THE HARLEQUIN OPAL A ROMANCE BY FERGUS HUME _Author of "The Island of Fantasy," "Aladdin in London," etc._ VOLUME III Once a realm of Indian glory, Famed in Aztec song and story, Fabled by Tradition hoary As an earthly Paradise; Now a land of love romances, Serenades, bolero dances, Looks of scorn, adoring glances, Under burning tropic skies. LONDON W. H. ALLEN & CO., LIMITED 13, WATERLOO PLACE, S.W. 1893 WYMAN AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON AND REDHILL. PROEM. The stone had its birth in the nurturing earth, Its home in the heart of the main, From the coraline caves it was tossed by the waves On the breast of an aureate plain; And the spirits who dwell in the nethermost hell Stored fire in its bosom of white; The sylphs of the air made it gracious and fair With the blue of the firmament's height. The dull gnomes I ween, gave it glittering sheen, Till yellow as gold it became; The nymphs of the sea made the opal to be A beacon of emerald flame. The many tints glow, they come and they go At bidding of spirits abhorr'd, When one ray is bright, in the bosom of white, Its hue tells the fate of its lord. For yellow hints wealth, and blue meaneth health, While green forbodes passing of gloom, But beware of the red, 'tis an omen of dread, Portending disaster and doom. Transcriber's Note: Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as printed. Words printed in italics are noted with underscores: _italics_. The cover of this ebook was created by the transcriber and is hereby placed in the public domain. INDEX. CHAP PAGE I.--WITHIN THE WALLS 1 II.--THE FALL OF JANJALLA 22 III.--THE FLIGHT TO TLATONAC 44 IV.--EXIT DON FRANCISCO GOMEZ 60 V.--THE INDIAN RAID 76 VI.--THE LUCK OF THE OPAL 96 VII.--UNDER THE OPAL FLAG 113 VIII.--THE BATTLE OF CENTEOTL 131 IX.--THE TRIUMPH OF THE REPUBLIC 154 X.--THE CANON ROAD 167 XI.--THE DESTINY OF THE OPAL 191 XII.--FAREWELL, TLATONAC! 219 THE HARLEQUIN OPAL. CHAPTER I. WITHIN THE WALLS. Circle of stone, Circle of steel, Loyalists true, Pent up in battle belts twain; Yet we, alone, Doubly feel, That with our few, We shall a victory gain.