CHAPTER XVII THE SENOR'S STORY
In the days that followed the discovery of the papers and jewels thegirls were all impatience to hear from Senor Rodriguez. Jo Ann especiallywas restless. Always she had disliked inaction, and now she wanted tofind out everything "right straight away." She failed to realize that theSenor was having to search through scores of old city records forinformation, and that, like a true Spaniard, he wasthorough--painstakingly accurate in every detail.
Again and again the three girls talked over that eventful night and theunanswered questions--Why had those things been hidden in thatunderground room? Why had no one found them before? To whom did theybelong?
"Since we found those things under the church, they probably belong tothe church," Jo Ann declared thoughtfully one morning in one of thesediscussions. Her eyes suddenly began to shine as she added, "I know whatI wish they'd do if the jewels belong to them--sell them and take themoney to restore that part of the building that's in ruins. The peopleare too poor to have it repaired. Such an old historic building ought notto be allowed to fall into decay. Then, if there were any money leftafter the repairing was done, it could be used for a special relief fundfor the poor people."
"Those are both fine ideas," approved Florence.
"I wish I had enough money to buy that lovely filigree necklace, if thejewels are sold," put in Peggy. Her face lengthened. "I know, though,it'd be more expensive than I could afford."
"I'd love to have that beautiful opal ring," spoke up Jo Ann wistfully.
Florence half sighed as she added, "That bracelet with my birthstone andthe tiny diamonds was so attractive."
To the girls' delight at lunch that day Dr. Blackwell announced that atfour o'clock Senor Rodriguez was coming over to tell them what he hadfound out about the records and jewels.
"My, but I'm glad!" exclaimed Jo Ann. "I was beginning to think he'dnever come."
By half-past three the girls were waiting eagerly in Dr. Blackwell'soffice for the Senor's coming. Peggy and Florence chatted gaily with Dr.Blackwell, but Jo Ann kept glancing nervously at her watch. She felt thatthis was one of the most important events in her whole life. If only shecould be instrumental in restoring that old church--that would bewonderful!
At last voices were heard in the hall, and Felipe ushered in SenorRodriguez and, to their surprise, Padre Ignacio.
As soon as greetings had been exchanged, Senor Rodriguez placed theyellowed papers on the table and beside them the jewel box, which nolonger was black, but bright and shining.
"Why, the box is silver!" thought Jo Ann, amazed, "He's had it polishedtill it's beautiful."
Senor Rodriguez was all lawyer now--dignified and formal. "My dear youngladies, I haf de honor of congratulate you on de wonderful discovery youhaf made," he began in his broken English, bowing to each of the girls."Dese are ver' valuable papers which you haf found--ver' valuable to decity, ver' valuable to de church and to my family," he added, smiling.
The girls smiled back happily. They didn't understand all that he wastalking about or why they should receive so much praise, but evidentlytheir discovery was more important than they had realized.
He then went on to explain how, after searching through the archives ofthe city, studying old records, and checking names and dates, he feltthat he could give some authentic information about the papers.
They were records dating before 1846 of some of the oldest most prominentfamilies of the city. Several of the older inhabitants with whom he hadtalked remembered having heard their parents tell of the exciting timeswhen the city had been besieged by the American forces under GeneralZachary Taylor. As soon as they had realized they could hold out nolonger against the Americans, they had hidden their most valuablepossessions, of which only a small part had ever been recovered. Tales ofvast treasures hidden under the city had been handed down from generationto generation, but few of them seemed to have any foundation.
"Dis General Guerrero whose name you see on dis paper," continued theSenor, picking up one of the papers, "was de fadder of my esteemedgran'fadder. Dey are de records of de families of Guerrero and Rodriguezbefore 1846. Finding dem will clear de titles to some ver' valuableproperty which belong to my family."
"Oh, senor, I'm so glad!" exclaimed Florence.
"We are, too, aren't we, Peggy?" added Jo Ann.
The Senor went on to say that when he showed the jewels and papers to hisgrandmother, she recalled a story told to her in her childhood by hermother just before she died. According to this story her husband, GeneralGuerrero, at the time of the siege, had given her some important paperswhich he had told her to guard above everything. When the general hadrealized that the city could no longer hold out, he had sent a messengerwith a hastily written note telling her to send those valuable papers andtheir jewels to him by this man. She had reluctantly handed the papersand jewels to the messenger, but that was the last she had ever heard orseen of them. As the general had been killed that same day, she supposedthe things had been either lost or stolen. For that reason no effort wasever made to recover them.
"And dese are de papers dat were lost," finished the Senor. "How ver'fortunate it is dat you find dem!"
