ers. And
the queen herself had worn others like them. If any one else had brought
them--but it was Sebastiano. And she remembered Sarita. Perhaps he had
at some time given some to Sarita, knowing that to a country girl who
knew nothing they would seem very grand. Sarita would have been sure to
take them.

A wicked little look came into her face. She turned as if to take up her
water jar. But Sebastiano laid his hand upon it.

"You will not speak," he said passionately. "No; nor even look at the
flowers I bring you. You shall tell me at least what I have done. Come,
now. Am I a devil? What is it?"

She put her hands behind her back and fixed her great eyes upon him
for a moment. He could not say now that she had not looked at him. He
thought he could keep her, did he, when she did not choose to stay? She,
Pepita! She stood there staring at him for a moment, and then turned
about and walked off, leaving him with her water jar. Let him stand and
watch over it all day if he would.

She went back to the house and called Jovita.

"If you want your water now," she said, "you will have to go to the well
for it. It is drawn, and Senor Sebastiano is taking care of it."

"Mother of God!" said Jovita, staring, "she is mad with her Senor
Sebastiano."

But not another word could she gain, and before she could reach the well
she met a boy carrying the water jar toward the house, and was told that
he had been paid to bring it.

They went to the bull-fight; and, as Pepita sat among the rest,
out-blooming the red flower in her hair, she heard it said that
Sebastiano had never before been so magnificent, had never shown such
daring and dexterity.

"He looks at Pepita," said Isabella to Carlos. "When he entered, his
eyes found her before he saw anything else."

Yes, he saw Pepita, and Pepita sat and watched him with as cool an
interest as if the peril with which he played meant nothing. Her
lovely eyes glowed under their drooping lashes, but it was only with a
momentary excitement caused by the fierce sport; the man was nothing.

So it seemed at least to Sebastiano. It was a bad bull he encountered,
savage and treacherous, and maddened by his rage. Once there was a
moment when a shadow of a misstep would have cost him his life. There
was no time to look at Pepita then, but when the danger was passed and
he glanced toward her, she was softly waving her fan and smiling up at
Manuel as if she had not even seen.

"She has a bad