f daily with terrible deliberation and
nicety of precision, the same as every woman of flesh and blood would
have done under the circumstances, on the chance of Captain Forest
finding her at home when he came to pay his respects to the Padre as he
had intimated he would do.

The thought of the innumerable dresses possessed by her rival, and the
scantiness of her own wardrobe, composed though it was of the richest
laces, silks and satins in the style of a past era, was something
appalling; enough to turn a stouter heart than hers. And had she been
anything else than an Indian, she would have sat down on the floor of
her room in the midst of her finery and wept copious and bitter tears
like the daughters of Babylon of old. The thought of the old dress which
she had worn on the day of their meeting was not alone mortifying--it
was excruciating. One of those things which we hasten to forget.

_Dios!_ how she must have looked to him in the regal presence of Blanch,
gowned in her stylish traveling costume!

Don Felipe Ramirez would have kissed the dust from off the hem of such
an old garment, but would Captain Forest do the same? She could not
afford to take any more risks with a rival like Blanch in the field.

There is no knowing how long Captain Forest would have remained a silent
spectator of the charming picture she presented, had not her attention
been attracted by the sound of Starlight's hoofs as he began to paw the
ground impatiently. She raised her head from the bush over which she was
bending and turned her gaze in the direction of the gate.

"Oh!" she cried with a little start, silently regarding the Captain for
some moments. Then a smile slowly wreathed her lips and she broke into a
light laugh. Her right hand involuntarily sought her fan which slowly
opened across the lower half of her face and she shot a glance at him
over its rim with an ease and grace which only Spanish women have ever
succeeded in mastering. The effect of this deft bit of coquetry, simple
and natural as were all her actions, was not lost upon the Captain.

"I don't know whether I love you or not," it said plainly as words,
"but henceforth you shall be my slave."

"How long have you been there?" she asked at length, slowly lowering her
fan.

"Only an instant, Senorita," he replied, raising his hat. "I was
wondering," he continued, "whether it would be too much to ask you for
one of those roses? One would not be missed among so many."