacity to compel us to pump its waters up in a most humdrum fashion. * * * After watering our horses and obtaining a supply for our own use, and seeing no one about, we drove to the top of La Gran Quibira hill, upon whose summit are La Gran Quibiran ruins. These are located upon my homestead claim which I had made such exertions to reach in order to perfect my title and secure my patent. I visited the place now for the first time since my hus- 446 LA GRAN QUIBIRA band's death, having striven in vain to do so before. And I came now only to find the grand old ruins which had been my pride and for whose preservation and intelligent uncovering my husband had taken up this claim, almost totally demolished, liter- ally destroyed, to furnish building material for the store at the foot of the hill. My lamentations over this vandalism were long and loud, and my opinion of the vandal who had committed this outrage found expression in the strongest words in the Eng- lish vocabulary. * * * I had intended to pitch my tent above some underground mason work my late husband had cleared in part during his own lifetime, and to untilize the walls that were upon three sides of the opening and so secure a room the full size of my tent, which, in view of this, was but a ten by twelve. I found to my dismay that the entire place had been filled with rocks too heavy to be removed, and that a great flat rock I had intended to uncover and to use as either roof or floor to a second room had been broken up for this purpose. I expressed my righteous indignation in no measured terms at this disarrangement of my plans, and at the fact thus proven that some one whom I had trusted, had been here without our knowledge to steal from a dying old man and an almost blind woman that which was their own by every legal right. I was compelled to pitch my tent near by, as the boy Willie was in haste to return to El Ojo A Dios as speedily as possible. He remained with me until nearly noon of the second day of my arrival, in the meantime putting up my tent and bringing me a barrel of water and also a small load of wood, as had been agreed by his employer. Then I was left upon the ground, alone. * * * That night was bitter cold and the snow fell heavily. Win- ter had set in in real earnest. Next morning the Mexican at the store who had now agreed to furnish me with water, came up as he said to move me down the hill. But I told him that I had come to stay and could not quit my ground. I am of a ner- vous, rather timid nature, yet alone as I was in this solitary spot, I was not afraid, but felt a sense of freedom and relief in the absence of the uncompanionable of those with whom my dire poverty had, with of course an occasional exception, thrown me. A MUSICAL, MYSTERY 447 I was compelled to saw my own wood (I can manipulate a saw but stand in* deadly fear of an axe) and to cook my own food. * * * I arose each morning at break of day, and after my break- fast I wandered about the ground for some four or five hundred yards either way from my camp and lest I should lose myself, not being able to discern my tent when a dozen steps away from it, I fastened the end of a ball of wrapping cord to my tent pole, and, ball in hand, set boldly forth upon my investigations of the premises, determined to renew my acquaintance with my posses- sions and to find what damage had been done to them during my enforced absence. I usually returned well warmed up with my walk and with the passion into which I was invariably thrown by the sight of the depredations committed as I well knew, by those who were acquainted with my right to the land. The warmth was grateful to me no matter how 7 obtained for I was bat scantily clad and the winter had come upon me, acting upon the axiom of, "better late than never." I believe that I am the only woman on record who took no thought of her wardrobe when setting out upon a journey. Besides the damage done to my grounds by the digging of innumerable new holes, the pulling down of the grand old church and monastery, and the cutting down of more than fifty of my grand old cedar and pinyon trees, the blind woman whom the miscreants thought would never know what was miasing from her place, found that they had dug out the foundation so to speak, of the whole land and had carried away much of the gypsum from the beds underlying the ruins and found moreover sufficient proof that the theories she had formed concerning this place and its former inhabitants, based upon former observations of the grounds and worked out as it were "between the living and the dead," were for the most part correct But I have no intention here of telling what I found which proved their truth and formed the groundwork to that part of my literary work which describes The City Called Beautiful. For if I did I should only excite the destructive mania of the American scien- tist of today, to the end that when I return to the ground I 448 LA GRAN QUIBIRA would find it mutilated beyond all recognition, if not totally de- stroyed. * * * Nothing betrays the terrible effect upon me of my late ex- periences so much as the fact that I am afraid to give expression to them. I have striven of late years at least, having need of all the courage both moral and physical at my command, to over- come all fear. So at the first approach of fear I determined to put my courage to the test. * * * There was one room within the old monastery in which I had always been seized with an unreasoning, inexplicable horror. And now dissatisfied with my present camp I resolved to change my abiding place and to occupy this room, or rather the place where it had been, trusting that there I might have more complete spiritualistic revelations than I was having where I was, the dearth of which I was at the time deploring. * * * Circumstances prevented my proposed removal, and I was therefore unable at any time to know with certainty what fur- ther destruction was being wrought by visitors to the ruins. I was growing strong both in body and in spirit in spite of the many petty annoyances to which I was subjected, when the ex- periences, long drawn out, were forced upon me. * * * During the first weeks of my stay I missed and could not account for the absence of most of the strange sounds with which I had become so familiar during my former residence upon this haunted ground, the mystery of which I had hoped to fathom now. But I was able after a time to distinguish much. Among the many minor annoyances to which I was continually sub- jected was the failure upon the part of the Mexican at the foot of the hill to provide me with a sufficiency of water. I was sometimes at the very bottom of my barrel, and was compelled to drink foul and soured water for days together. I was supplied upon two of these occasions by an unexpected fall of snow, other- wise I must have perished with thirst and the trouble I had with the burros and goats and sheep which the Mexican insisted upon herding upon my ground, in spite of my oft-repeated prohibi- A MUSICAL MYSTERY 449 tion ! Notwithstanding all of these petty annoyances I thorough- ly enjoyed the novel situation and my nerves were acquiring con- siderable tone. * * * Through Lent, which I kept most strictly, (not from exces- sive piety but because it was impossible for me to do otherwise) many curious events occured. Most of these I then attributed to natural causes. Many others, however, were and are still in- explicable. The great bell commenced to ring once more. I could hear footsteps and voices and many times was so entirely deceived by the sounds as to go out and give vent to my custo- mary war-whoop which I flatter myself would have done credit to a sixteenth century Comanche chief. And it was only when continued silence showed me that 1 was alone upon the ground that I desisted and abused the invisible but noisy ghosts in no measured terms for not further gratifying my curiosity. I heard again, too, the horn of him whom I called the Wild Hunts- man, and upon one evening and upon only that one, just after sunset, the flute player, who came close to the opening of my tent and delighted me with what proved to be his farewell sere- nade. * # * And I heard ''the water music" as I called it But this was continuous and ever present. Occasionally, too, I heard the brass band of the friars whose duty seemed to be as of old, to herald the approach of strangers not ghostly visitants. * # * And then all sorts and kinds of music was to be heard, and what was most puzzling to me was the fact that the tunes were so frequently those of modern songs. Now of course all this had a meaning, but what it was other than to attract my atten- tion and (as I had before suspected) to distract, it from other sounds that were likewise meant to be heard by me, and to deaden them, I could not determine. What could one think when close at hand, breaking through other sounds, there struck up a familiar refrain such as a strain of "Auld Lang Syne" and when the tune changed suddenly to "Three Cheers for the Red, WTiite and Blue," directly after which I received my first, last and only letter upon the ground which proved to be a communication from one of the govern- 450 LA GRAN QUIBIRA mental departments, and which was in reference to this very bit of land and what was I to think when I heard, as if played be- side me, and within the tent itself, the air of "Sweet Bunch of Daises" followed by the rendering of the song itself by voices I knew and had heard almost the last thing before I had quitted this place. This occurred but this once, and I learned upon my return here that the head of the house which I had left, and with whom I had talked, and whose ambition it was to visit La Gran Quibira, had died at about this time. Afterward I heard "The Old Folks At Home" and so long as this tune was going on, so to speak, and this was for many weeks, I seemed conscious of the presence of one of the old men whom I had left at the ranch down the hill when here before. And I was so firmly impressed with the idea that he was now on the place that I frequently gave him a piece of my mind for thus sneaking about unseen, where he would have been welcome had he made his appearance openly. I have since been informed that these two old men are now mining somewhere in Colorado, but I have heard their voices so distinctly upon this ground I am forced to believe that both are dead and that if they did not meet death at La Gran Quibira, they must have been parties to the murders that I am convinced have been committed there. Throughout Lent I prayed and sang and "told my beads" according to