THE HERETICS. CHAPTER 1. DONA ALICIA AND HER TREASURES. "Thou wilt watch most carefully, Lola, over these two! Do not allow them out of thy sight!" Thus spake the Senora Alicia de Peralta to her maid, who was about to take in charge the little six-year-old twins, Mariana and Frederico. They were to go to the Plaza, where every afternoon gathered a merry crowd; friends to meet, richly-dressed senoritas with their chaperons and novios (lovers) to promenade together, venders of dulces (sweets) and cooling drinks to press the throng, strangers to sit and watch, while, above all, filcated strains of beautiful band music, now soft and low, now free and soul lifting, for the people of Mexico love and make true music. Dona Alicia watched the trio fondly till they disappeared from sight, and well might she be proud of her own, for there were no lovelier children in all the city. She herself was one of the loveliest of women when, as a bride, Don Fernando Peralta had brought her, a few years before, from the Capital City to the new west of Mexico. Hers was the beauty and grace of high-born lineage, and hers the same dark, mournful Moorish eyes for which the women of her native Granada have always been famous. Small wonder, then, that friends had declared they knew apart these lovely baby twins only by their eyes; Mariana's black and shining like stars, the boy Frederico's large and mournful like his mother's, but with such a look of questioning wonder in their depths that she was wont to exclaim as she gathered him in her arms, "Tell me, little son, only speak and tell me what thou wouldst know!" The maid, Lola, too, loved her beautiful charges, but once down in the Plaza, seated under an oleander, her admiring and handsome Antonio by her side, holding her hand and whispering sly words of love in her ear, alas! she forgot the twins and their mother's parting admonition. Frederico was safe, seated near the orchestra, filling his soul with the music that he so loved. Mariana, beautiful in white dress and fluttering ribbons, was flitting from table to stand trying to decide from which of the fruits and dulces to buy. "This way, pretty one! Here is what you want," she heard, and, looking up, saw a woman, head and shoulders enveloped in her rebozo (cotton shawl). Her eyes alone were visible. "Right over here are lovely sugar birds and flowers, too lifelike and sweet to eat, but not too sweet for thee, pretty one." At the same time she took the child by the hand and led her on. It was only a moment's walk across the street, where she lifted the girl into her arms, wrapping about her the rebozo she wore. As Mariana struggled to free herself, the woman told her of lovely things they were soon to see. Once around the corner, she quickened her pace, running and talking the while. Into an alley she turned, and, lifting the door latch, entered a low adobe room. The child began to scream. "Callate ("Keep quiet") was roughly spoken. An inner door was opened and a face peeped in. "Go quickly," spoke the woman, "anl send hither 'El mozo del Diabolo' (the devil's errand boy)." "Mamma, oh, my mamma! ny mamma!" cried the child. Take me to |