The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-04-22
CHAPTER 10.


voices and boisterous laughter which
first attracted my attention. and
soon caught sufficient of their incau-
tiOus speech to discover they we're
bantering one among their number to
carry into execution a tipsy boast he
had just made over the wine The
special officer thus singled out as butt
for the boisterous wit of his reckless
companions was a naval lieutenant,
a rather tall, cadaverous fellow. sallow
faced, his short black hair standing
erect and bristlins. his muslachcs
dropping so as to shade the corners OF
his mouth His checks were flushed
with temper from the rough sdllies at
his expense and his lips uttered
burning Castilian curse, as he arose
somewhat unsteadily to his feet, and
glared about into The expecJaut fac $
OF his laughing tormenrOrs
"Sacro Cristo, you will see. camar-
adas; you will see" he declared. bra
cling himself for the effort. "Caramba,
what sailor fears in presence of beau
ty?-puf, not l."
He turned short about, his sword
chains rafting and strobe directly
across toward the unconscious Briton
who stared up al him over his roast
beef in petrifed establishment. Fun
bling awkwardly at his belt. the in
truding officer finally brought forth a
card and placed it ostentatiously upon
the table, bowling low as he did so.
Il would myself to introduce to the
senior" he announced with drunken
gravity, and in amazingly broken Eng
lish, Il Teniente Lootenant Sanchez
Chilean navy; one of the first family
in this country, Maybe you know me,
hey? ! was with de Almirante Coch-
rane, when the capirano call on you
in the leetle ship. Now | would the
bettar-r Acquaintance make with the
great Ingles an the ladies'. the most
bootful ladies'" and his sunken eyes
rested gloatingly on the surprised face
of the girl who had half turned, the
better to observe him.
II was all so swiftly. so impudently
done that the astOunded RritOn could
only stare, his lean face reddening
with annoyance This hesitancy. as
well as something in the constrained
attitude of the Younger woman
seemed to encourage Sanchez: his eX-
preston changed 10 satisfied smile
while his lank figure bent in another
ceremonious bow this time directed
toward her
All, | knew it would so be" ne said
insinuatingly. 1t vas so | told it to
my bravas camaradas 81. 81, it vas so
eyer-the uniform make us welcome
With the ladies. They lofe the brav':
is it moi so, senorita?"
BY this time the outraged pater-
familias had stiffened into rock. his
eyes cold and hard behind their glass
es. In frigid contempt he deliberately
turned his back upon the fellow say
ing Jelly:
You impairment scoundrel, | am
accustomed to selecting my own
guests, and you are certainly not one
OF them"
The Chilean laughed, perhaps not
wholly comprehending the words, and
remained twisting his mustache be-
tween long white fingers He was far
too drunk for fear, besides being up
held by military contempt for civil
ians
"Pah' it's pig OF papa" he sput-
tered, half turning TO witness the ap-
proyal of his laughing companions be
hind But the smile of beauty still
invites, and Juan Sanchez fears not
before man or devil"
He strobe around the table. his scab-
bard clanking on the stone floor, drew
ont the single vacant chair and planted
himself in it, his back toward me- his
impudent face leerins across the
white cloth toward the startled. indig-
nant woman seated opposite watched
her gray eyes widen from astonish-
ment, only to darken with indignation.
She pushed back her chair. half rose
TO her feet and sank down again. her
cheeks flushed her bosom rising and
falling unanimously Her evident CON
tempt for the fellow would have utter
ly crushed any one less befuddled into
embarrassed silence. But Sanchez
merely grinned, his hands still toying
with his mustaches
"Sangre de Cristo, was it not So
mees?' he questioned, insinuatingly,
utterly ignoring the helpless man sput-
tering at the head of the table, who
could only glare at him with open
mouth. The uniform of valor is the
best introduction to the favor Of the
ladies. 81, you vera soon be pretty
good amiga Of me. the Lootenant Juan
Sanchez. show Won the vera best
society in Valparaiso, the opera the
grand ball, everything hat pleases the
Senoritas in my country. ! have the
entree, an II is easy | take you to
the dance on the warship-bueno! all
vera fine. 81 was II not so, mees?"
The young girl, her fine eyes con.
temptuous and loathing, turned aside
from the leering drunken face CON
fronting her. An instant only her
glance rested on the sputtering old
man at the head Of the table, then
swept almost beseechingly. about the
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