the Holy Catholic Faith as set forth by my good friend the priest, and as well as I could recollect the forms, (I dare say I am the only heretic who wears a rosary ) I laughed as well and wove the thread of my incipient Romanza, and stormed and scolded and swore as occasion demanded. Upon Easter Sunday I had the honor to entertain for the last time Dick the Rover, a most notable person (in his own opinion) who heard of La Gran Quibira away down in Texas, as he said, and had come to dig for the treasure. He was much disappointed and rather saucy when I forbade him to dig upon the land, but drew back and bade me farewell from his camping ground near by, saying that when he came again he would not come alone. This notable guest of mine left upon the morning of the sixteenth day of April. My last word contained the warning to him not to get into any dispute about paying for the water used by him- self and his two burros during the three days they had all been my uninvited and unwelcome guests. A MUSICAL MYSTEKY 451 It was but a day or two after the departure of my new ac- quaintance, the dime novel hero, that I was awakened by the striking of a great clock. I am under the impression that this was upon the following Saturday night. It struck but two notes after I was fully awake, and sounded so much like the town clock at this place that I naturally fell to thinking of the good people whom I had left behind. The great clock struck sometime during the following night as well, and with a number of strokes but whether eight, ten or twelve I could not say, for in my surprise I neglected to count them. I was not asleep and knew that I was not deceived this time. Then a vowerful voice cried: "The blacksmith's forge, for forty days!" The summons was taken up and repeated by voice after voice of the many runners whose flying footsteps I could plainly hear as they sped past "The blacksmith's forge for forty days ! ' ' I was delighted. I do not know but it must have been when I lay unconscious under the influence of the powerful anesthetic shortly before I had visited the blacksmith's forge and know its precise locality, and I was rejoiced to find it was directly beneath me, so that it would be possible for me to hear much if not all that which was about to pass there or in the schoolroom adjoining it. For had I not penetrated the subterranean passage of which I was so cer- tain, and lost my way among its intricate windings? In my company was a half-grown girl or boy who was a stranger to me and whose face was now concealed from me. We came to the end of a short thoroughfare, after having passed by both the forge and the school. The blacksmith stood in his door- way and steppd threateningly forward as if to prevent me from entering there. I remember his face and even in my hurried flight I noticed that the anvil which almost wholly blocked the passage was cold and bare, and further, that the apron which the man wore was that of a butcher and not the leather one usually worn by a blacksmith. Afterward this had a certain significance for me. Finding that the street terminated here we turned back, and passing the school-room which had become suddenly silent, I went up to the door that was barred by the form of the school mistress and said: "I think I will visit the school." I 452 LA GRAN QUIBIRA walked in, pushing my way past the shrinking form of the teacher whose face also I remember well. But I have since re- gretted that I looked at the teacher instead of further examining the book she held open in her band, for I read but a few words in this, words however which were fraught with meaning. Around the walls were a row of high-backed arm chairs most of which were vacant but for the books left-carelessly upon them. The occupants of the others seemed to have been sud- denly overpowered by sleep and were dozing in all sorts of com- fortless attitudes. Impelled by some strange influence, I advanced to a closed door, which suddenly revealed itself where no door had before appeared. As I placed my hand upon the fastening to open it, the vacant chairs were suddenly tenanted as were the others, by the forms of dead children of all ages and of both sexes, who sat bolt upright and gazed upon me with imploring eyes. Then a heavy hand was laid upon me, and before I could open the door I was drawn forcibly away from it and thrust from the school room by the burly blacksmith and hurried by him along the passage beyond his own door which I strove with all my might to enter. "Thou" he said fiercely, "thou dost not dare." "But I do dare," I replied in my anger, and I struck him in the face a fierce blow that resounded in my astonished ears like a thud upon the anvil. # * * I had a dream which had a curious bearing upon this sub- ject. I was awakened in the middle of the night of some for- gotten date by a voice which called suddenly: "Up! Up! An- tonio Gonzalez! Up! There's work to do tonight," and there sprang up from one of the same description of solid high-backed wooden chairs, which seemed placed at my very bedside, a tall handsome old man, whose face was fair and fresh, and whose sleepy blue eyes rested upon me while he made me his own by a sign in vogue with the Mexican of today. His lithe, active form, was robed in a large loose gown of vivid scarlet, and with my customary habit of giving a name to every person and hap- pening, I immediately bestowed upon him the soubriquet of Cardinal. I had occasion to bear the Cardinal in mind, as thou wilt see. * * * While awaiting the development of events at the black- A MUSICAL MYSTERY 453 smith's forge I was busy with my novel, weaving together the golden threads of thought as they came to me into a tissue as hright and beautiful as can well be imagined, and listening to the different kinds of music, interested in every trifle, delighted to find my health so much improved, and that my nerves were beginning to have a tone stronger than I had ever before known. I accepted this as an evidence that I was to be given the strength to accomplish successfully my self-appointed task. I went to bed at sunset each day for warmth, not to sleep, and arranged in thought some scene in my Romanza, laughing loudly and heartily at the girlish escapade of which I was thinking. Just as the sun set that music I had for years known for that which accompanied the opening of the tombs, came near and stopped directly beneath me as I lay, and where I had located the blacksmith's forge. This music seemed to be that of a, number of some unknown reed instrument, and its tones were so soft, so sweet, so tender and so soothing, that I held my very breath to listen, lest I should lose a single note. Then came the oft-repeated notes of what I had always thought to be the wail for the dead, of the cavalry bugle. But now I knew this to be the up-heavel of the earth as the grave gave up its dead. For days previous to this I had heard, but very faintly, many sounds issuing from this place. I remember, among others, that of many childish voices sing- ing or reciting in chorus ; a man 's voice in terror and a murmur as of many male voices singing an old hymn. These now ap- proached the opening to the subterranean passage, and the fact that this was within a few feet of the spot wherein I had located it, makes me more firm in my belief that I have already solved the mystery of the whereabouts of the buried treasure, and con- sequently that I am the one appointed to unearth it, else this would not have come to my spiritual knowledge. The sounds in- creased in number and in volume. I have forgotten to mention that before I had thrown myself upon my bed, I felt a watch had been set upon my movements, and that if I was to behold what passed, my knowledge must be stolen. A bird, whose note was strange to me and sweeter than that of any bird I had ever 454 LA QRAN QUIBIRA heard here or elsewhere, had taken up its station in a tree near by and called out plainly, "It is 'she;' 'She' is here!" After a time the sounds became more and more distinct. The chorus of male voices was heard advancing with slow and measured tread. They left the vaults beneath me and apparently visited tomb after tomb. Dark and cold as was the night, I arose to follow, forgetting that I was alone in this place with no hu- man being within my call, and subduing all fear, in my eager- ness to fathom the mystery of this resurrection and learn how the dead were quickened. But I was held back by unseen hands, and although I struggled hard, I at length submitted, feeling somehow that this restraining influence was exerted by friends, and that my safety lay only in obedience. Then I lay myself down and made a pretense of sleeping, resolving that I would gain by craft as much as I could of this forbidden knowledge. I listened intently. I could then hear plainly the voice of one left behind, who seemed to be madly run- ning about the underground rooms and passages in a vain effort to escape, crying without ceasing, "Oh, God! 0, Dios! Oh, God! 0, Dios!" And this sound was kept up through all the other scenes that passed and I could but wonder if this were not some poor wretch who had been caught there spying perhaps, and who was able to see what I was permitted only to hear and that by stealth. I felt assured that I had the power to follow the priests, as I called those who never ceased to chant the same doleful hymn, upon their return to the blacksmith's forge, fol- lowed by an almost endless procession of the quickened dead in what form or shape I could only guess, but that the penalty for joining them would be that I myself would be imprisoned there, perhaps forever. The temptation was strong, but I was prevented by my own fear of this dread consequence and by the close watch which was kept upon me by the captain of the guard, the officer of the day, whom I called the hell-hound, from that blood-curdling cry with which he announced his presence and by which he challenged or answered the guards who were upon duty, and which resembled nothing so much as the baying of a blood hound cut short into an angry yelp. The sweet-toned songster close at hand answered his dread challenge, whose pur- port I could not make out, with: "Yes. It is 'She/ but she has not seen, she did not move." At this the hell-hound gave an approving but threatening A MUSICAL MYSTERY 455 yelp, but to my dismay redoubled the guard, and a hoarse- toned owl was stationed upon a tree but a few feet from the couch upon which I lay. The sounds thickened; and all seemed to the end to confuse me and to drown those other sounds which would have rendered the scene that was