wrong she had done him Valencia asked forgiveness. As for the letter he
had so generously sent, she must beg him to keep it and use it at the
forthcoming trial. It would be impossible for her to accept such a
sacrifice of his rights. In the meantime she could assure him that she
would always be sorry for the way in which she had misjudged him.

The young woman called for her horse again and rode to Corbett's, which
was the nearest post-office. In the envelope with her letter was also
the one of her grandfather marked "Exhibit A." She, too, carefully
registered the contents before mailing.

As she stood on the porch drawing up her gauntlets a young man cantered
into sight. He wore puttees, riding breeches, and a neat corduroy coat.
One glance told her it was Manuel. No other rider in the valley had
quite the same easy seat in the saddle as the young Spaniard. He drew up
sharply in front of Valencia and landed lightly on his feet beside her.

"_Buenos, Senorita_."

"_Buenos,_ cousin." Her shining eyes went eagerly to his. "Manuel, what
do you think Mr. Gordon has done?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "How can I guess? That mad American might do
anything but show the white feather."

In four sentences she told him.

Manuel clapped his hands in approval. "Bravo! Done like a man. He is at
least neither a spy nor a thief."

Valencia smiled with pleasure. Manuel, too, had come out of the test
with flying colors. He and Gordon were foes, but he accepted at face
value what the latter had done, without any sneers or any sign of
jealousy.

"And what shall I do with the letter?" his cousin asked.

"Do with it? Put it in the first fire you see. Shall I lend you a
match?"

She shook her head, still with the gleam of a smile on her vivid face.
"Too late, Manuel. I have disposed of the dangerous evidence."

"So? Good. You took my advice before I gave it, then."

"Not quite. I couldn't be less generous than our enemy. So I have sent
the letter back to him and told him to use it."

The young man gave her his best bow. "Magnificent, but not war. I might
have trusted the daughter of Don Alvaro to do a thing so royal. My
cousin, I am proud of you."

"What else could I have done and held my self-respect? I had insulted
him gratuitously and my people had tried to kill him. The least I could
do now was to meet him in a spirit like his own."

"Honors are easy. Let us see what Mr. Gordon will now do."

The sound of a light foo