reappeared in the middle of the room, wearing a
beautiful silk dress covered with exquisite lace.

"You forgot the stockings," Blondie shouted, shaking with laughter.
Quail's girl also burst out laughing. But War Paint did not care. She
shrugged her shoulders indifferently, sat down on the floor, kicked off
her white satin slippers, and wiggled her toes happily, giving their
muscles a freedom welcome after their tight confinement in the
slippers. She said:

"Hey, you, Pancracio, go and get me my blue stockings ... they're with
the rest of my plunder."

Soldiers and their friends, companions and veterans of other campaigns,
began to enter in groups of twos and threes. Demetrio, growing excited,
began to narrate in detail his most notable feats of arms.

"What the hell is that noise?" he asked in surprise as he heard string
and brass instruments tuning up in the patio.

"General Demetrio Macias," Luis Cervantes said solemnly, "it's a
banquet all of your old friends and followers are giving in your honor
to celebrate your victory at Zacatecas and your well-merited promotion
to the rank of general!"

III

"General Macias, I want you to meet my future wife," Luis Cervantes
said with great emphasis as he led a beautiful girl into the dining
room.

They all turned to look at her. Her large blue eyes grew wide in
wonder. She was barely fourteen. Her skin was like a rose, soft, pink,
fresh; her hair was very fair; the expression in her eyes was partly
impish curiosity, partly a vague childish fear. Perceiving that
Demetrio eyed her like a beast of prey, Luis Cervantes congratulated
himself.

They made room for her between Luis Cervantes and Blondie, opposite
Demetrio.

Bottles of tequila, dishes of cut glass, bowls, porcelains and vases
lay scattered over the table indiscriminately. Meco, carrying a box of
beer upon his shoulders, came in cursing and sweating.

"You don't know this fellow Blondie yet," said War Paint, noticing the
persistent glances he was casting at Luis Cervantes' bride. "He's a
smart fellow, I can tell you, and he never misses a trick." She gazed
at him lecherously, adding:

"That's why I don't like to see him close, even on a photograph!"

The orchestra struck up a raucous march as though they were playing at
a bullfight. The soldiers roared with joy.

"What fine tripe, General; I swear I haven't tasted the like of it in
all my life," Blondie said, as he began to reminisce about "El Mo