being enacted below intelligible to me. But despite this confusion of sounds I could distinguish the sustained melodies and through them the cry of: "Oh, God! 0, Dios!" of the terrified wretch, the wail of the tortured spirits, the screams of babes and of women, and their incessant cries for agua, for water. And so many English words were intermingled with those in Spanish and in other languages which were un- intelligible to me, that I felt this place, sup- posed to have been altogether deserted in the year 1680, must in- stead have been occupied at a much later date, and have been the scene of some terrible tragedy. Upon the ground above, I could hear the gathering crowds all making for the blacksmith's forge. And I heard the bleating of sheep and goats in immense flocks as the ground resounded under the trampling of their feet. The one flock was headed by an immense ram which came close beside me and roared in my very ear, and which after this came and went for many days and nights. The bells upon the leaders of these flocks rang con- tinuously. And I was much startled at this for these were the selfsame bells I had heard ever since my arrival here and had believed to belong upon the flocks of the Mexican at the foot of the hill, although he stoutly denied that these were herded each night upon my ground. * * * At times, too, my vision pierced the walls of the tent and I saw the black-robed and masked inquisitors 1 or judges seated stiffly in the same high-backed cedar wood chairs I had seen in the school room and from which the Cardinal Gonzalez had so hastily arisen. * * * And then even my tent was filled with the forms of women, young and beautiful, whose abundant jet black hair trailed over their white robes, whose purity was sullied by stains of blood, and by their signs and their attitude of suffering I understood somehow the horrible fate that had overtaken them. And these, because of their flowing white robes and their white cap-like head dress, I knew as the Priestesses. I questioned these softly, promising them that I would do all in my power to right their wrongs, if 456 LA GRAN QUIBIRA that were possible, but the warning yelp of the hell-hound silenced me and with sad and as it seemed to me reproachful looks, they stood silent and motionless, but crowded so closely about me it seemed to me I must smother. ' ' I will know what all this means, ' ' I cried aloud and sprang up , but I was firmly held as if by many hands and forced back- ward upon my bed. I was so anxious and so angry that I broke from their hold and sprang from the bed to the ground calling frantically : ' ' Cardinal ! Cardinal ! Antonio Gonzalez, help ! help ! ' ' Gonzalez did not respond to my appeal, but in a flash I was surrounded upon all sides by the forms and faces of in- numerable human beings, maimed and mutilated and bleeding and scarred, some beyond the recognition of their species, who peered into my face with reproachful eyes and moaned and sob- bed and shrieked so, that it needed no words to tell me 1 might as well have called upon the foul fiend himself as that of Antonio Gonzalez, and that he was no cardinal but the execu- tioner of the Inquisition, so I hastened to do what I should have done at first, I called upon God for help instead. * # # I went to bed now in real earnest, determined to sleep not ; but the unseen hands were gently laid upon me now and a strangely over-powering singing, buzzing and hissing against whose somnolent effect I had contended all night, soothed me in spite of myself, into a semi-conscious state. I was just losing myself in a refreshing sleep when, feeling something weighing upon my head, I put up my hand and rested it squarely upon a huge tarantula which had fastened itself upon my head. I hastily drew from my head the cloth with which I had covered it, and shook off the horrible thing, and heard it fall heavily to the ground behind my bed. Then I lit a candle determined not to lie longer in the dark. The tarantula then came round the bed and attacked me. I ut- tered my most tremendous war whoop and shook it off from me for the third time before it desisted from the attack. I confess that I was sorely frightened, but my fright turned to anger when I heard a taunting laugh. And I cried: "I am not afraid of thee, thou devils. And now I am going to sleep. But it is not because thou wiliest it." I then deliberately blew out my light, for alas it had only served to add to my terror since it drove A MUSICAL MYSTERY 457 away neither the material nor the immaterial forms which sur- rounded me. I counterfeited sleep so well as to deceive my guard, whom I heard answer the challenge of Cerberus with: "It is 'she.' She is here, but she is sleeping." Cerberus took no stock in this statement. " 'She' never sleeps," he said. And I heard him again double the guard, and to my infinite horror realized that some animal was added to their number whose cat-like purr and stealthy step I could plainly discern as it came close to my side, as if to hearken to my breathing. I thought I was certainly losing my senses, and put out my hand suddenly to dispel the illusion but placed it upon the back of some animal whose furry tail swept over my hastily uncovered face. * * * This eventful night was long and fraught with horrors, and was followed by many days and nights that were near of kin to it. Whenever my weary nerves seemed about to give way and I about to drop into uneasy slumber, the yelp of that terrible ' ' master of ceremonies ' ' sounded upon the air as if to remind me of the dangers which surrounded me, and I was for the time ef- fectually aroused. And through all the din of the sounds which I was meant to hear, I could detect with some understanding those things which I was meant not to hear. I knew that a trial was going on at the blacksmith's forge and I arrived at the conclusion whether correct or not I do not yet know that it was the trial of that worst-of-all-mankind, and that all of these almost numberless of the awakened dead who had perished at his hands, had been brought here that they might accuse him face to face. I could hear the sound of their accusations but for the life of me I could not tell whether the accused was the one who called out unceasingly: "Oh, God! 0, Dios!" or another. Al- though I fancied that the voice, which advanced or receded as if followed by those who chorused the quaint old hymn, was the same. And somehow I came to know that the inner or lower room to which they frequently retreated and from which issued with the fainter sound of the added distance, the most heart-rending screams, was the torture chamber of the Inquisition. What hurt me most was the fact that I frequently heard the name of God, and of Jesus, the thought that the many atrocities had been com- 458 LA GRAN QUIBIRA mitted in these holy names, and that now both God and the Son of God were deaf to their appeals, made me act as mediator, and I prayed and prayed again that God would pity if He could not pardon the wretch, for it seemed to me that nothing human could have commmited crimes sufficiently heinous to merit endless pun- ishment such as this. My good friend the priest had told me once that he "never prayed for the damned." I did more than he. I prayed most earnestly for the damned. As time passed on and the terror of it all increased rather than diminished, I had the hardihood to pray for the devil him- self. "For," said I, "Since we are taught that Satan is an angel fallen, there must yet be at least a spark of divinity in him. And this is indestructible. Then fan it into flame, Oh God. And if thou canst not pardon, then pity him, forsaken of his God, and give him but another hearing." * * # For three nights and days I slept not at all. Faint and weak from terror and ungratified curiosity, I stretched myself upon my bed at intervals, but sprang up in affright if I but dozed. The night of the third day, lying listening upon my couch I heard the singers whom I called the missionaries, upon the sur- face of the ground making their rounds anew. Time after time they did this and afterwards as if bringing new accusers to the place, and sometimes I thought they each time searched for some- thing they failed to find and that they only returned to the forge to torture the poor wretch of wretches once again. All that night the watchers sang or croaked or hooted at shorter in- tervals and the hell-hound seemed more active than ever be- fore. A panther or some other cat-like animal kept up its cease- less vigil upon me by running back and forth upon the ridge-pole of the tent. All of this guarding of me seemed to the end that I must be prevented from spying, and the multitudinous soft and whispering musical sounds, for the purpose of lulling me to sleep, that I might not hear what was passing on beneath me. All to no purpose. I was wide awake. I had even gained courage through familiarity with these unwelcome visitors, to determine to brave the worst, and was about to arise and look out when just as I put my foot upon the ground the ominous rattle of a snake A MUSICAL, MYSTERY 459 sounded sharply between me and the opening. I drew back nearly fainting from the fright, and was content to lie still and wonder why one poor little helpless woman should be so well guarded, for the hiss and rattle of the snake in this freezing weather convinced me that it was indeed I whom they were watching and to the end that I should not behold the mysteries. To tell the truth I was somewhat proud of the fact that I re- quired so strong a force to guard me. But my curiosity was newly aroused and I would have given much to have been per- mitted to see and to understand that which I could hear, it is true, but imperfectly; and I could but puzzle over the riddle without being certain that I had rightly guessed it. * * * Late in the night I was startled by the fact that the innumer- able flocks passed directly through my tent and to my horror and dismay, many of them seemed to pass through me as well. # * # What seemed strangest to me was that the greater percent of the myriads of different objects whether in human semblance or in that of bird or beast or reptile were brought into my presence for the sole purpose, as it would seem, of identifying me. Who I was, or had been, or for whom I had been mistaken, was to me a most puzzling question. They spoke of me as " She, ' ' and during all of the time I heard but one name which was often shouted singly and in chorus and that was "Deavanna," and it comforted me a little that the sound was glad and hopeful like a joyous hail. * # # Just before daylight the crowds upon crowds of phantoms moved a little farther off and I could hear from out the utter silence which followed this movement, a solemn commanding voice which appeared to issue from beneath the ground, question- ing sternly. But whatever the purport of the questions, they were each in turn answered by : ' ' It is ' She. ' It is ' She. ' ' ' The hearing seemed a long one to me for I somehow realized that it was I who was now upon trial and I felt that it was unfair that I alone was shut out and guarded from the hearing. At length the result was announced. The deep voice of the judge trembled and quivered as it cried in consternation : "It is 'she.' But 'she' is innocent." " 'She' is innocent. 