The Secret of Casa Grande

by Roy J. Snell

  CHAPTER IV JO ANN'S SECRET QUEST

  According to her promise to take the girls to the market with her,Florence called Peggy and Jo Ann the next morning as soon as she awoke.It was only half-past six, but the sun was already making a geometricpattern across the floor where it shone through the iron bars of thewindow.

  Jo Ann was impatient to start the minute she had finished dressing.Yesterday she had looked forward to the trip only because it would beinteresting, but now she was eager to find a store where she could buythe rope she needed for exploring the mysterious window. She knew that itwould be difficult to make this purchase without Florence's finding outabout it, but if she could only find where to get the rope she couldreturn later, alone, and buy it.

  "Oh, hurry up, Peg," scolded Jo Ann as she stood in the doorway, waiting."You've primped long enough. We're just going to market--no one'll seeyou."

  "But what's the hurry?" calmly inquired Peggy as she patted the waves ofher auburn hair into place. "It wouldn't hurt your appearance any if youspent a little more time primping, as you call it."

  "Well, if I were as fussy as you are----" Jo Ann began; then, leaving thesentence unfinished, she disappeared into the hall. There was no usearguing with Peggy. She just wouldn't hurry--every hair must be in place.

  A few minutes later, when Peggy and Florence joined her in the hall, JoAnn asked with a meaning glance toward Felipe, who was waiting with asplit-cane basket on his arm, "Do we have to take him along?"

  "Why, yes; he always goes with me to carry the basket," explainedFlorence in surprise.

  "I'll carry the basket for you, and we won't need him," Jo Annvolunteered quickly.

  Florence shook her head vigorously. "You're not a servant, Jo. I wouldn'tthink of letting you carry the basket. That would never do."

  "Oh, well--all right, then. Just as you say."

  Although she had smilingly agreed with Florence, she realized that itwould be more difficult to carry out her plan with Felipe along. His keeneyes saw everything.

  "Felipe reminds me of a faithful watchdog," she remarked as they starteddown the stairs. "I'm glad he can't understand English--there's someconsolation in that."

  This would complicate matters considerably, having Felipe along; still,she could not say more about leaving him at home.

  "He's just eager to be of service, that's all," explained Florence.

  "You should've seen him yesterday when he caught me slipping up thestairs. You'd have thought he was a contortionist or something, from allthe motions he went through in trying to tell me the sun was bad for myhead."

  "I can easily imagine how he looked," smiled Florence. "He is comicalwhen he gets excited. I hope you girls don't mind walking," she added asthey reached the street.

  "No, we don't mind, only I won't be responsible for my appetite when weget back," replied Peggy lightly.

  "I think it'll be wonderful to walk this morning," put in Jo Ann. "It'sso cool and pleasant, and we can see more when we walk--not that I don'tlike to ride, of course."

  Although the sun was painting the tops of the buildings with gold, thenarrow tunnel of a street still held the cool freshness of the night. AsJo Ann drew in deep breaths of the invigorating morning air, she wonderedwhat Florence would say if she knew her real reason for wanting to walk.

  Chatting gaily, they strolled arm in arm, while Felipe followed a shortdistance behind.

  All along the way there were many curious, interesting things that caughtboth Peggy's and Jo Ann's attention--peons with trays or baskets eitherbalanced on their heads or set on little portable stands; women squattingon the sidewalks selling flowers and fruits, _tortillas_, _tamales_, andother foods; beggars waiting on every corner trying to rouse the sympathyof the shoppers.

  While the lively, talkative Peggy plied Florence with question afterquestion about the people and their strange customs, Jo Ann had anopportunity to peer into each of the queer little shops they passed. Sheeven stared at all the little stands in the street, almost expecting tosee a rope dangling from one of them, so intent was she upon her search.Even though everything imaginable seemed offered for sale, she foundnothing that in any way resembled a rope.

  "Where do they sell rope in this curious place?" she wondered. If shecould persuade Florence to return home along another street, perhapsshe'd find a store there where she could get it.

  Her perplexing problems were forgotten a moment later as the marketloomed before them. It was a huge old building occupying an entire block.The immense roof was supported by heavy stone columns and broad archeswhich showed signs of having been, at one time, tinted in bright colorsbut now looked dull and faded. The plaster was cracked and soiled, and inplaces great slabs had fallen off, leaving the bare stones exposed.

  "Oh, I love this!" exclaimed Jo Ann. "It's one of the most interestingplaces I've ever seen. The people--their dress--their customs--the veryatmosphere is different. It's hard to realize this is the twentiethcentury when you look around here."

  "Yes, it is very old and much the same as it was centuries ago," repliedFlorence.

