Rocky Ford enterprise., 1910-03-25
CHAPTER u.

Chilean officers. largely naval. to
Judge from their rather respiendent
uniforms. occupied this second table.
and It was evident that they had been
drinking to excess. It was their loud
voices and boisterous laughter which
first attracted my attention. and
soon caught sufficient Of their incau-
tious speech to discover they were
bantering one among their number to
carry into execution a tipsy boast he
had Just made over the wine. The
special ofiicer thus singled out as butt
for the boisterous wit Of his reckless
companions was naval lieutenant,
a rather tall. cadaverous fellow. sallow
faced. his short black hair standing
erect and bristling. his mustaches
dropping SO as to shade the corners OF
his mouth. His cheeks were flushed
with temper from the rough sallies at
his expense. and his lips uttered
burning Castilian curse. as he arose
somewhat unsteadily to his feet, and
glared about into the expectant faces
OF his laughing tormentors.
"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 I.
He turned short about. his sword
chains rattling. and strobe directly
across toward the unconscious Briton.
who stared up at him over his roast
beef In petrified establishment. Fun
bling awkwardly at his belt. the In
truding ofllcer finally brought forth q
card. and placed It ostentatiously upon
the table. bowing low as he did SO.
'T would myself to introduce to the
senor." 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 capitano call on you
in the leetle ship. Now ! would the
bettar.r acquaintance make with the
great Ingles, an the ladies, the most
boot'ful 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 Briton could
only stare, his lean face reddening
with annoyance This hesitancy. as
we'll as something in the constrained
attitude OF the younger woman.
seemed to encourage Sanchez: his ex-
preston changed to q satisfied smile.
while his lank figure bent in another
ceremonious bow. this time directed
toward her.
"Ah, I knew It would so be-" he said.
insinuatingly. TT vas SO l told II to
my bravas camaradas. 81. 81. It vas SO
ever-the uniform make US welcome
With the ladies. They lofe the brav';
is It not 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 icily:
you impertinent scoundrel! I am
accustomed to selecting my own
guests. and you are certainly not one
Of them"
The Chilean laughed. perhaps not
wholly comprehendins the words. and
remained twisting his mustache be-
tween long white fingers. He was far
too drunk for fear. besides being up
held by q military contempt for civil
ians.
"Pah! 'tis q pig Of papa" he sput-
tered. half turning to witness the ap-
provaI 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
out the single vacant chair and planted
himself in It. his back toward me. his
impudent face leering across the
white cloth toward the startled, indis.
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 tumultuously. Her evident con.
tempt for the fellow would have utter
ly crashed any one less befuddled into
embarrassed silence. But Sanchez
merely grinned, his hands still toying
with his mustaches.
"Sangre de Cristo. was 1t 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
houth. "The uniform Of valor is the
best introduction to the favor Of the