"YOU ought to know that," she returned, looking down.
"I?--why?"
"You were rude to me twice."
"Twice!"
"Yes--once at the Mision of La Perdida; once in the road at San
Antonio."
His eyes became downcast and gloomy. "At the Mision that morning,
I, a wretched outcast, only saw in you a beautiful girl intent on
overriding me with her merciless beauty. At San Antonio I handed
the fan I picked up to the man whose eyes told me he loved you."
She started impatiently. "You might have been more gallant, and
found more difficulty in the selection," she said, pertly. "But
since when have you gentlemen become so observant and so
punctilious? Would you expect him to be as considerate of others?"
"I have few claims that any one seems bound to respect," he
returned, brusquely. Then, in a softer voice, he added, looking at
her, gently,--
"You were in mourning when you came here this afternoon, Miss
Saltonstall."
"Was I? It was for Dr. West--my mother's friend."
"It was very becoming to you."
"You are complimenting me. But I warn you that Captain Carroll
said something better than that; he said mourning was not necessary
for me. I had only to 'put my eye-lashes at half-mast.' He is a
soldier you know."
"He seems to be as witty as he is fortunate," said Guest, bitterly.
"Do you think he is fortunate?" said Maruja, raising her eyes to
his. There was so much in this apparently simple question that
Guest looked in her eyes for a suggestion.
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