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306 magically a door opened and a swarthy, dark face peeped out, as if to say, "What in the world are you two women doing here?" We took no time to see how he looked; and shaking with alarm, yet convulsed with laughter, we turned hastily from this dark hall to one a little less obscure. The unusual noise and scampering of feet attracted the attention of the occupant of another room, and before we could catch our breath, another door opened and the head of a veritable Apollo looked out. This last apparition was too much, and the floor, polished by the feet of past generations, seemed to give way beneath our own, and we collapsed on its slippery surface. Overcome by imaginary terrors, we calmly awaited our fate. Seeing our alarm and ghost-like paleness, he came forth with the manner characteristic of an accomplished Mexican gentleman, and kindly offered to serve us in any way possible. Madame de C—— quickly explained, in beautiful Spanish, the cause of our fright and consequent flight, and before she had finished he, too, was in the full enjoyment of our unexpected merriment.

Ere we had arisen from our humble position on the floor, we glanced upward at the walls, lined with pictures, where our attention was riveted upon one of them which would of itself have put us to flight. It represented some penitents at confession, while the devil, painted red, pranced around on all fours, evidently angered because these devotees were lost to him.

Our Apollo informed us that he was a law student in one of the colleges, and had chosen a room in El Carmen because of its peculiar quietude. He accompanied us in a deliberate inspection of the time-stained office. It is doubtful, however, if we were in a sufficiently equable frame of mind to contemplate serenely the beauties of the numerous exquisite paintings which adorned the walls. The grand old organ stood mute yet eloquent; its language uttered in the past, its tones never more to be repeated.

When we descended to the ground, the cause of our fears sat unmoved, not having changed his position since we left him, save tipping his hat a little more to one side, while the expression on his