," returned our hero, who thereupon
went off to his own room to meditate over his uncomfortable feelings.

But when he had reached his room and shut his door, Pedro's reference to
meeting with friends, coupled with his peculiar look, recurred to him.
What could the fellow mean? What friends had he in the country except
Pedro himself and Quashy and Spotted Tiger and--and--Manuela, but of
course he could not refer to the last, for who ever heard of a governor
inviting an unknown Indian girl to a ball! No; Pedro must have been
jesting. He would _not_ go!

But the longer he thought over the matter, the more were his perplexity
and curiosity increased, until at last he wavered in his firm
determination not to go, and when the ball was about to begin, of which
the sounds of hurrying steps and musical instruments apprised him, he
changed his mind. Combing his hair slightly, he tried to brush his
rough garments with his hands, arranged his necktie and flannel collar a
little, dusted his long boots with a towel, washed his hands, laid aside
his weapons, and went off to the hall with the intention of at least
looking in at the door to see what was going on.

He met Pedro in the corridor.

"Ha! Senhor Armstrong has changed his mind?"

"Yes, I have."

Lawrence said this in the slightly defiant tone of a man who gives in
with a bad grace. He was altogether "out of sorts" and unlike himself,
but Pedro, like a true friend, took no notice of that.

"I'm glad you have given in, senhor," said Pedro, "for it saves me the
trouble of dragging you there by force, in order that I may have the
pleasure of seeing how you will look under the influence of a surprise."

"A surprise, Pedro?"

"Yes. But come; the ball is about to begin."

At the end of the corridor they encountered the English sportsman, who
at the same moment chanced to meet his friend, to whom he said--

"I say, just come and--aw--have a look at the company. All free and
easy, no tickets required, no dress, no--aw--there goes the governor--"

The remainder was lost in distance as the two sporting characters
sauntered to the ballroom, where they stood near the door, looking on
with condescending benignity, as men might for whose amusement the whole
affair had been arranged.

And truly there was much to be amused at, as Lawrence and his companion,
standing just within the doorway, soon found. Owing to the situation of
the little town near the base of the moun