il leading into the
Rubio Mountains. They were on their way to _Castillo Descanso_, which
had been the cause of much fighting between the republics, and which
had finally fallen into the possession of the Dictator of Atlamalco.
It was a considerable way in the mountains and stood upon an elevation
that brought it out in clear view from the capital.

"It is fully three centuries old," explained Senorita Estacardo to her
friend, "and is unlike anything I have ever seen in this part of the
world. I suppose there are plenty of similar buildings along the Rhine
and perhaps on your own Hudson, which has been called the Rhine of
America."

"How came it to be built?"

"I can only repeat the legends that have come down to us. Some great
pirate or general of Spain or Portugal--I don't know which--came up
the river in quest of gold mines of which he had heard stories from
the natives. You know that the first Spaniards who crossed the ocean
to our continent cared more for gold than any or everything else, and
stopped at no crimes to obtain it."

"That was the case with many other nations."

"Well, this buccaneer landed his crew here and tramped inland to the
mountains, where the gold was reported to be. He took with him several
hundred native prisoners to work the mines. He is said to have been
very successful, and while his slaves were digging in the mountains,
he set many others to work building him a home.

"Oh, there was no element of romance lacking, for he brought with him
a young and beautiful bride and it was for her that the Castle was
built. He must have learned from Columbus, Balboa, Pizarro and the
other early explorers that the worm sometimes turns and that it was
wise for him to make his position safe against any revolt of the
Indians. So the house which you are about to visit was put up. It is
of solid stone and three stories high,--something almost unknown in an
earthquake country like ours."

"But what became of this fine old gentleman?"

"I declare I forgot that. He lived there for years and then found that
the danger against which he had made such full preparations was not
the one that threatened him. The natives did not revolt, though why
they did not I do not understand, for he treated them like beasts of
burden and killed many in mere wantonness. It was his own men who rose
against him. They had gathered a great deal of gold, but grew
homesick. They hated the country and begged him again and again to