'She' is innocent. 'She' is innocent." 460 LA GRAN QUIBIRA The verdict was announced by the courier owls in startled and incredulous tones, a sort of horror mingling with it all, and I sank back exhausted yet thankful that whatever had been the dreadful accusation against me, I had been falsely accused. So great indeed was my prostration that I slept with little inter- mission for the next three days and nights. * * * During this dread time, too, another startling thing had oc- curred. I distinctly heard a wagon draw up on the hill one afternoon and no one appearing I gave forth repeatedly my most artistic war whoop, to which I received no response what- ever. * * * Later there was a shot fired so near to my tent as to anger me because of its dangerous proximity. I was busy at the time and it was some time before my work permitted me to go out- side. When I did so, I again gave vent to my most piercing yells with, as it seemed, no effect whatever. A short time after- ward my Mexican neighbor came in. I questioned him about the shot and he declared that he had fired it. "I will not have any shooting so near my tent," I said. "It is dangerous and I want no more of it upon my grounds." "I but shot at a crow," he explained. "Hast thou brought me water?" I questioned rather sug- gestively, for I had told him repeatedly that I did not ex- pect any one to come upon my land unless they brought my ne- cessary supplies. "D'erme agua*." he said and when I had given him a drink of the water that I had bought of him, (not one of them ever failed to ask for water when they came up the hill) I remarked that the man semed ready to drop from fatigue or fright and was trembling from head to foot. He said he had been out all day looking for some sheep which had strayed from his flock upon the previous day. This was to explain his presence upon this forbidden ground, and I accepted it, telling him that if he had kept his flocks where they belonged he need not have had to search my hill for the missing ones. I was half laughing, half scolding, but expressed my regret at his loss. He soon went away but returned a half hour later to tell me he had found five of his lest sheep just where I had told him I had heard the flock the day before. "Do you see them? Do you see them?" he asked A MUSICAL MYSTERY 461 excitedly, raising his gun in a strangely suspicious manner as I thought. "I do not see so far," I replied. "I am very glad, how- ever, that thou hast found them. I should be sorry hadst thou lest them." Then he asked suddenly: "When is the man Dick coming back?" "Never, that I am aware," I replied. "But he told me he was coming back to work for you." I laughed. "Dick the Rover belongs to the class that will not work," I replied. "Besides, I could not have a stranger here. I expect the sons of a friend to come for the summer, when their school is out. Until then I expect thou and thy boys to wait upon me." "Dick had much money," he said, but seemed pleased that I did not expect him to return. And he went away apparently satisfied, but came back once more. "The sheep," he cried excitedly, waving his gun about and pointing with it over the brow of the hili . "Do you not see my sheep feeding there?" "No," I answered sadly, "Thou knowest I cannot see so far as that. But I am glad thou hast found them." Again he seemed satisfied with my answer and lowering his gun he bade me a quiet "good evening." And that was the last I saw of my neighbor for some time to come. But I, who am prone to take note of small items, noted that this was the last time he ever came upon the hill alone. * * # But after this an unaccountable terror possessed me. I had not known any tangible fear before this, but now I seemed to feel murder in the air. Each time I went out into the open I was driven in again with an indefinable dread of the bullet of an assassin; and if I heard a distant shot I ran hurriedly into the tent for safety. Three times I started to follow the sound of a voice I heard calling, but something forced me to turn back each time when within but a few paces of the tent, and to hastily seek shelter there. I tried, but without avail, to overcome this weakness, for the only conclusion to which I could arrive was that I courted unnecessary danger to myself. For should aught 462 LA GRAN QUIBIRA have happened to another (to my dime novel hero as I had reason to suspect) I was powerless to aid him, as the only persons within reach of summons were those who had placed him where he was. # * * I was always well-guarded by things both tangible and in- tangible. This sense of being eternally watched was most irritat- ing to me. Each night my tent was occupied by forms unseen but not unheard. And it was not long ere I began to distin- guish those which were friendly to me from the over-zealous, and I began to understand that their real object was to intimidate me and prevent me from prying into matters forbidden me to behold, yet that none dared really to injure me or to offer me bodily harm. But this watching of my every movement when I walked abroad made me extremely uncomfortable. I had many proofs that I was not mistaken in my suspicions. For instance : I had determined upon building my house upon the top of a certain hillock, the highest point upon my land, and fearing that I might be compelled to quit the place for a short time to purchase neces- sary supplies and to push other claims etc., I circled this hill many times. Twice I had to make good my return to camp as best I might, as I found my "leading string" broken. I tried to believe this the result of accident but could but doubt, and was convinced that it was not, when upon one occasion I twice sat down to rest, each time at a tree which grew in the middle of the aroya, blocking it. # * * I had years before formed the opinion that the rows of rocks found at the foot of every old cedar or pinyon tree had been placed there in order to hold the water and to secure the moisture necessary to its growth. All of these natives believe that I am a witch and that I know where both the water and the treasure are concealed. I share their belief in the latter case, at least. # # * I was convinced that I was under a continual surveillance, when I visited the same spot three or four days later and found the rocks removed from beneath one of the trees in this aroya and one of the two trees which had blocked up the way, and under which I had buried an empty can, entirely removed. I was furi- ous and gave vent to my anger in no measured terms both in A MUSICAL MYSTERY 463 English and in Spanish that my words might be more readily understood, and to the effect that the two boys who herded the sheep of my Mexican neighbor came forward protesting their own innocence. After giving them a thorough blowing up and issuing stern orders for their future conduct, we compromised matters, and the elder of the two boys expressed his willingness to escort me to the ruins which I seldom approached, being afraid to venture alone among the numerous deep and dangerous holes dug there by the treasure seekers. I have a real admiration for my own bravery when I think of the child-like confidence with which I placed my hand within the lad's arm knowing that all these people were inimical to me and did not want my pres- ence there. Then the procession got under way. It was made up of the boy and myself, the other small boy and of two hundred bleating scampering goats. We had considerable fun out of the expedition. I laughed much, scolded more, and wandered over the ruins to my heart's content, expecting every minute to be pushed by one or other of my guides into some hole in the ground, there to cry in vain for deliverance as I could still hear that mysterious voice doing ; but keeping my suspicions to myself ex- cept to demand if they heard no one and to ask why they avoided certain points to which I had directed them and which orders they, after the true Mexican fashion, "no comprender"-ed. Upon our return I regaled the two boys upon the accustomed frijoles and chili, and when they were gone I sat me down to rest and to watch the eternal procession which passed in front of my temporary habitation. There now appeared to me, walking alone in the procession of the flame-enveloped forms that were hurrying past me, four- abreast, with crackling garments, a well-grown child of perhaps six or seven years of age perfectly nude, with golden hair, whose faultless limbs shone like polished ivory in the golden light of the sun. This was without doubt the figure of one whom they had here offered up a living sacrifice to their gods. I noted with something akin to horror that the spirit or material visitor from another sphere whose duty it was to usher 464 LA GRAN QUIBIRA those t summoned who entered the subterranean vaults which led into the blacksmith's forge, appeared to be either blind or blind-folded. * * # From the forge itself many more distinct sounds issued in in- terminable routine. * * * On the fifth day of May, a day so windy and stormy that I passed most of it in bed, but listening intently, I heard most beautiful music proceeding from the old church. It was a grand orchestral concert of sacred music, with, an occasional solo, but all of these were rendered in the same voice, the voice of but one person alone an exquisite baritone, so rich and bell-like in its tones, that it was beyond comparison with any voice I had ever heard. It was simply superb. * * * What seemed BO strange to me, as compared with all I had ever heard concerning spiritualistic manifestations, was the fact that I both saw and heard things at their natural size and dis- tance, and with the absence of all supernatural elements. Every- thing was so real and common-place, like that which I have just described, as to many times deceive me into believing them to be the actual occurrences of the moment and not some echo from