ed--but you will do me the justice to admit that I apologised
for the suggestion."

"Oh, by all means," said Manvers. "You thought pretty badly of me--but
not so badly as all that."

"Quite so," said the Marques; and then the surprising Gil Perez
descended from mid-air, and lowed to the stranger.

"My master, Don Osmundo, senor Marques, is incapable of such conduct,"
said he--and looked to Manvers for approval.

He struggled with himself, but failed. His guffaw must out, and
exploded with violent effect. It drove the Marques back to the door,
and sent Gil Perez scudding on tiptoe to the window.

"You are magnificent, all of you!" cried Manvers. "You flatter me into
connivance. Let me state the case exactly. Don Luis is to stab or
shoot me at sight, and I am to give him a free hand. Is that what you
mean? Admirable. But let me ask you one question. Am I not supposed
to protect myself?"

The Marques stared. "I don't think I perfectly understand you, Don
Osmundo. Reprisals are naturally open to you. We declare war, that is
all."

"Oh," said Manvers. "You declare war? Then I may go shooting, too?"

"Naturally," said the Marques. "That is understood."

"No dam fear about that," said Gil Perez to his master.

CHAPTER XVII

LA RECOGIDA

Sister Chucha, the nun who took first charge of newcomers to the
Penitentiary, was fat and kindly, and not very discreet. It was her
business to measure Manuela for a garb and to see to the cutting of her
hair. She told the girl that she was by far the most handsome penitent
she had ever had under her hands.

"It is a thousand pities to cut all this beauty away," she said; "for
it is obvious you will want it before long. So far as that goes you
will find the cap not unbecoming; and I'll see to it that you have a
piece of looking-glass--though, by ordinary, that is forbidden. Good
gracious, child, what a figure you have! If I had had one quarter of
your good fortune I should never have been religious."

She went on to describe the rules of the Institution, the hours and
nature of the work, the offices in Chapel, the recreation times and
hours for meals. Manuela, she said, was not the build for rope and mat
work.

"I shall get Reverend Mother to put you to housework, I think," she
said. "That will give you exercise, and the chance of an occasional
peep at the window. You don't deserve it, I fancy; but you are so
handsome that I have a weakness for