Demetrio, buried in a sullen
silence amid the bustle and uproar, offered his hand and said:

"I'm delighted to meet you!"

"So your name is Demetrio Macias?" the girl asked suddenly. Seated on
the bar, she swung her legs; at every swing, the toes of her shoes
touched Demetrio's back.

"Yes: I'm Demetrio Macias!" he said, scarcely turning toward her.

Indifferently, she continued to swing her legs, displaying her blue
stockings with ostentation.

"Hey, War Paint, what are you doing here? Step down and have a drink!"
said the man called Blondie.

The girl accepted readily and boldly thrust her way through the crowd
to a chair facing Demetrio.

"So you're the famous Demetrio Macias, the hero of Zacatecas?" the girl
asked.

Demetrio bowed assent, while Blondie, laughing, said:

"You're a wise one, War Paint. You want to sport a general!"

Without understanding Blondie's words, Demetrio raised his eyes to
hers; they gazed at each other like two dogs sniffing one another with
distrust. Demetrio could not resist her furiously provocative glances;
he was forced to lower his eyes.

From their seats, some of Natera's officers began to hurl obscenities
at War Paint. Without paying the slightest attention, she said:

"General Natera is going to hand you out a little general's eagle. Put
it here and shake on it, boy!"

She stuck out her hand at Demetrio and shook it with the strength of a
man. Demetrio, melting to the congratulations raining down upon him,
ordered champagne.

"I don't want no more to drink," Blondie said to the waiter, "I'm
feeling sick. Just bring me some ice water."

"I want something to eat," said Pancracio. "Bring me anything you've
got but don't make it chili or beans!"

Officers kept coming in; presently the restaurant was crowded. Small
stars, bars, eagles and insignia of every sort or description dotted
their hats. They wore wide silk bandannas around their necks, large
diamond rings on their fingers, large heavy gold watch chains across
their breasts.

"Here, waiter," Blondie cried, "I ordered ice water. And I'm not
begging for it either, see? Look at this bunch of bills. I'll buy you,
your wife, and all you possess, see? Don't tell me there's none left--I
don't care a damn about that! It's up to you to find some way to get it
and Goddamned quick, too. I don't like to play about; I get mad when
I'm crossed.... By God, didn't I tell you I wouldn't stand for any
backchat? You won't brin