"You have seen her. Do you wonder that I should have made the venture?" "Less than a year has passed since I won my own lady," he said. "The Virgin grant that I may be the one to escort you to Chihuahua! I have not seen my senora since I marched north, last year." When a Spaniard opens his heart to you, count on it you have found a friend. I nodded understandingly. "Ah, my Dolores! my _nina_!" he sighed. "But she is yours; you have already won her; while I--!" He nodded, in turn. "My Dolores writes that every bachelor of Chihuahua, from the greatest _haciendados_ to the youngest sub-lieutenants, are suitors for the hand of Senorita Alisanda. Yet take heart. At the last writing, not even Medina had won recognition from her." "Medina?" I inquired, full of jealous inquietude. "Salcedo's favorite aide-de-camp,--a braggadocio fellow." "Could you not take it upon yourself to hurry me south at once?" I urged. "_Poder de Dios!_ I, a soldier, to march without orders? But be assured. The order will come before many weeks. In the meantime we should prepare." He looked me over smilingly. "It will never do for you to come before your lady in this savage costume. Great is my regret that in this remote village we cannot find you garments after the European mode, yet there are worse attires than that of a Spanish country gentleman--a _caballero rusticano_." Notwithstanding my protests against imposing upon his generosity, he insisted upon at once conducting me to a man qualified to tailor the Spanish modes. Within the next fortnight I was completely fitted out _a la Espanola_ from top to toe. But although it was the first time I had ever worn the costume, I cannot say that in the company of similarly attired Spaniards I felt ill at ease in these garments. In part at least they were well adapted to the needs of this hot, arid climate, particularly the broad-brimmed shade-hat, or sombrero. Silk stockings and Spanish breeches, buttoned down the outer seams and open below the knees, took the place of my tattered pantaloons and buffalo leggings. For belt I wore a sash of scarlet silk, with ends dangling like a lady's drape. Above it was a waistcoat as large as the jacket was short, while the circular cloak over all gave me quite the air of an hidalgo. My one difficulty was with the stiff jack-boots upon which jangled my barbarously gaffed spurs. After months of freedom in pliant moccasins, my feet found this hard confinement barely endurable even when I was mounted. In return for the numberless courtesies of Malgares, I was able to make part payment by practising gratis among the people. It was, at the same time, a most interesting experience to come into intimate contact with the population, from the _gachupines_, or Spaniards of Old Spain, and the native-born Spaniards, whom we call creoles, to the far more numerous _mestizos_, or mixed-bloods, and their half-brothers, the pueblo, or tame Indians.