"No," he said decidedly, "I could not; I wouldn't even if it were
possible. What would Andres, my friend, think? It would ruin me
here."

"If you had," she admitted, after a little, "as soon as we reached
the street, I would have locked myself about your neck like my crystal
beads. Once when I was supposed to be going with a servant to the sea
baths, I had the quitrin stop at the San Felipe, and I went up the
stair, to the roof, to your room, but you were out. You see, I am a
very evil girl."

He agreed to the extent that she was a very foolish girl. In turn she
studied him carefully.

"You seem to have no heart," she announced finally; "not because you
don't love me, but in affairs generally; but I can tell you a
secret--you have! It's as plain as water. What you think you
are--poof!" She blew across the open palm of her hand.

"I hope not," he returned anxiously. "But you are too young, even if
you are to be married, to know about or to discuss such things. As
Andres' best friend I must caution you--"

"Why did you kiss me?" she interrupted.

He was, now, genuinely sorry that he had, but he replied that it had
been no more than the salute of a brother. "You had better go in," he
continued; "when they realize we are out here there will be a stir,
perhaps you will be put to bed."

"I might make a scandal," she deliberated, "throw myself on you and
cry as loudly as possible." A smile appeared upon her fresh charming
lips at his expression of dismay. "Then you would have to marry me."

"I'd have to spank you," he retorted.

"I shall never speak directly to you again," she concluded; "so you
must remember what I say, that you are not what you'd like to be."

She was, he thought, in spite of her loveliness, a very disagreeable
little girl. That designation, ludicrously inadequate, he forced upon
himself. With a flutter of her skirts she was gone. The afternoon was
so still that he could hear the drilling of soldiers by the shore, the
faint guttural commands and the concerted grounding of muskets.
Narcisa and her unpleasant prediction faded from his mind. Standing on
the balcony he imagined a vast concourse gathered below with upturned
faces, waiting for him to speak. He heard the round periods, the
sonorous Spanish, he delivered, welcoming, in the name of the people,
their newly gained independence, and extending to them the applause
and reassurances of the United States.

"You have won this for yourselves," h