ite. This, then, was where she lived.

But she was not alone. Leaning against the balustrade by her side, and
so close to her that he could almost have touched her lips with his,
stood a smart young lieutenant. Earlier in the day he had been
presented to Mansana, who had been informed that he was quartered at
a neighbouring garrison, and that he was generally known by the
_sobriquet_ of "Amorino." And now this young Amorin's eyes were
fastened on hers; their smiling lips moved, but what they said could
not be heard, and it seemed to Mansana as if they were whispering
confidentially: a whispered talk that ran on unceasingly. Mansana felt
the blood stand still at his heart as a sharp pang pricked through him.
He rose and left the _cafe_ and then returned, remembering that he had
not paid for his untasted draught. When he looked up again to the
balcony he was astonished to see that the pair there were engaged in a
kind of struggle. The "Amorino" was evidently and rudely urging his
advances upon the girl, and she kept him back, crimsoned with blushes.
Her figure quivered with the agitation of the contest, her face glowed
with excitement. The young officer's insolent advances were evidently
provoking a tumult of resistance. Who had permitted this marauder to
enter the fold? Where was Amanda's father?

CHAPTER X

The next morning Mansana took care to be earlier than usual at the
trysting-place; but his two friends had also arrived before their
accustomed time, as though they, as well as he, found pleasure in these
meetings, and were anxious to make the most of them, especially now
when only two more such opportunities were possible.

Mansana forced himself to go through the inevitable political
preliminaries with the old man; then turning suddenly to Amanda,
changed the conversation by asking brusquely, "With whom were you
disputing on the balcony last evening?"

By way of answer her cheeks flushed with a bright, charming colour, as,
in a manner peculiar to herself, she stole a sidelong glance into
Mansana's face from underneath her lowered lids. Seeing her blushes,
and little knowing how easily and quickly a young girl's colour comes
and goes, Mansana's own cheeks grew pale. This frightened her; and as
he saw this, he once again misinterpreted the meaning of her fear.

The girl's father, who had in the meanwhile been looking on in
open-mouthed surprise, broke the silence by exclaim