eyes peering
through those lattices. Poor things!" I say feelingly, "I suppose a
Mexican girl of good family must have a very stupid time."

"Not in dthe slightes'," says the Peruvian with decision. "Vomans air
much better take care off; dthey air fery happy, I 'sure you," and
turning to me--"You vould like it yourself after a leedle."

"Indeed I shouldn't! And neither would the unfortunates who had charge
of me."

We pass a Catholic graveyard with high adobe wall and are at the
Hospital Municipal, our objective point. A dark young man in
ill-fitting clothes receives us and shows us about this primitive
refuge. The floors are tiled and all the appointments are rude, but
very clean.

Baron de Bach distributes his Mexican dollars so generously the dark
young man is quite overcome. He asks some question with solemn black
eyes fixed on me. The Peruvian laughs with slight confusion and I
catch "_Si_" in his reply. The dark young man puts another query.

"What's it all about?" says Mrs. Steele; "you promised to interpret."

"Oh, yes, if I must. Dthis zhentleman ask if dthis young lady ees my
wife and if she like roses."

"Oh, let us see the roses," says Mrs. Steele, calmly ignoring the
wretch's prevarication, for I know to the first question he said
"Yes." With my nose in the air I follow the rest into the rose garden
of the hospital, where all is so lovely I quite forget I am offended.

Oh, the rose trees and the wilderness of bloom!

The dark young man gathers for Mrs. Steele and the Baron de Bach for
me.

"You ask me vonce vhat kind was a Castilian rose. Look, Senorita, so
_weich so suess, so fein, wie die Castilien Frauen_," and he hands me a
pale pink rose, loose-petalled, fragile, and very fragrant. With great
bunches in our hands we leave the hospital garden, and I notice with
irritation that the dark young man in bidding me good-bye, long life
and happiness, salutes me as "Senora."

It is six o'clock and we drive towards the town. The narrow streets
are full of idlers in every attitude of picturesque languor. Mrs.
Steele sympathises deeply with the lean and patient little burros
with wooden racks on their backs holding on either side a clay jar
filled with water.

[Illustration: "LOOK, SENORITA!"--_Page 48_]

"Efery yar ees two media, about twenty-five cent your money. Vater ees
more dearer dthan vine," explains our interpreter.

We find all the rest of the company assembled at the Hotel Nacional in