“My capers! Goodness, Tina, one would think me an _huesta_ or some other evil thing. Don’t be silly. Did you never play with two boys at the same time, I’d like to know? It seems to me I have a dim recollection of your having gone to a dance at home on one occasion, when you started forth with one individual of a fair complexion and came home with a dark-haired escort, unless someone spilt hair-dye on his head on the way back.” “Patty, how did you--” “How did I find out? I was peeping from the window when you came in and I saw--” “Never mind,” said her sister hastily. “You see I’d had a little tiff with Juan and we made up that night. It was quite a different thing, for it was a very serious matter with us.” Patty hugged her knees and rocked back and forth enjoying her sister’s discomfiture. “And how do you know it isn’t serious with me?” she asked. “What is?” “Oh, all this,” Patty replied indefinitely. “At least it is this way; I don’t want to favor one young man above another, because I am breaking my heart over Don Felipe. When he comes galumphin along he doesn’t know that each beat of his horse’s hoofs goes Pitty Patty.” “Silly.” “I simply adore the way his hair doesn’t grow about his temples, and that gap in his teeth is so unique. You wonder what has been there, then you find yourself gazing at the one wobbly front tooth which is left and calculate how long it will last without dropping out. He affords so many interesting conjectures that it doesn’t make any difference what he says, for his personality is so attractive it makes up for all else. His teeth are such curios I suppose that is why he hangs on to them; he wouldn’t have anything so modern as a new set for anything. If he could only buy an old set, one that had belonged to George Washington or some celebrity, no doubt he would pay any price.” “For a girl of twenty you are the most nonsensical child I ever saw. Will you never grow up?” “I hope not. I’m sure I don’t want to. It is enough to see what mature years have done for my sister for me to desire to keep out of my majority as long as possible. Don’t remind me of the approaching time when I shall be free, white and twenty-one.” “What about Robert Lisle? Shall I send him a note?” “No, don’t let’s bother about him. I wish you wouldn’t bring him into the conversation just now when I am ecstasying over Don Felipe. Isn’t ecstasying rather a good word? You spoil my train of thought.” “You really don’t want me to hunt up Robert Lisle? Tomás can stop at the _fonda_.” “No, you needn’t, so far as I am concerned. If you want him you will have to affix him to your train. He doesn’t deserve to be asked after staying away three whole days. Now he can whistle for invitations from me.” Doña Martina looked up with a smile. Patty seemed a little more emphatic than the occasion demanded. “Very well,” she returned. “We will trust to luck. If he comes we will ask him; if he doesn’t, we will not. We will leave it that way.”