the past. * * * Another thing made itself manifest to me. This was that all these mystifying events occurred at stated periods, and these the anniversaries of the actual events. * * * Twice I went over to the hillock upon which I meant to build my house. Aside from the fact that it was the highest point upon the ground and commanded the most perfect view, there was the possibility of terracing down to the aroya, which could be converted into a beautiful walk. The two times of which I speak, I heard near the point upon which I had planned to build, a crackling sound as if a great fire was burning there. This was soon after I had come upon the land, and before I had found anything to fear. I was puzzled but determined that it must be the sound of insects stirring and buzzing in the grass. I went to the place at once, as was my habit when startled by any new occurrence. I stooped down and thoroughly examined the A MUSICAL, MYSTERY 465 ground, but found no evidence of insect life to account for the crackling sound, which continued as before, and it was too early in the season for this. Instead, the ground over which I swept my hand, was hot to my touch. I placed my hand again and again upon the earth with the same result. I could not hold it there without burning. I was greatly puzzled at this for as I made my way down the hill I halted many times by the way to feel the earth along my return path, but nowhere did I meet with the same result. The remainder of the hill was cool to my touch. * * * A little bird flew to the back of my tent one afternoon and catching sight of me, as it seemed, it rested upon the nearest tree and cried out in tones of great surprise: "Why there is Mrs. J ." Then as if doubting the evidence of its own senses, repeated with an< accent upon the 'is' : "Why, there is Mrs.J ." I called to it in vain. The little thing flew to the south with- out answering my appeal. The voice was like that of one whom I knew here, yet was unmistakeably that of a child. What seemed more strange, weeks after this, the same voiced bird lit upon a tree beside which I was standing (this was to- ward the latter part of my stay upon this ground) and said in a lowered tone full of pity and of sorrow and it seemed to me of reproach as well: "Oh, Mrs. J. Mrs. J." * * * The mocking birds came in great numbers during the latter part of April and early in May and were pleasant company for me. They took an active part in all that passed. We chattered and talked and sang to each other solos, duetts and grand chor- uses much to the amazement of the chance human-being who came our way. It was startling to me at first to hear some short sentence plainly articulated by one of these birds. They grew to know me, and would come at my call. When they saw me sit down to eat they would clamor loudly for "something to eat," and no matter how short my rations, I always shared with them. But all did not respond and I soon found that these talking birds were among my watchers. * * * I walked out one day farther than was my wont without my leading string, and as a matter of course I lost my way. It 466 LA GRAN QUIBIRA. is my invariable habit under such circumstances to turn in the opposite direction from the one I should have taken. The sun which would have guided me was veiled by clouds and I was wandering aimlessly about, when one of my bird friends came close to me and, as I suppose, hearing what I had spoken, (I have the habit of those who live much alone of talking to myself,) said: "You are wrong! You are wrong! Come this way. This way. ' ' I obediently followed the voice and soon came to the doorway of my tent, thanks to my friendly guide. * * * I am certain now that many of the old-time fancies are cor- rect and that, impossible as it seems, there is more truth than fiction in the Arabian Nights. For instance, I am convinced that souls or spirits take upon themselves the likeness of birds and beasts, temporarily at least. * * * During all of this time, as I have said, the mysterious sounds at the blacksmith's forge increased rather than diminished. I could hear the roar of the flames when started into new life by the puffing of the bellows; the agonized shriek of some victim to the torture ; and the children at their lessons just next door ; the hymn of the missionaries which was repeated by the well known voices of the teacher and her pupils ; the evening prayer, or rather the prayer for the sick and the dying, of the Catholic faith. This was always given in a fresh young voice which sounded very pleasant in my ears, and who seemed yet to be- long to the school, all of which joined at intervals in the prayer, and which in truth seemed to be the leading spirit of the childish voices at least. These voices might have belonged to two chil- dren but they seemed to be the same and I could not determine whether it was the voice of a boy or that of a girl for it had that pert forward sound which belongs to the youth of both sexes. * * * I succeeded, as I have said, in fixing a few dates in my memory and I remember it was upon the fifteenth day of May that the sounds of the school room came to the front as it were. All through the afternoon I heard the regular school routine, and at about four o'clock the scholars began the song which closed their school exercises for the day. In the midst of this they were surprised by visitors. Stern voices questioned and A MUSICAL MYSTERY 467 were answered, the "goody-good" boy or girl to the front as usual. There was no mistaking the sound. This was an ex- amination of the Inquisition. The person accused was he who called incessantly: "Oh, God! O, Dios!" and his accusers were the teacher and her scholars. The denunciation was loud and emphatic. Twice the wretch broke from the hold of his jailers but was brought back again. I followed the sound of his cries of : ' ' Oh, God ! 0, Dios ! ' ' and that of the pursuing footsteps, and had there been any previ- ous doubts in my mind as to the existence of the subterranean passage, these were now dispelled. I had excitedly made haste to the ground above this, hoping that he might elude his pursu- ers. I am almost ashamed to own the fact but my sympathy was with the tortured wretch, and honest as was the voice of the fore- most of his accuser, my pert little boy or girl, I somehow got the impression that the accusation was false. I hoped not only that he might escape their hands, but that I, by noting the direction of these sounds, might be able to establish the point at which this passage began, beyond all further question. But to my dismay he turned back from the opening for which he had made, scream- ing with horror. For there he had been met as it seemed by the praying Samuel, whom I had identified with Miss Malapert, but whom should it ever be my good fortune to hear again, I shall in the light of something I have since learned, address by the name of Estavan. Here the poor wretch was recaptured and "what did his cruel captors do to him?" A pain shot through my eyeballs, and I echoed his shriek of agony and needed not to be told that they had put out his sight. * * * Just then a flock of sheep crossing the ground, passed in front of, and upon a level with, this passage; each sheep, as it appeared, bleating as it passed that particular point, and each seemed to articulate distinctly with mocking accent, ' ' Oh, God ! 0, Dios!" Then I knew by the reverberation that the passage- way was indeed there and not blocked up as I had feared. I was in a passion and called to the unpitying sheep as they passed : ' ' Why dost thou mock him 1 Is he not punished enough ? For if this goes on forever, surely it is enough." Then my bird-watcher cried scornfully: "Pity him! Pity him!" And not the least abashed I answered: "I do pity 468 LA GRAN QUIBIEA him. Deserted by God and by man as it would seem, I do pity him from the very bottom of my heart, and I will pray for him too, ' ' which I then did and from the depths of my pitying heart. After this the child semed to offer up its daily prayer close by my side and its voice trembled and shook as it repeated the prayer with which I had become familiar at the St. Francis Hos- pital here. I remembered well its every intonation. Upon the third day, the sound ceased and it was some time before I heard the prayer again. A little bird had been hatched in a nest near by, and I could now hear the shrill piping of its baby voice, at which I was greatly amused. Whenever it piped, I mocked and taunted it, declaring it to be my belief that he could never become a singer, but I was mistaken. The wee thing which had a pert, saucy note, seemed to be a favorite with all the rest of the birds, who each came by turn to instruct it, and every hour of the day and the night the air rang with the notes of the teachers and of this favored pupil. It was most amazing the progress made by this abitious stu- dent, and in a very little while its sweet notes and words (for it was a talking as well as a singing bird which all mocking birds are not) outrivalled all the rest. The very shrillness of its voice painful to the ear as it was in its first efforts, lent to it compass and sweetness. The little beggar knew me and would come at my call. Each day all of these, my bird companions, would be per- fectly silent going to a distance perhaps to feed and I would be in an agony of fear lest they had deserted me or been driven out- side the limits of my prison barriers, but my cry of "birdie! sweet ! ' ' was always answered from far and near and I was com- forted. I do not know when I first became convinced that this little songster held the spirit of my praying Samuel, but so it was. Later this idea was confirmed, for upon the sixth day of June at sunset when all of these restless spirits were housed again in their tombs, this little bird disappeared nor did it ever A MUSICAL MYSTERY 469 appear again; and at the same time the evening prayer was re- sumed. * * * Many more things transpired. When I grew afraid to walk abroad I spent my forenoons in my tent thinking or working, and the afternoons in its shade watching what passed on around me. There I beheld the great loom of human destiny at work, and shuddered that the web surrounded me so closely and seemed to curtain me off from the rest of the world, but smiled when its dark meshes seemed interwoven with bright threads and those of shining gold. # * * Then I saw a gallows suspended over the blacksmith's forge. At first it was empty then tenanted' by one, two then three black- robed and black-capped figures in succession, and I seemed to understand whose these figures