The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-02-25
CHAPTER w.

oGnOIlia idtlO drhtu NV q
breakfast IL | could play accompani-
ments on the piano. explaining that
she had brought a number Of songs
and wished TO try them. This seemed
a favorable opportunity for putting
my plan into execution, so we two
made a forenoon OF II, much 10 Hal
stead's disgust, for he was more than
a little interested In the senorits him
self.
After lunch we had our chairs taken
10 a secluded corner of the after deck,
under the awning, and when Il ac-
q%uaintance had reached a sufficiently
confidential point-friendships riPen
very rapidly in the tropics, particular
~ at seal told her OF the costume af-
2air, showing her the photograph as
did so. She was Immediately inter
ested and sympathetic. But presently
her manre changed a little. She asked
me, %curiously, If / were very FOND OF
Senorita Dorotea.
Fond of her!" / exclaimed. In sur
prise; why, I've never even seen the
lady. This picture was given TO Capt.
Halstead by the colonel, last voyage.
] never saw that until last night. But
just put yourself in her place. Senorita
Gracia; wouldn't you think it rather
mean, when you had sent your money
TO buy nice new gowns, IL relatives
palmed Oft n lot of dowdy old things
on you. four years out OF styleP"
Neither my Spanish nor her English
was perfect, but we managed to get
along very well indeed.
Indeed yes. Senior S~tefnns; but I did
think that men never understood how
women feel about such matters. L
I've almost an idea"
"Yes; go on. | was quite sure you
would have"
"Ah, you were quite sure?"-sus-
~siciously.
"Yes; that you er-would be able
&c suggest something. Now, II | had
only known about the matter before
we left Manila"
yes"
I'D have purchased n couple Of the
finest gowns ] could find. ~and-er-"
"Given 10 the ~senorita them. your
eelf? Santismal Senior S%tefans, that
most too kind Of you would be. would
IL not2"
"Good Lord, mol I've got more sense
than that, | hope. / meant hat I'd
Lave substituted the new gowns for
the old ones in the box; and then. don't
you see. she'd probably never discover
how 1t happened"
"And yon would money spend like
that for a girl you did never seei A
woman's vestida cost much, senior. |
did Away hear that los Americanos
were of money made. but / did never
know that they were g%eneroso."
(Here, for the first time, ! thought of
my 5000. and began 10 wonder how
far they would go.) Are all los
Americanos like that? Senior CAPTAIN
would he such n thing do? Well. you
shall see that the Spanish people are
ss yourselvesl Could you one OF the
dresses get from the box md to me
bring without being obseryed?"
What IL beg your pardon. i
suppose / might; but-but what do
you-er-?"
II wish TO put II On. OF course. cstu.
pido! How may l the size know un-
less | do see It? Cuantos said you
there were In ell caja?"
"Three-of Observation-Disclosures
outside clothes. You see. there were
quite a lot Of" My face must have
teen ms red as a beet; IL certainly felt
30.
"santisima Marinl And you-you
lcokedi Not at all Of them?"
al believe so. You see-er-the
rest Of the-cr-things weren't quite
40 bad as the gowns. In fact. the
lace" by this time the senorita's
face and neck were n delicate pink
but. 10 my relief. she laughed until the
tears came In Ser eyes. Your Spanish
girl, OF any class, is possessed IF con.
siderable sense; she doesn't believe, for
instance. that modesty consists In
thinking evil and b~lushing al heI
thoughts.
and ell Senior Captain. also. M
doubt2 What OF wrctches a pair yot
are. TO be surel Let me you both Civ,
n little warning. Never the senorit,
Moreno told the oura, Juan, that b,