  Stalls had been set up in every inch of available space inside thebuilding. Some were piled high with golden tropical fruits--oranges,mangoes, guavas, bananas, pineapples; others were festooned with stringsof onions, garlic, and red chili peppers--all very necessary to add apiquant flavor to the limited fare of the Mexican.

  Slowly they made their way along the narrow, crowded passageways betweenthe stalls, Peggy and Jo Ann stopping every few minutes to questionFlorence about the different things they saw.

  Finally, after glancing at her watch, Florence stopped abruptly andexclaimed, "Gracious! It's after nine o'clock--I'll never get through atthis rate--not if I stop to answer all of Peggy's numerous questions."She laughed and gave Peggy's arm an affectionate pat. "Would you girlslike to wander around and take in the sights while I finish mymarketing?"

  "Yes, we'd love to," promptly answered Jo Ann. "Wouldn't we, Peg?"

  "Yes, indeed!"

  "If you're sure you don't mind being left alone, I'll hurry on. Stay inthis section of the building so I can find you." In a moment Florence andthe faithful Felipe disappeared in the crowd.

  Jo Ann was delighted to be free to carry on her search for a rope withoutfear of being questioned. Although she felt sure that Peggy would enterinto her plans, she decided not to tell her about them just yet.

  Grabbing her by the arm, Jo Ann jostled and pushed their way through thecrowd, up one aisle and down another.

  Suddenly the breathless Peggy halted. "Say--where's the fire?" shescolded. "I can't see a thing, trying to keep up with you. Why the rush?"

  "I'm sorry--I didn't mean to hurry so fast," Jo Ann replied; then,realizing she dared not waste time arguing if she was to accomplish whatshe had started out to do, she added, "Can you keep a secret, Peg?"

  "A secret!" repeated Peggy staring at her in surprise. "Of course Ican--why?"

  "Well, I'm trying to find a shop or a store--or whatever it is--where youbuy rope in this place. You see, all I need is a rope--then I can explorethe mysteries on the other side of that curious window."

  "But why so secretive about----" Peggy stopped abruptly, it having dawnedon her why Jo Ann had acted so strangely all the morning. "So that's whyyou didn't want Felipe along, is it?"

  "Yes, he gets on my nerves. All the way here I could feel his eyes boringinto my back every time I craned my neck to see something."

  "You're imagining things, Jo. It's just your guilty conscience. He'sreally the perfect servant--very quiet and accommodating, but notinquisitive."

  "Maybe you're right--but still I'm glad he's out of the way. Come on,we'll have to hurry, or they'll be back." She caught hold of Peggy's armto keep from getting separated in the crowd, then continued, "Youremember how horrified Florence was yesterday when I mentioned my plan toclimb that scaffold--well, I don't want her to find out what I'm doing.It'd only worry her, and I have no
intention of giving it up."

  A dubious expression crept into Peggy's hazel eyes. "I still think you'refoolish to risk breaking your neck for something no more important than ahole in a wall."

  "You never can tell, though, what might be behind the hole," said Jo Annwith an air of mystery.

  "But, Jo, how're you going to get a rope without Florence's seeing it?It'll make a bulky-looking package, won't it?"

  "If it does, I won't get it now. If we can only find where to buy it, wecan slip back later. You've got to help me get it without Florence's andFelipe's seeing it."

  "Well, all right, I suppose I'll have to do it if you're determined to goon with your plans--but really I feel terrible about doing anythingFlorence doesn't approve of. She and her father've been so lovely to us."

  "But I'm not going to do anything to disgrace them. I wouldn't do thatfor anything. I really feel that they won't object at all after I'vesolved the mystery. Florence is just afraid I might get hurt climbing upon that roof. You know well enough I've done lots more dangerous thingsmany a time."

  Suddenly spying an Indian woman with a basket of exquisite roses, Peggystopped, saying, "Forget about your old rope for a minute, Jo, and helpme buy some of these beautiful roses. Aren't they the most gorgeousthings you've ever seen? Ask her how much they are."

  Jo Ann quickly raked her memory for the proper Spanish words to use inbuying the flowers. "_Cuanto rosas?_" she asked finally.

  While talking rapidly in Spanish, the woman picked up a long-stemmed,beautifully shaped bud of shell-pink color edged with silver, and thenheld up three fingers of her left hand.

  "She says they're three _centavos_ each," explained Jo Ann.

  "Tell her I'll take a dozen."

  "_Un dosena_," she repeated in Spanish.

  "Is that all you do--just add an a to the English words--rose-a, dozen-a?I could do that," laughed Peggy.

  "Don't ever think it's that simple, but there are several Spanish wordswhich are much like the same words in English," Jo Ann explained, feelingquite proud of her superior knowledge.