were. # # * I beheld the sowing, the reaping, the harvesting and the gleaning of which Christ spake and which we have never been taught to take in its literal sense, yet which He but truthfully depicted. * * * When the "forty days" of the hearing were accomplished, I saw the great stillyards, weighted with forms human, both large and small, swung and put in motion by the black-robed judges, and they were presided over by the white and shining winged beings who never descended from a certain height above the earth and whose duty it was to separate those worthy from those unworthy. But so far as I could see they lowered all to a place within the precincts. I watched the black-robed and hooded forms, so close yet so indistinct. They took up their station near the place where Dime-Novel-Dick had camped. They worked in dead silence, yet moved from time to time to one side or the other of the great balances as the verdict seemed to warrant, and assumed a threatening aspect if I approached too near. I was so curious at the last, and had grown so accustomed to their sudden appearance in the middle of each afternoon, that in spite of the evident uneasiness of my bird friends and of their 470 LA GRAN QUIBIRA repeated warnings (these had retreated when this scene began to the second row of trees beyond) I walked one evening straight through the densest group, a little bird crying : ' ' No. No. Don 't go. Don't go." But I went on, staring straight back into the threatening eyes of the black-robed figures, and knew that my fancy had not betrayed me into error. For these threatening somber figures deliberately stepped aside at my near approach and reluctantly made way for me to pass, closing their ranks again after I had passed through. And bless me, what a twitter- ing there was among the unseen birds, which sounded remark- ably like laughter for I had said aloud in pure bravado: "I will pass through here. Touch me at thy peril." One odd thing about all this was the fact that although I seemed to be an important factor in the whole proceeding, I al- ways formed an idea, of things which was directly opposed to the truth, and I found that this erroneous idea was always corrected in some way or another. Thus, as I sat watching the ever-chang- ing procession and saw the children pass in groups guarded and guided by parents or teachers, after noting with pleasure the squads of girls pass by, there came a long procession of awkward half grown boys, evidently a school. I laughed and laughed again at the ungainly clumsy movements of all, teasingly assur- ing them that they were neither "man nor boy, but (each were) a hobble-de-hoy, ' ' and especially did the shambling figure of the one who brought up the rear excite my mirth; when suddenly the form stood out in plain relief and my laughter was smothered in a cry of horror as I saw that this was the form of one from whose bones the flesh had been stripped and to which bloody fragments still clung. And I sprang up crying : ' ' Tell, oh, tell me, who has done this cruel thing?" but the answer was only made by that terrible moan I had learned to call the wail of the lost spirit, and a softly-spoken prayer. Then another voice whispered a name. And I beheld what seemed a smaller likeness to this bloody skeleton (which I am cer- tain I saw returned to the grave upon the sixth of June and this was upon a much later date) and the voice which answered my A MUSICAL MYSTERY 471 oft-repeated hail cried as if in the agonies of death, "Mamma! Mamma ! ' ' * * # This must, too, at one period have been occupied as a slave mart or pen, for beneath and very near, yet outside the chamber of the Inquisition, which I now knew as the blacksmith's forge, the unquiet spirits had been hurried to their tombs where it took the entire night to quiet them. And here their cries were so pitiful that I was completely unnerved by them. * * # It was just at sunset upon this, the sixth of June, when the last of this portion of the never-ending procession was driven down into the earth again. The guards were of great size and were many in number, and their beats were very short. Their robes were striped and spotted, some with black and some with the red of blood. Poor blood-stained wretch! I thought, ' ' How great his sins ! How numberless his crimes ! How vast his strength ! But what have I to do with all this? Why are all eyes fixed upon me? Is it that I alone have the power to see and t6 hear, if not prevented? And that all this is meant to be hidden from mortals?" But no answer was given to my appeals and I was, and am unable still, to solve these doubts. * * * There was one here who went about crooning to himself some old-time melody, and who was apparently searching for something, for he seemed to examine closely every water-worn rock as he passed. I knew this unseen singer as the "Water- witch. * * # There are many who believe that Christ, the Redeemer, is still undergoing the tortures of His crucifixion in spirit. From many of the things that I heard, the terrible conviction settled upon me that here at this time the crucifixion was being enacted literally. I cannot tell the precise moment when this passion play ended, and I heard His voice above the ground; nor how I came to know that the signal of the golden bell was His. I had heard this bell strike in the middle of the night and sprang up, and without fear hastened out, calling : ' ' Gentle Shep- herd ! Gentle Shepherd ! Wait and speak to me, ' ' and there the Gentle Shepherd halted, to respond to my call, His figure sur- 472 LA GRAN QUIBIBA rounded by a radiance from the light of His own glory, and He smiled back at me and questioned me. But oh, how wan, how haggard and sorrowful was the beautiful face, shining through that expression of most intense suffering. I may not here de- scribe this short interview. The sound which I had heard, and had believed to be the striking of a golden bell or clock, was the note of a beautiful bird which was perched upon the shoulder of the Saviour, and by this His flock was guided. The plumage of this sweet-toned bird gleamed pearl white in the moonlight, then seemed to scintillate and to sparkle with every hue of the rainbow. ' ' Wait thou until I come again, ' ' was His farewell to me as He passed out of sight, followed by his flock. * # * During all this time I had managed to exist somehow. My supplies, however, began to run short at the end of three months. I had eaten all the "goodies" up during the first of these. There was nothing to be had for love and nothing but dead flour and coffee, for money, of which I had little. The Mexican at the foot of the hill moved his family away on the fifteenth day of May without bringing me any water or making arrangements with any one else to supply me with this necessity. An elderly German, whom the Mexican called "Aleckee," who took his place at the store had no means whatever of carrying it to my camp. I was eager to get away for a short time to purchase sup- plies and to attend to necessary business matters but could get no one to take me. I was anxious now, having fulfilled my time, to get where I could raise sufficient money to place the required improvements upon my land and lay open these underground ruins for the benefit of the scientific world and for my own en- richment as well. I have no intention of recording all the hard- ships I was called upon to endure. I did not seem to worry about them at the time, and I do not wish to do so now. I said: "The Lord will provide," and so He did. Sometimes He made the devil His agent in the mat- ter, but that was His business, not mine, and I ate the bread thus supplied with as much relish as if it had been heavenly manna, which I am bound to confess it did not resemble in the slightest degree. * * * "When my Mexican neighbor went away I was over-run by A MUSICAL MYSTERY 473 the herds and' flocks of another Mexican. I forbade his shep- herds the ground, but to small purpose. They went and came at their will and I could hear them digging in the ruins although they denied that they did so. I confess that I felt quite uneasy when I noticed that these herders were never seen nor heard when chance tourists or Americans were on the ground, yet I made use of these nine herders who came, in turn, as it would seem. I hired the burro boys to bring me water. I was entirely out of bread, and had no flour, when a strange Mexican came along. I asked him to accompany me to the store and down the hill we strolled arm in arm. I think we must have been a show, for I was in rags and tatters and Ignaxcio was in tatters and rags. But I of course had not had the op- portunity to dress and this was Ignaxcio 's usual costume. We purchased a few pounds of flour and returning past the old church we heard some one digging there. This I had forbid- den, and I hastened to see who the intruders were. I found two men, and was afterward assured that there was a third whack- ing away. I called out to them sharply and they answered me most impertinently. These persons refused to give me their names and declared their intention to do as they chose upon the ground, demanding that I show them my papers, improvements etc., that they might be certain of the legality of my claim to the land upon which the ruins were situated. We had a lively dispute but I came out ahead and they agreed to desist and to leave the ground. I could hear digging all the time but saw no one for several days, when these same parties returned and making me a present of some blankets which I now believe to have been a part of the outfit of Dick the Rover, meekly requested permission of me to "look about the place" a little more, asserting that they had not been upon the ground since our little "racket" which statement I afterward learned was true. I gathered from various sources the information that these three men had brought down from Colorado, three fine horses, which were claimed by the invisible third, and which were a part of the goods taken from the American who had lived at the Living Waters ranch. * * # I tell this that I may remember all I can of that very queer transaction in which the said American was implicated, he hav- 474 LA GRAN QUIBIRA ing just swung clear of the penitentiary, giving up all the wordly goods he possessed to satisfy the claim for the sheep he had stolen. * * * Alone as I was, I cannot but wonder how I thus escaped bodily harm at the hand of the lawless men who continually in- vaded my domain, and I wonder now at my own daring in con- fronting and in quarreling with each and every party of ma- rauders. I was entirely at