re it was made, a navaja.
He carefully examined and tested the edge and point of this formidable
weapon, with which he seemed satisfied, said to the man he had been
disputing with, "I am ready!" then turned and called, "Chiquita!
Chiquita!"

At the sound of her name a little girl, who had been sleeping, rolled
up in a cloak, on the floor in a dark corner, rose and came towards
Agostino--for it was he of course--and, fixing her large dark eyes upon
his face earnestly, said, "Master, what do you want me to do? I am ready
to obey you here as everywhere else, because you are so brave, and have
so many red marks on your navaja."

Chiquita said this rapidly, in a patois which was as unintelligible to
the Frenchmen around her as German, Hebrew or Chinese. Agostino took her
by the hand and placed her with her back against the door, telling
her to keep perfectly still, and the child, accustomed to that sort of
thing, showed neither alarm nor surprise, but stood quietly, looking
straight before her with perfect serenity, while Agostino, at the other
end of the room, standing with one foot advanced, balanced the dread
navaja in his hand. Suddenly with a quick jerking movement he sent it
flying through the air, and it struck into the wooden door, just
over Chiquita's head. As it darted by, like a flash of lightning, the
spectators had involuntarily closed their eyes for a second, but the
fragile child's long dark eyelashes did not even quiver. The brigand's
wonderful skill elicited a loud burst of admiration and applause from an
audience not easily surprised or pleased, in which even the man who had
lost his water joined enthusiastically. Agostino went and drew out the
knife, which was still vibrating, and returning to his place this
time sent it in between Chiquita's arm--which was hanging down by her
side--and her body; if it had deviated a hair's breadth it must have
wounded her. At this everybody cried "Enough!" but Agostino insisted
upon aiming at the other side as well, so as to prove to them that there
was no chance about it; that it was purely a matter of skill. Again the
terrible navaja flew through the air, and went straight to the mark,
and Chiquita, very much delighted at the applause that followed, looked
about her proudly, glorying in Agostino's triumph. She still wore
Isabelle's pearl beads round her slender brown neck; in other respects
was much better dressed than when we first saw her, and even had shoes
on her