Part 14 (1/2)

At first it was difficult to understand what she said, but gradually the words swam out thickly through her tears, ”Oh, I--I have done a--terrible th-thing--”

A flood of sobs broke through and drowned the rest. Her grandfather laid a gentle hand upon her head.

”There, Pilly dear,” he said. ”Do not cry, and tell me everything. Look up, child, and see. Your old grandfather is better tonight, and soon he will be quite well again. Are you not glad?”

This made Pilar raise her head. Her grandfather was speaking to her just as he had done before he had been taken so ill. It was true then that he was much better tonight.

”Tell me what happened,” he repeated.

And Pilar poured out her whole story.

”We have had no money, dear Grandfather,” she said. ”And I have had to sell everything of value--everything out of my mother's chest of souvenirs.

”The castanets were the last to go. Juan had offered to buy them from me for a great dancing master, and today I was on my way to Juan's shop.

But I--I--stopped in the Murillo Garden--and--and danced--oh!”

”Go on, Pilly dear,” said her grandfather patiently.

”As I was dancing,” she continued, ”a gentleman came up to me and asked to see the--the castanets. When I showed them to him, he said that he would like to buy them. He said that he was the dancing master of whom Juan had spoken.

”Oh, Grandfather, he offered me so much money for them, and I--I--”

”What did you do, Pilly?” asked the old man.

”I could not sell them, Grandfather!” sobbed Pilar. ”I--I could not! I ran away from him. I ran away!”

[Ill.u.s.tration: TRIANA BRIDGE, SEVILLE]

CHAPTER XV

A STRANGER ARRIVES

”Do not cry any more, Pilly,” said her grandfather. ”You have done no harm by keeping the castanets. Perhaps you have done good. I shall tell you why later on. But first let us have our dinner.”

Pilar tried to smile. She brushed away her tears. Her grandfather was actually hungry! Oh, this meant that really and truly he was getting well!

Pilar started toward the kitchen. She had planned such a splendid dinner for tonight, and now they would be obliged to eat beans and drink milk.

If only she could prepare her grandfather's favorite omelet stuffed with creamed fish, or a bowl of stew, made out of chick-peas, garlic, potatoes, sausage, peppers, and cabbage! But--

What was that white thing lying under the door? Pilar stooped down and picked up a letter. It was postmarked ”U.S.A.”

Now very few of Pilar's friends would have known what those initials meant. And even if they had been told, many of them would have shrieked with laughter and cried, ”Only red Indians live there!”

But Pilar's grandfather had been in America long ago, and, of course, her mother had danced there.

The letter came from Antonio Santaella, and that was Tony--Tony, who had lived in Seville as a boy and was now an important merchant in America.

Enclosed in the letter, Pilar found paper bills--money--more money than Pilar and her grandfather had seen in many years!