War,
to whom I had been introduced on the day of my arrival by Senator Adair.
His curt nod of recognition forestalled an introduction by Mr.
Jefferson, and the senor's account proceeded to the end without
interruption.

Mr. Jefferson and Colonel Burr were alike pleased to give the senor
close attention. The former was first to make his comment,--"A friendly
deed, and one seldom met with nowadays."

Colonel Burr was not content so to spare my modesty.

"Friendly!" he exclaimed, "friendly! Gallant is the word, sir! We read
of Raleigh spreading his cloak for a queen. Here is an American
gentleman who plunges into the mire to pry out a lady's coach, an act by
far the more gallant!" He faced about to give me a knowing smile. "You
saw the lady beckoning from the carriage window, and, of course, beauty
in distress--"

"_Santisima Virgen!_ My niece beckon to a stranger in the highway!"
protested Senor Vallois, in a tone that would have compelled a far
duller man than Colonel Burr to realize his mistake.

"Your pardon, senor!" he hastened to explain. "A mere figure of speech.
I infer that the lady looked out, and Dr. Robinson, chancing to see
her--"

"No, no, Colonel!" I broke in. "I cannot lay claim to the gallantry with
which you would credit me. It was the needless lashing of the horses
which prompted me to the action."

"The more credit to your kindliness, sir," remarked Mr. Jefferson, with
a heartiness which added to my embarrassment. The nod of assent and warm
glance of General Dearborn in part consoled me for the stress of the
situation.

Whether the grave look of Senor Vallois indicated approval or
disapproval of my disclaimer of gallantry I could not tell. But Colonel
Burr was open in his protest.

"What! what!" he cried. "Is this the manner of the coming generation?
Have romance and gallantry fled with the peruke?"

He looked from my loose, unpowdered curls to the Spaniard's costly wig.

"Youth will have its day," said General Dearborn, offering him his
snuff-box. Mr. Burr took a pinch with the affected elegance of a beau.
The dose was of such strength that the sneeze which followed flapped the
Colonel's queue and lifted a cloud of powder from his hair. The
President, Senor Vallois, and myself having in turn declined the box,
General Dearborn complemented the Colonel with a sneeze that stirred his
own thin queue and powder.

Mr. Jefferson made some remark commending the growing simplicity of
fashion w