The reputation of the Misses Credell's Young Ladies' Seminary was
international and the halo of its history was sanctified by time. It
was founded by the grandmother of the estimable sisters, one of the
foremost educators of her day, and one who took up the profession of
teaching through love for it, since her wealth made her independent
for life.
At the period when the institution rises before us, its students
represented the four quarters of the globe. There were young women
fitting for the missionary field in India and China; the daughters of
eminent financiers in England, Germany, France and Spain, those whose
parents' influence was felt in distant climes, including several from
the revolution-pestered republics of South America.
Manuela Estacardo was the only child of the deceased sister of
President Pedro Yozarro, Dictator of Atlamalco. She was a brilliant
daughter of the tropics, gifted in mind and person, with the midnight
eyes and hair, the dark complexion, classical features, small white
teeth and faultless form rarely seen except in the fervid sunlight of
the low latitudes. Positive and negative electricity draw together,
which perhaps explains why the two most devoted intimates at the
seminary were Senorita Estacardo and Warrenia Rowland. The latter was
a true product of the North, with blue eyes, pink skin, hair like the
floss of the ripening corn, and a figure as perfect as her sister's of
the South, while the mental gifts in one were equalled in the other.
The friendship of these two began with their first meeting, and
continued unrippled to the sad day of gladness when they were
graduated. Manuela spent most of her vacations in the home of Warrenia
in California, and the promise had been solemnly given by the latter
that she would visit her friend after her return to her distant home
under the equator. The story of this sweet comradeship cannot be told
in a fractional part of its fulness. To prevent any misunderstanding,
however, on the part of the reader, let it be known that though Major
Jack Starland and the Senorita were often together, and they became
the warmest of friends, there never was and there never could be any
tenderer feeling between them. And this was true for the best of
reasons: the dark-eyed Senorita had pledged her heart to a certain
young officer of her own country. Both were as loyal in their
affections as is the magnet to the pole and there was no possible room
for complications.
When Mr. Starland presented the handsome yacht to his son Jack,
neither he nor his partner Mr. Rowland dreamed of the strange
consequences that were to follow. Jack resigned his commission in the
army, his yacht, which he had named the Warrenia, in honor of his
"sister," was returned to him with the thanks of the United States
government, and he was then ready to carry out the stipulation of his
father, that he should bring the craft around Cape Horn to San
Francisco. Her usefulness when in the naval service, required her
presence in the Atlantic, but she was now free to go whither her owner
willed. Thus the perilous voyage had been postponed for a few years.
Manuela Estacardo had returned to her home in tropical America, and
she and her dearest friend, Warrenia Rowland, were never laggard in
their correspondence. The South American insisted that Warrenia should
make her long-promised visit, and the daughter of the North was eager
to do so. The journey, however, was so long and difficult that no
practicable way presented itself until in a twinkling, as may be said,
the path was cleared by the decision of Major Starland to double Cape
Horn with his yacht.
What was to prevent his taking Warrenia as a passenger, ascend the
Amazon to the home of Manuela and pay that cherished visit? The plan
was so simple that every one to whom it was mentioned wondered why it
was not thought of before. Aunt Cynthia would accompany her niece as
chaperon, and the pause would cause little delay in the voyage. What
matter if it did, for time was of no special consequence, and a few
weeks, one way or the other, were not worth taking into account.
When Mr. Rowland proposed to his partner that a condition of the gift
of the yacht to his son ought to be the severe test of a voyage under
the latter's direction around Cape Horn, he never imagined that his
daughter was to share the danger. But he could not ask that the young
man of whom he was so fond should be compelled to face a peril of that
nature in which he would refuse his daughter a share. It cost him a
pang to yield, but he did so without murmur, and fondly kissed her
good bye, with never a thought of the remarkable experience she would
be called upon to pass through.
As for good Aunt Cynthia, she was wholly ignorant of what in the most
favorable circumstances was inevitable. The smothering temperature,
the plague of insect life and the actual dangers from the character of
the natives themselves, were wholly unknown and unsuspected by her.