their mercy and grew more and more afraid of disappearing from the earth altogether, and of noth- ing being heard from me ever after except that I was ' ' missing. ' ' Yet I never failed (upon principle) to administer a sound tongue- lashing to the offenders. This sort of courting danger seems to be one of my innate characteristics I cannot help it. The presence of danger al- ways inspires me with a certain spirit of antagonism; I want to fight. The true secret of my security from harm, however, I be- lieve to have been that they all stood somewhat in awe of the woman who dared to remain upon this haunted ground, where not one man in a million would have willingly been left entirely alone for a single night ; and as I remained upon the ground for months in solitude, declaring that it was of the coyotes alone that I was afraid, they were inspired with a healthy respect for I entertained at various times a strange medley of visitors of every degree and station. First there was Willie Williamson who drove me over to the ground from the El Ojo a Dios rancho and remained with me until noon of the third day, whom I thought I heard at the place whereon we camped upon the night of the nineteenth of April, (I think at any rate it was upon a Saturday night) calling out "Whoa! Boy" to his pony and searching about the tent for something, who did not reply to my oft-repeated hails, but whom I never saw again, although he had promised to come often and see that I had what water I required. Then there was the Mexican who lived at the foot of the hill, and his espoza and chiquitas, Lorenzo Sanchez and the two boys, Geraldo and Demetrio, all of them herders of my Mexican neigh- A MUSICAL MYSTERY 475 bor ; and at odd intervals Jose Labata and his two ichas who paid me a friendly visit about the first week in March. Then there was my notable guest, Dick the Rover, who called himself a "prospector for curiosities;" Gavino Pedillo; and upon the fifteenth day of May a party of four "water prospectors" hailing from Puerto de Luna. I have reason to remember this party, for until their coming I think that in my absorbing in- terest in my work I must have quite forgotten the fact that I was a woman. But before these, there were Mr. and Mrs. Purcella, Andrew and the kid, who visited the place during the last week in April. Then too there was a party of three from Roswell and Tobog- gan; three others, who hailed from the coal mines of Capitan and always the ubiquitous Dow whom I had engaged upon the nineteenth of May to carry me to the Rio together with a small portion of my personal belongings; the nine herders of the dis- tant ranchman and the old German from the store. Then there were some men from Texas en route for Arizona by the way of Socorro and Magdalena who had twenty five horses in charge; and some sheep herders from the Abo. * * # It was my favorite hour for prayer that hour when I seemed able to best approach more closely to my God, the hour before sunset. I had lifted my eyes to the glory of the sun only to find that the great beams of the loom of destiny were stretched directly across the sun's disc, almost entirely hiding it from view. I had prayed and prayed again that my work might end in success, and had made a solemn vow to Almighty God whose aid alone I would accept in this work, to use that wealth should it pass through my hands, for the benefit of all mankind. I was confident that I knew from the movements of the spirit throng, just where the great church treasure was hidden, and from what precise point it had been removed. But still I prayed : "Give to me a sign, Oh, God, that success will be mine. Force these unwilling devils to tell me the things I wish to know." I had scarcely finished my appeal when the great beam lifted itself from before the face of the sun and rested itself diagonally against the heavens, but not between me and the sun. When the sun went down I retired, as was my custom, to my couch, and despite the cries and moans and dismal groans I fell asleep. 476 LA GRAN QUIBIBA It was not yet dark when I was awakened by a voice which said distinctly: "It is here." I raised myself, as was my habit, to challenge this new ap- parition in the hope that after a time I would arrive at the truth, but I was pushed gently but firmly back, and the same voice said confidentially: "Hush! It is here." What could I do but have faith, for I recognized the hoarse voice as that of the blind usher, and the point indicated by him was within a dozen feet of the place which I had settled upon as the point of en- trance to the treasure vaults, and above which we had found the stone cross. I was wide awake nor did I sleep more that night for wondering and listening. * # * Now that so many of the wandering spirits had been re- turned to the tombs, other sounds and voices which had been smothered and drowned by them became more distinct. I was startled at hearing plainly articulate, the voice of one who ap- proached the entrance to this same passage, crying out in won- der and consternation " ! ....... I Great God!" I knew the voice and sprang out of bed calling : ' ' Tom Led- ington ! Tom Ledington, as sure as fate, ' ' but there was no re- sponse to my hail. * * * Then and at all times after this I heard voices of many people within these underground vaults, calling without ceasing upon a name I knew ! ! Sometimes there were the voices of at least three persons and I believed that one of these was the voice of a boy or (and I shuddered at the thought) that of a woman. Most of the time I could not distinguish the words for their terrible wailing and from the fact that each voice was pitched in that unnatural key of a hail from afar, but sometimes a few words were intelligible to me. I could then hear the men's voices calling ' ' Help ! Help ! Fire ! Fire ! " as if that dread word which always implies the necessity ifor immediate response, would better reach that outside world from which these poor un- fortunates appeared to have been suddenly cut off, by some dread disaster inflicted upon them by the one upon whom they would begin once more to call ! ! I called and called again to these, but although it was evi- dent they knew of my presence there it seemed to me they heard A MUSICAL MYSTERY 477 my cries with the same indistinctness that I heard theirs and gave me but few intelligible replies. Thou canst imagine my horror. These voices had nothing of the supernatural about them and it was only as time went on that I realized that no living thing could keep up this incessant cry both by day and by night, for weeks at a stretch without change of voice and without rest or gaining in huskiness; for at the first so natural were these accents I believed it was the living who were imprisoned there, and, al- though I knew it was an impossibility for me to open the vaults with the means at my command, I frantically assured them I would sacrifice all my hopes of gain to aid and to release them. At length one answered to my oft-repeated hails of: "Hello, who art thou," by answering clearly "I am S . Let me out." I was amazed at this reply. The name, as it was now pronounced, was an unusual one and was that of a man whom I had engaged to work for and to accompany us to La Gran Quibira more than two years prior to this date. The brute deserted me and de- clared he was going to work for the man who owned the place. I had said to him : " If it is La Grand Quibira to which thou re- ferest, remember that the dying old man there has the only claim to this ground and I forbid thee at thy peril to visit the place without him." The brute laughed and this was the last time I had seen or heard of or even thought of him until his voice an- swered from the subterranean vaults of the blacksmith's forge. * * * There were so many unaccountable things connected with this new development of affairs where the voices of the dead of today as it were, managed at length to make themselves heard, through the din of the continued repetition of events long past, and I was amazed to hear what seemed to be the voice of a new- comer calling to me by name, but I could not induce the owner of this voice to answer my repeated questions as to his name and what he wanted. I replied, however, each time to my own name, but it was ap- parent to me that this person could not hear my responses, for he kept up his impatient cry and once (it was, I remember, upon a Sunday forenoon) after a long-continued hail, he said angrily: "God damn her," in unmistakable English. Then I heard the hoarse voice of the usher who indeed seemed to be the medium between us, say: "She hears you," And I shouted back: "Yes, I hear, but I do not understand. 478 LA GRAN QUIBIRA Tell me who thou art, where thou art and how it is possible for me to assist thee? Art thou Dick the Rover, or art thou Willie Williamson?" I asked this again and again but with no other response than the repeated hails wherein he varied his incessant repetition of my own name, with the assurance: "Here is the water." Then another voice would break in with the heartrending cries of : "I am starving! Have pity! . . . Here I am. Give me water. Give me food. ' ' But the curse called down on my un- offending head was pronounced no more. I would sit above this place for hours at a stretch and try to arrive at some correct idea of the situation, but they always seemed puzzled when I asked them if they were living or dead, or if they realized they had been deliberately murdered by ... I said, ' ' I am going away. I will return with help if possible and I pledge thee my sacred word that thy murderer shall be brought to justice." I tried to convince myself at times that these poor wretches were indeed alive, and that I might be able to rescue them. At last I said : ' ' The people who were driven from this place from two to three centuries ago may in anticipation of the expected wars have stored these vaults with supplies sufficient to enable the community to withstand a long siege ; and if these poor fel- lows found these supplies and the water as well, they may be living still after a year or even two of imprisonment here. ' ' And it is this thought which makes my present life of inac- tion almost unendurable to me. I hear one or two of these voices even here sometimes, and I say, "I could not hear them were these poor wretches alive." But then again I repeat, "Who shall say that a living soul may not in the extremity of agony both of body and of spirit make its cries for help heard even through hundreds of miles of space ? The mysteries of psychol- ogy admit of this. ' ' * # * There are