e dropped
them, and felt her shiver. But she answered coldly:

"You have wasted a candle, senor. I have never had a wish that was not
instantly gratified. But I thank you for the kind thought. Will you
finish this waltz with my friend, and the fiancee of Luis, Rafaella
Sal? She has quarrelled with Luis, I see; Don Weeliam is dancing with
Carolina Xime'no, and she cares to waltz with no one else. Pardon me
if I say that no one has ever waltzed as well as your excellency, and I
must not be selfish."

"I will release you if you are tired, but otherwise I shall do myself
the honor to waltz with your friend later."

"I must look after my other guests," she said coldly; and he was led
with what grace he could summon to the fair but sulky Rafaella.

"How am I to help flirting with that girl?" he thought as he
mechanically guided another light and graceful partner through the
crowded room. "If she were one girl I might resist. But since eleven
o'clock yesterday morning she has been three. And if she was twenty
yesterday, twelve this morning, she is twenty-eight to-night, and this
might be a court ball in Madrid. I shall leave the day after I bring
the Governor to terms."

He sat beside Dona Ignacia during the contra-danza and found the scene
remarkably brilliant and animated considering the primitive conditions.
In addition to the bright flags on the wall and the vivid colors of the
women, the officers of the Presidio and forts wore full dress uniform,
either white coats with red velvet vest, red pantaloons and sash, or
white trousers and scarlet coat and waistcoat faced with green. The
young men from the Mission wore small clothes of a black silk, fastened
at the knee with silver buckles, and white silk stockings; two
gentlemen from Monterey wore the evening costume of the capital,
dove-colored small clothes, with white silk waistcoat and stockings,
and much fine lawn and lace. The room was well lighted by many wicks
stuck in lumps of tallow. The Indian musicians, soldiers recruited
from a superior tribe in the Santa Clara valley, were clad almost
entirely in scarlet, and danced sometimes as they played; and Indian
girls, in short red skirts and snow-white smocks open at the throat,
their long hair decorated with flowers and ribbons, already passed
about wine and dulces. The windows were open. The sweet night air
blew in.

The contra-danza was not unlike the square dances of England except
that it was far