Had she understood one-half the truth, not even her love for her niece
would have impelled her to leave her comfortable home, nor would she
ever have given her consent that Warrenia should engage in any such
wild, foolhardy undertaking. But Aunt Cynthia's education had been of
the early fashionable kind, which furnished only the smallest modicum
of knowledge. You may be sure that the younger ones, who knew a good
deal more about the country and the people, took care not to enlighten
her when they answered her numerous inquiries.
However, all was satisfactorily arranged and Senorita Estacardo was
thrown into transports of delight by the receipt of a letter saying
that by the time it reached the young woman, a Miss Rowland would be
out on the ocean in the charge of their old friend, Major Jack
Starland, and well on their way to the home of the Senorita, where
they intended to make a good long visit, before resuming their long
voyage around the southern point of the continent and then up the
western coast to San Francisco.
Ascending the mighty Amazon to the mouth of the Rio Rubio, known also
as the Forked River, the yacht reached the home of Senorita Estacardo,
who, it need not be said, gave the most joyous welcome to the girl
whom she loved more than any one else in the wide world.
Before reaching its present destination, the _Warrenia_ came to the
little republic of Zalapata, where a pause was made for two or three
days, during which the Major and the young ladies called upon General
Bambos, the President and Dictator, who treated them with the utmost
consideration. Later, he became the guest of Major Starland on the
yacht, upon which he spent most of his time while the Americans lay
off that quaint town. The susceptible heart of the bulky South
American crackled into flame on the first sight of the northern
beauty, though he smothered the secret so well that none except the
young woman herself suspected it and with her it was scarcely more
than a suspicion.
From Zalapata the yacht steamed to Atlamalco, the home of Manuela
Estacardo. There the party was received by the other impressionable
type of the tropics, General Pedro Yozarro, who left nothing undone to
make their visit pleasant in the highest degree. The novelty of her
experience was its chief enjoyment to Miss Rowland, who found a thrill
in the life, with its conditions the opposite of those to which she
had always been accustomed. She and her aunt were received into the
household of General Yozarro, who immediately became their humble
slave. Since the death of his wife and sister, the latter taking place
shortly after the return of his niece, Manuela, the latter had been
the head of the household and its retinue of servants.
The Senorita had been told the agreement between Major Starland and
Miss Rowland, which was that during their visit to this part of the
world, they were to be known as brother and sister. She was to be
addressed as Miss Warrenia Starland. Her hostess faithfully carried
out the wishes of her friend.
"It was Jack's proposition," explained Warrenia; "he seems never able
to get over that absurd fancy of his boyhood that we are really
brother and sister, when in fact we do not bear the slightest relation
to each other. I wanted him to use my name, but he is so stubborn he
wouldn't agree to it. You know there is some similarity in our names,
but he said it would be much more convenient for me to take his."
"There are several good reasons why you should do so," said the
Senorita with a meaning smile; "one of which is that you will grow
accustomed to it."
"But what advantage is there in that?"
"It will come easier when you _do_ make the change."
"I can't pretend to misunderstand you, but I am sure that will never
take place; neither Jack nor I has such a thought."
"How do you know what his thoughts are?"
"Would he not have told me long ago?"
"Hasn't he done so?"
"Not so much as by a hint. It has really been as brother and sister
between us. He has always accepted that relation and so have I."
"You give no reason why it should not soon assume a tenderer and
closer nature; I believe it will; I shall be delighted."
"Ah, my dear Manuela, I know your heart, but we of the North do not
make love as you of the tropics. One of these days, Jack will meet the
right woman."
"I believe he met her years ago."
"Meaning me, but you are mistaken."
"How is it with _you_?"
"I am still heart free. I won't deny that I have met one or two with
whom I was pleased, but it was nothing more."
"Because your love has gone elsewhere; it went long ago; you may think
I am mistaken, my darling Warrenia, but you will soon find I am not."
Then both laughed, kissed and talked of other things.