people here whose duty it is to assist me in solving this great and wonderful mystery. * * * So many other things distracting my attention at the time of this experience may, I think, have weakened my own powers. But I had learned to distinguish what I called the good sounds A MUSICAL MYSTERY 479 from the bad of the same kind, the ring of the true metal from the false. This was literally true, for the chains of the damned and those of some of the bells had a dull, and so to speak, dead sound, while others possessed the true metallic ring. * * * I was awakened suddenly, one night after I had been soothed to sleep by those unseen mesmeric hands, to whose will I had learned to submit myself as a necessity, feeling that this was but a friendly warning that something was about to occur which I was forbidden, under some especially severe penalty, to see, by the rattling of those lifeless chains and the seeming interchange of lifeless money, and the sound of a voice of someone apparently upon the surface of the earth saying in a dissatisfied tone, "an- gustura," and a short time later, an addition seeming in the meantime to have been made to the amount of lifeless coin, which had exchanged hands, " anC/ustura," * # # I heard the slow and heavy step of a man passing at the dead of night in the rear of my tent, and no one responded to my call. * * * And once, three horsemen passed, whom I did not see and who paid not the slightest attention to my address which I am bound to confess was not altogether civil. I did not like to be frightened out of my sleep by unwelcome intruders upon my ground and expressed my objections to this very bluntly. I noted, too, with great alarm that during all this time (from Easter Sunday until after the sixth of June) neither air nor ground gave back an echo, and that sound traveled not at all. When, however, the vaults semed to have been emptied of the embodied souls, which had been called up to take part in this great drama, and who were permitted after their evidence had as it seemed been taken at the forge to walk the earth for a time or to inhabit some other bodies (as was, I cannot but believe the case of the praying Samuel or Miss Malapert, for my saucy little bird was never heard before their loosing or after their housing) there was always the voice of the usher and that of a woman who apparently swept and garnished the tombs for the new occupants, 480 LA GRAN QUIBIRA and many times the voices came from empty rooms from whose depths they resounded. * * * The signals of the watchers varied. And I grew so well ac- customed to the sounds that whether these signals were made by the striking as upon an anvil, the 'click' as of an electric wire, or the striking as of a silver-belled clock, or the unusual cry of some unknown bird, or the successive calls of some strange beast, I would say: "'What begins now will go on for such and such a number of days," as the sounds indicated. That I never failed in my calculations was proof of itself that I was correct in this surmise. And I was still further convinced that I was not meant to see or to hear much of what was passing around and above and beneath me, for these sounds were immediately fol- lowed by that strangely tangible and yet intangible laying on of hands which quieted me into submissive slumber, and I could only speculate upon the possible sights and sounds I thus missed. * * * I was uneasy, too, upon other accounts. It was, as I have said, during the last week in April that the Purcella family visited me, and the old lady told me of an atrocious murder which had been committed at Manzano. A boy of eleven years had been foully murdered and his body mutilated almost beyond recognition, and concealed in the crevice of the rocks and covered over with huge boulders. It was at this time that I began to hear the great bell ring again. I remember that it rang all of the time the Purcella family were upon the ground, and at intervals thereafter, until about three weeks before I left the place. Sometimes it tolled and sometimes it rang merrily. This family was to come through the place a month later upon their way to Arizona, but I never saw or heard from them again. * * * Many things happened, so many and so unaccountable, that I cannot remember the half. One morning I walked over to the place where Dick the Rover had camped, hoping to find some wood, and as I stooped to pick up what I there found I heard a sound like the turning over of a heavy body directly beneath my feet, and an impatient voice said: "Oh dear!" Thinking that I might have been deceived in the exact location of the sound I A MUSICAL MYSTERY 481 thoroughly examined the ground about within hearing distance and called again and again. But no one answered me, and there was no sign of any one about. I have no reason other than those which I have related for thinking that any thing had happened to the dime novel hero, for the letters which I entrusted to his care, or at least one of them, was posted. The severity of the weather gives no clue to the precise date of these occurrences, for although I had arrived at La Gran Quibira late in February, the winter had only come with my coming and stayed far into the month of May. I remember that the cold had driven me to bed before the sun had set, where my waking dreams had at length merged into sleeping ones when the reigning night awoke me to a consciousness of its own surpassing loveliness. I arose at once and went out to give it greeting. The whole earth appeared to have been awakened by the electric touch of the moon, the presiding deity of this perfect night, and was illumined and glorified by the pure white radiance of its light. La Gran Quibira hill had donned a fresh night-robe of fleecy snow which glimmered and glistened in the moonlight, and lay before me the brightest jewel in earth's coronet, this dearest spot of earth to me. The air was cold and crisp with frost. I turned a deaf ear to all the unwelcome sounds around, above and beneath me and fell into pleasing reverie. The be- numbing sting of the cold aroused me from this and drove me again to cover. When warm, I arose in spite of restraining hands, put on an extra petticoat or two, encased my feet in a pair of thick moccasins made of gunny-sacks, wrapped my bed-blanket about me, tied my well-worn bourneous over my head, fastened one end of my leading string to the standard of my tent, and would have started upon a night visit to my beloved ruins, but that the invisible hands laid forcible hold upon me and held me captive. "I will go! I will I will!" I cried, struggling to free myself. ' ' I am not afraid of thee. I am afraid of neither man, beast, nor devil. I am afraid of nothing material or im- material, I am afraid of nothing!" "Battle" from the snake, "Hiss-s-s-s" from the singing spider. ' ' Ugh ! ! " I chocked back the lie with that half shriek for I was most awfully afraid of setting foot upon either, but I 31 482 LA GRAN QUIBIRA still contend that these are the only things I do not set my foot apon with deliberate intent. I taunted my unseen tormentors with the fact that it required the efforts of all creation, material and spiritual, the denizens of earth, heaven and hades, of sea and air and ground combined to restrain the legitimate curiosity of one helpless woman. There was no answer except that given by an added pressure of the hands. Then I quoted scripture to them. I said, " go to ....!" fill- ing out the blank left by the timid translator, and repeated my taunts. There was now no twitter of laughter from my bird watchers, and I awoke to the terrifying consciousness that they had either deserted me or were intimidated into silence by those virulent reptiles. I tried to forget their presence by hearkening once more to the unceasing cries about me, which were less un- welcome. As the voices from beneath the ground called: " ! ! . . !" I said, "It is true that the blood of the murdered Abel cried out from the ground upon which it was spilt until the sound reached the ear of his God. But the name upon which it called was not * ' Jehovah, ' ' it was not ' ' Adonai ! ' ' it was "Cain! Cain! Cain! ,! ! !" until death brought the murderer to his victim that together the ac- cuser and the accused might present themselves at the trial set for such time in the court of the Supreme Judge. And so these voices must cry and cry until death brings their murderer to join them that together they may present themselves before the self-same Judge. I wonder what would have been the result had Cain suffered the capital punishment the coward so dreaded and have been cut off prematurely by the hand of man. The penalty affixed for blood-guiltiness is exile from paradise, what further, who shall say. Blood! how many times had La Gran Quibira hill been steep in human gore none can tell, for who is able to number the countless voices who call without ceasing, the names of their murderers? Blood! the ground is filled with it, the air tainted with it, the heavens why the heavens are dyed in it. Has the moon been turned to blood that its pure white light is splotched with red which brightens into a vivid scarlet, that in turn deepens and darkens into the hue of blood which, spreading, envelopes the whole earth? I would have gone out to meet the horrible thing as I had done to greet the night in its beauty, but that I was again held A MUSICAL MYSTERY 483 fast and bidden not to stir by rattle and hiss and by the ominous silence whose reign was broken by sounds to the east which were those as of the advance of a great army whose heavy tread shook the ground, while the voices of its officers rang out in tones of sharp command. " ... .El noche du sang re!" where was I held captive within hearing while Cortez and his army cut their way through the enemy's ranks, to freedom ? Pshaw ! this is not the light nor the night of blood. There is no phantom parade. That is Greek fire and some night tourna- ment is being held upon the eastern end of my land by some organization which has a love for the romantic That is the stealthy footstep of some living guard set over me to prevent my prying into their secrets. After the drill there were the sounds as of athletic games and contests, then those of the chase with the shouts of men and boys or women mingling with the baying of hounds and, yes, those were the howls of wolves, and the screams of night birds. Then came the sound of the flying feet of the quarry loosed, and ah ! this is a human being who flies for his life before the unleashed hounds and the howling wolves. I am about to utter a shriek when a hand d