ad always been he who had received and the others who had given; he had
always remained Sebastiano, the hero, the adored. And now he stood and
looked at a little head half concealed by a fan, and forgot for a moment
where he was, and that the people were still shouting their applause in
deafening tumult.

CHAPTER II.

Pepita and the others, Manuel with them, ended their gala-day with still
another festivity. They dined together at a little cafe, and heard the
bull-fight fought over again by those around them. At a table near them
sat three chulos, who talked together in voices loud enough to be heard
throughout their meal. And it was of Sebastiano they spoke, giving
dramatic recitals of his daring deeds, telling each other of what he had
done, of what he could do, and that Madrid had never seen his rival or
peer. And then his conquests. It was true that noble ladies--beautiful
and noble--had sent him messages and tokens. Gonsalvo, who was his
intimate friend, could tell many things if he chose. Sebastiano had
brilliant triumphs. Once he had even been in great danger because the
woman who loved and sought him was of such rank that her relatives
would have resorted to the stiletto rather than allow her infatuation to
continue.

"But it is said truly that he had no love for her--that he has little
for any of them," said one. "They run after him too much, these women."

"But there was one to-day--" began one of the others. "I heard it of
Alfonso--he saw her at the bull-fight--Sebastiano--and tried to find
out--"

He made a movement at this moment which brought Pepita directly within
his view. She had been hidden from him before by the figure of Jovita.
He stopped with his wine untasted and stared at her. A moment later he
bent forward and spoke in a lower tone to his companions, who turned to
look also. Alfonso had pointed her out to him as she left the Plaza de
Toros, and he had recognized her again.

"The little one is there," was what he said, "behind you. He asked if
any of us had seen her before; if we knew her name."

Pepita did not hear him, and did not know that from that hour they would
all know her, or that at least there would be few of them who did not.
For Sebastiano to show an interest in a woman, to even go so far as to
ask her name, was such a new thing that it must be spoken of and attract
attention to her. And that she was not a fine lady, but only a pretty
unknown girl with a rose in her hai