e great heroic
deed in thine honor, some deed that shall prove to thee the lawyer's son,
in heart and soul if not in present station, is not unworthy to tell to
thee his love. And--"

"But, Mauro, Mauro _m--mio_!" And with a sob she arose and actually fled
through the shrubbery.

Two days later the betrothal of the Countess Sofia to the Count Leon, the
eldest son and heir to the Duke de Oviedo, was announced by her father.
And that, indeed, was what she had tried but lacked the heart to tell
him--that, wherever her heart might lie, her father had already promised
her hand!

It was a bitter night for Mauro, that of the announcement, and a sad one
for his father. Their conference lasted till near morning. The son
pleaded he must have a life of action and hazard; his country at peace,
he would train for the bull ring.

"Why not the opera, my son?" the thrifty father replied. "Thou hast a
grand tenor voice; indeed the Bishop has asked that thou wilt lead the
choir of the Cathedral. With such a voice thou wouldst have action, see
the world, gain riches, while all the time playing the parts, fighting
the battles of some great historic character."

"But no, father," answered Mauro; "such be no more than sham fights. Not
only must I wear a sword as did the early Lucha-sangres, but I must hear
it ring and ring against that of a worthy foe, feel it steal within the
cover of his guard, see the good blade drip red in fair battle. True,
there be no Moors or French to fight, but what soldier on reddened field
ever took greater odds than a lone _espada_ takes every time he
challenges a fierce Utrera bull? And I swear to thee, _padre mio_,
whatever my calling, I shall ever be heedful of and cherish the motto
that Lucha-sangre swords have always borne: '_No me sacas sin razon; no
me metes sin honor._'" (Do not draw me without good cause; do not sheath
me without honor!)

The less strong-minded of the two, the father yielded, and even furnished
funds sufficient for a year's private tutoring by Frascuelo, then the
greatest _matador_ in all Spain.

Thus the first time Mauro ever appeared before a public assembly was a
chief espada of a cuadrilla of his own, at Valladolid. An apt pupil from
the start, bent upon reaching the highest rank, of extraordinary strength
and activity, utterly fearless but cool headed, a natural general, at the
close of his first _corrida_ he was acclaimed the certain successor of
the great Frasc