norita Vallois."

"Vallois?" I repeated;--"Vallois? That is a French name."

"No less is it Spanish, senor; though it is in point that my friend Don
Pedro claims descent from French royalty. One can well believe the claim
in the presence of his niece."

"My word to that!" I cried. "She's the most beautiful lady under
heaven!"

"_Santisima Virgen!_" he exclaimed. "You know her?"

"I had the honor of meeting her in my own country."

By a flash of intuition he divined all on the instant. "_Dios!_" he
murmured, and he swept me a wide bow. "A love that could draw a man
across that vast desolation of desert and sierra! Most unjust the fate
that would not requite the deed!"

"You have seen her. Do you wonder that I should have made the venture?"

"Less than a year has passed since I won my own lady," he said. "The
Virgin grant that I may be the one to escort you to Chihuahua! I have
not seen my senora since I marched north, last year."

When a Spaniard opens his heart to you, count on it you have found a
friend. I nodded understandingly.

"Ah, my Dolores! my _nina_!" he sighed.

"But she is yours; you have already won her; while I--!"

He nodded, in turn. "My Dolores writes that every bachelor of Chihuahua,
from the greatest _haciendados_ to the youngest sub-lieutenants, are
suitors for the hand of Senorita Alisanda. Yet take heart. At the last
writing, not even Medina had won recognition from her."

"Medina?" I inquired, full of jealous inquietude.

"Salcedo's favorite aide-de-camp,--a braggadocio fellow."

"Could you not take it upon yourself to hurry me south at once?" I
urged.

"_Poder de Dios!_ I, a soldier, to march without orders? But be assured.
The order will come before many weeks. In the meantime we should
prepare." He looked me over smilingly. "It will never do for you to come
before your lady in this savage costume. Great is my regret that in this
remote village we cannot find you garments after the European mode, yet
there are worse attires than that of a Spanish country gentleman--a
_caballero rusticano_."

Notwithstanding my protests against imposing upon his generosity, he
insisted upon at once conducting me to a man qualified to tailor the
Spanish modes. Within the next fortnight I was completely fitted out _a
la Espanola_ from top to toe. But although it was the first time I had
ever worn the costume, I cannot say that in the company of similarly
attired Spaniards I felt ill at ease in t