  As the woman had seldom sold more than three or four flowers at a time,she had great difficulty now in figuring the cost of a dozen. Finally JoAnn offered her assistance, and after arguing for some little time, Peggyreceived her change and the roses, and they started on their way again.

  "Gracious! I feel like a bride with all these flowers," laughed Peggy."Suppose you take half of them."

  "All right--that's the very thing." Jo Ann's eyes sparkled. "If I canonly find the rope now, I can carry the bundle under these flowers, andit won't be noticed."

  A moment later Peggy called to Jo Ann to stop again. "Just look at thesebeautiful blankets! Feel how soft they are and see how beautifully thecolors are blended."

  "Yes, they are lovely. I've heard that they're all hand made by thenatives--that the designs are handed down in the families forgenerations. But, Peg, we haven't time to stop here now."

  "Just look at that blanket hanging over there! It looks like the rainbow,the way the colors are shaded into each other. Don't you love it?"

  On receiving no answer from Jo Ann, Peggy turned around just in time tosee her disappear in the crowd. Quickly she began pushing her way to thespot where she had last seen her.

  "I don't relish the idea of getting lost in this crowd of people whocan't understand a single word I say," she told herself, as she darted inand out among the slow, deliberate Mexicans.

  After looking about in all directions, to her great relief she spied JoAnn standing before an enclosed booth, piled high with baskets,_sombreros_, hand-made chairs, and various other articles. Coming nearershe saw what had attracted Jo Ann's attention--several long coils of ropehanging near the back of the booth.

  "Jo Ann Cutrer, what do you mean by running off like that!" she scolded.

  With only a nod at Peggy, Jo Ann stood gazing at the rope, her foreheadwrinkled in deep thought.

  "Oh dear!" she murmured. "I can't think of the Spanish word for rope.What can it be?"

  "Why don't you add an a to rope as you did before," suggested Peggy,smiling.

  "Rope-a, rope-a," repeated Jo Ann several times; then her facebrightened. "I believe that is the word. I'm sure I've heard that wordbefore."

  Turning to the man in charge of the booth, she repeated in Spanish,"_Cuanto la ropa?_"

  The man looked amazed at first, then stared blankly at her.

  "I want _la ropa_," she repeated impatiently.

  With a shrug of his shoulders, the man shook his head and pointed toanother booth farther down the aisle. The next moment his facebrightened, and, reaching over, he handed her a basket.

  "No--no!" exclaimed Jo Ann, frowning more deeply than ever.

  "Maybe he doesn't understand what you're saying, Jo," Peggy suggested,smiling. "Maybe that's not the right word for rope."

  "Something's wrong, that's certain," Jo Ann replied.

  Turning to the man again, she pointed to the back of the booth behind astack of _sombreros_. "See, I want that rope back there." A broad smilespread over his bronze face as he picked up several of the hats andhanded them to her.

  Jo Ann shook her head vehemently. "No--no."

  Since the only thing left near the hats was the coil of rope hanging on apeg behind them, he handed her the rope.

  "_Si, si_," she replied, and reached over to take the rope from him. "Howmuch is it?" she asked in Spanish.

  As soon as he replied she answered promptly, "_Bien_--I'll take it," andhanded it back to him to be wrapped.

  To her amazement he unfastened the coil and spread the rope out beforeher to show her how long it was, then jerked on it to show its strength.

  "_Si, si_--that's all right, but wrap it up--and hurry, please."

  "He's the slowest person I ever saw," she murmured to Peggy. "I'm afraidFlorence'll find us before I get it wrapped. I hardly think she'll noticeit under these roses, do you?"

  Once more the Mexican handed her the rope without any sign of wrappingand with one long end dangling from the loose coil.

  "Jo, look!" Peggy put in quickly, pointing to the next booth. "They don'twrap their packages here. That's why he didn't understand you."

  "Horrors! I can't carry it this way--what'll I do? I'd like to----" Shestopped suddenly as a familiar voice behind her exclaimed, "Oh, here youare! I've been searching everywhere for you."

  Jo Ann dropped the rope as if it were a hot coal.

  "I was beginning to think you girls were lost," Florence went on.

  "Not lost, just misplaced," put in Peggy quickly to cover Jo Ann'sconfusion.

  "Come on, we'll have to hurry now," Florence urged. "I know Juana's hadbreakfast waiting for us for a long time." She turned and led the way outof the market.

  When they had gone only a few steps, Jo Ann suddenly gave a little gaspand catching Peggy by the arm exclaimed in a low voice, "Gee! I made aridiculous mistake. I've just remembered what the word _ropa_ means--it'sclothes. I was asking the man for clothes! No wonder he couldn'tunderstand what I meant!"