"But how could they have ever got in that secret underground room?" askedFlorence.
Senor Rodriguez shook his head. "Dat I do not know. I t'ink perhapssomeone carry dem to de _padre_, and he hide dem along wid odder valuablet'ings which had been sent to him. De tunnels under de church had beenused for carrying reinforcements and food to de army at de outskirts ofde city. Dat is why dey could hold out so long against de Americanforces."
"No wonder we couldn't find the other end of the tunnel!" exclaimed JoAnn. "It must be several miles long." She turned to Senor Rodriguez. "Dothe jewels belong to your family, too?"
"Ah, dat I do not know. Some of dem I t'ink belong to my family, but itis impossible to be sure. My gran'modder say she sure dis littlering--dis little ring you admire so much, Mees Jo--was her Gran'modderGuerrero's ring."
He went on to explain how, since they had no way of finding exactly towhom the jewels had belonged, they had decided it would be better toreturn them to the church, as it had been very poor for years.
"Oh, senor!" exclaimed Jo Ann, her eyes shining. "Will there be enoughmoney then to repair that old ruined part of the church? I think an oldhistoric building like that ought to be restored."
The Senor smiled approvingly. "Dat is a ver' good plan, Mees Jo. De_padre_ and I haf already discuss dat." He went on to add that the jewelsalone would not be sufficient to furnish funds for the restoring of thebuilding, but that some of the old papers cleared up titles to valuableproperty belonging to the church, and that from this property enoughcould be secured for that purpose.
"I'm so glad you're going to do that!" rejoiced Jo Ann. "That old churchhas held a fascination for me from the first time I saw it. To think thatwe girls will have a part in restoring it--that is wonderful!"
"And they can use those beautiful candelabra we found," put in Florence.
"When they restore that part of the building, they'll open the passage tothose underground rooms, and it'll be easy to get the candelabra outthen," said Jo Ann. She turned to the Senor and the _padre_. "You mightfind more valuable things down there--we didn't search thoroughly." Shestopped a moment, then added, "Won't there be enough money to help thosepoor people who attend the church?"
Senor Rodriguez nodded. "We hope so--we want ver' much to do that." Heturned and translated Jo Ann's words to the _padre_, who also noddedapprovingly. "Padre Ignacio and I are ver' happy dat you young ladies areso much interes' in our people," the Senor added then, "and we would liketo do somet'ing to show you how much we appreciate what you hafdone--so--we haf decide to give you each what you like best of dejewels."
The girls exchanged swift glances of surprise.
He poured out the jewels on the table. "I believe Mees Peggy like disnecklace--is it not so?" He h
anded her the filigree necklace she hadadmired so much.
"Oh, senor!" gasped Peggy, staring wide-eyed at the bit of loveliness inher hands. "You mean this is really mine?"
"_Si_, Mees Peggy. It is wid much pleasure dat I present it to you."
"And, Mees Florencita, did you not say you like dis bracelet?" He placedthe jewel-set bracelet in her hands.
"Oh, but senor, that is too valuable to give to me," protested Florence.
"No--no," he replied, patting her on the shoulder. "It is of no valuecompare to what you haf done for us."
"And now, Mees Jo, will you please to come here one moment?"
With cheeks flushed from excitement Jo Ann rose from her chair and cameover to the Senor's side.
"To you, my most estimable friend," he began, "you who haf been so muchinteres' in our city--in de history of our country, and who--how do yousay it?--ah, figure t'ings out--who haf accomplis' somet'ing dat seemimpossible and restore to us dese ver' valuable papers, we want to givedis token of appreciation--dis little ring." He held up the beautifulopal and diamond ring that Jo Ann had selected as her favorite of all thejewels. "I t'ink that this once belonged to my great-great-gran'modder."
Jo Ann's eyes shone starlike. "It's beautiful--beautiful--but it's such avaluable heirloom--to give to me."
"Because it is an heirloom, I want all de more to give it to you, myfriend." The Senor smiled warmly over at her. "Let me put it on yourfinger."
All happiness, Jo Ann held out her right hand, and the Senor slipped thering on her third finger with all the dignity of a ceremonial. With equaldignity she bowed and said slowly, "I thank you very much for thiswonderful gift and for the honor of wearing your ancestor's ring."
THE END
Transcriber's Notes
--Copyright notice provided as in the original--this e-text is public domain in the country of publication.
--Added a list of the Mexican Mystery Series.
--Added a Table of Contents.
--Silently corrected palpable typos; left non-standard spellings and dialect unchanged.
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