purple satin skirt just
revealed the point of a dainty white satin shoe. It was plaited low on
the hips, and girded loosely with a brightly striped scarf. The head
and upper part of the person were shrouded in a close hood of elastic
black silk webbing, fastened behind at the waist, and held over the
face by the hand, which just allowed one be-ringed finger and one
glancing dark eye to appear, while the other hand held a fan and a
laced pocket-handkerchief. So perfectly did the costume suit the air
and shape of the lady, that, as she stood among Mary's orange trees, it
was like an illusion, of the fancy, but consternation took away all the
charm from Mary's eyes. 'Tapada, she cried; 'you surely are not going
out, tapada?'

'Ah, you have found me out,' cried Rosita. 'Yes, indeed I am! and I
have the like saya y manto ready for you. Come, we will be on the
Alameda; Xavier waits to attend us. Your Senor Ouard will be at his
evening walk.'

But Mary drew back. This pretty disguise was a freak, such as only the
most gay ladies permitted themselves; and she had little doubt that her
father would be extremely displeased at his wife and daughter so
appearing, although danger there was none; since, though any one might
accost a female thus veiled, not the slightest impertinence was ever
allowed. Mary implored Bosita to wait till Mr. Ponsonby's views should
be known; but she was only laughed at for her English precision, and
the pretty creature danced away to her stolen pleasure.

She came in, all glory and delight at the perplexity in which she had
involved the English officers, the guesses and courtesies of her own
countrymen, and her mystification of Mr. Robson, who had evidently
recognised her, though pretending to treat her as a charming stranger.

The triumph was of short duration. For the first time, she had aroused
one of Mr. Ponsonby's gusts of passion; she quailed under it, wept
bitterly, and made innumerable promises, and then she put on her black
mantilla, and, with Xavier behind her, went to her convent chapel, and
returned, half crying over the amount of repetitions of her rosary by
which her penance was to be performed, and thereby all sense of the
fault put away. Responsibility and reflection never seemed to be
impressed on that childish mind.

Mary had come in for some of the anger, for not having prevented
Rosita's expedition; but they were both speedily forgiven, and Mary
never was informed aga