The Valiant Runaways [30]
a court in which a fountain splashed among ferns and
little orange-trees. It was the house of a grandee, but there was none
like it in the neighbourhood of the Rancho de los Palos Verdes.
He waited with what patience he could muster until his open door should
attract attention, listening to the murmur of the fountain, inhaling the
fragrance of orange and magnolia, wondering if Adan, too, were safe,
angrily resenting his weakness.
The door cautiously opened wide, and a woman, stout, brown, but of
exceeding grace and elegance, entered and bent over him.
"Good-day, senora," said Roldan, politely. "I am very hungry. Where am
I? And is Adan here?"
The lady smiled and patted his cheek with a shapely and flashing hand.
"He is well and sleeping, my son, and you are both in the Casa of Don
Tiburcio Carillo, of the Rancho Encarnarcion, in a great valley many,
many leagues from the Sierras and the snow--Madre de dios! Pobrecitos!
So cold you must have been, so frightened--and you the sons of great
rancheros, no?"
Roldan modestly named his fortunate status, then sat up and kissed her
hand, as he had seen his gallant brothers kiss the hands of lovely young
donas. The lady looked much pleased and drew a chair beside the bed.
Roldan wondered if he should ever satisfy his raging appetite, but was
too polite to mention the subject again, and determined to satisfy his
curiosity instead.
"Senora, tell me how we came here," he asked. "My head will burst until
I know."
"Our bell mare, the most valuable on our rancho, strayed far the day
before yesterday. All that day and the next six vaqueros looked for her.
One traced her to the Sierras and went on in spite of the storm. He
found her, and, just afterward--you. He thought you were dead, but
poured aguardiente down your throats. You swallowed but did not awaken,
although he shook you and pounded you. Then he strapped your friend--
Adan, no? upon the back of Lolita, took you in his arms, and galloped
for home--you were almost at the foot of the mountain. Ay! but I was
frightened when you came. Gracias a dios that you are well and not
frozen. Bueno, I go to send you a good breakfast. Hasta luego."
She went out, and Roldan lay wondering if the breakfast were already
cooked. The door opened again. Roldan sat up. But it was Adan. He wore a
long nightgown and dug his knuckles into his eyes. His knees, too, were
shaky.
"Hist, Roldan," he whispered loudly. "Are you there, or do I dream?"
"Come into my bed and have breakfast--breakfast, Adan!"
Adan gathered his remaining energies, bolted across the room, and
climbed into bed.
"Dios de mi alma, Roldan," he gasped. "Where are we, and why are we
sweltered like sick babies? This is a fine place. Ay! may I never see
snow nor a redwood again!"
Roldan told what he knew of the beginning of their new chapter, and soon
after he finished two Indian servants entered with trays, set them on
the bed, and retired.
"Ay! this looks like home," cried Adan, almost in tears. "Chocolate!
Tortillas! Chicken with yellow rice!" He crossed himself fervently and
attacked the fragrant meal.
It was not a large breakfast, for it was many hours since they had eaten
before; they left not a grain of rice nor a shred on a bone. But half-
satisfied, although very comfortable, they made up their minds to dress.
On the chair was a complete outfit, suitable for a young don. Roldan
concluded it had been thoughtfully placed at his disposal that he might
not appear in the sala of Casa Carillo garbed like a coyote. How he
hated the memory of that ugly and infested garment.
"I, too, have a silk jacket and breeches by my bed," said Adan, "and a
lace shirt and silk stockings, and shoes with buckles. There must be
those of our age in the Casa Carillo, my friend. Bueno! I go to make a
caballero of myself. Hasta luego."
He opened the door and peered out, then ran hastily down the corridor to
his room. Who knew but there might be girls at the Casa Carillo?
Horrible thought!
The boys met a half hour
little orange-trees. It was the house of a grandee, but there was none
like it in the neighbourhood of the Rancho de los Palos Verdes.
He waited with what patience he could muster until his open door should
attract attention, listening to the murmur of the fountain, inhaling the
fragrance of orange and magnolia, wondering if Adan, too, were safe,
angrily resenting his weakness.
The door cautiously opened wide, and a woman, stout, brown, but of
exceeding grace and elegance, entered and bent over him.
"Good-day, senora," said Roldan, politely. "I am very hungry. Where am
I? And is Adan here?"
The lady smiled and patted his cheek with a shapely and flashing hand.
"He is well and sleeping, my son, and you are both in the Casa of Don
Tiburcio Carillo, of the Rancho Encarnarcion, in a great valley many,
many leagues from the Sierras and the snow--Madre de dios! Pobrecitos!
So cold you must have been, so frightened--and you the sons of great
rancheros, no?"
Roldan modestly named his fortunate status, then sat up and kissed her
hand, as he had seen his gallant brothers kiss the hands of lovely young
donas. The lady looked much pleased and drew a chair beside the bed.
Roldan wondered if he should ever satisfy his raging appetite, but was
too polite to mention the subject again, and determined to satisfy his
curiosity instead.
"Senora, tell me how we came here," he asked. "My head will burst until
I know."
"Our bell mare, the most valuable on our rancho, strayed far the day
before yesterday. All that day and the next six vaqueros looked for her.
One traced her to the Sierras and went on in spite of the storm. He
found her, and, just afterward--you. He thought you were dead, but
poured aguardiente down your throats. You swallowed but did not awaken,
although he shook you and pounded you. Then he strapped your friend--
Adan, no? upon the back of Lolita, took you in his arms, and galloped
for home--you were almost at the foot of the mountain. Ay! but I was
frightened when you came. Gracias a dios that you are well and not
frozen. Bueno, I go to send you a good breakfast. Hasta luego."
She went out, and Roldan lay wondering if the breakfast were already
cooked. The door opened again. Roldan sat up. But it was Adan. He wore a
long nightgown and dug his knuckles into his eyes. His knees, too, were
shaky.
"Hist, Roldan," he whispered loudly. "Are you there, or do I dream?"
"Come into my bed and have breakfast--breakfast, Adan!"
Adan gathered his remaining energies, bolted across the room, and
climbed into bed.
"Dios de mi alma, Roldan," he gasped. "Where are we, and why are we
sweltered like sick babies? This is a fine place. Ay! may I never see
snow nor a redwood again!"
Roldan told what he knew of the beginning of their new chapter, and soon
after he finished two Indian servants entered with trays, set them on
the bed, and retired.
"Ay! this looks like home," cried Adan, almost in tears. "Chocolate!
Tortillas! Chicken with yellow rice!" He crossed himself fervently and
attacked the fragrant meal.
It was not a large breakfast, for it was many hours since they had eaten
before; they left not a grain of rice nor a shred on a bone. But half-
satisfied, although very comfortable, they made up their minds to dress.
On the chair was a complete outfit, suitable for a young don. Roldan
concluded it had been thoughtfully placed at his disposal that he might
not appear in the sala of Casa Carillo garbed like a coyote. How he
hated the memory of that ugly and infested garment.
"I, too, have a silk jacket and breeches by my bed," said Adan, "and a
lace shirt and silk stockings, and shoes with buckles. There must be
those of our age in the Casa Carillo, my friend. Bueno! I go to make a
caballero of myself. Hasta luego."
He opened the door and peered out, then ran hastily down the corridor to
his room. Who knew but there might be girls at the Casa Carillo?
Horrible thought!
The boys met a half hour