STANISLAUS, Lieutenant of Yoscolo.
BROWN, Factotum of Captain Farquharson; later, in the employ of Señor Mendoza.
Time: 1842 to 1846.
Contents
Chapter
I. [A Serenade in the Moonlight]
II. [The Lion and the Lamb Lie Down Together]
III. [A Dip into the Past]
IV. [A Stranger Visits Señor Mendoza]
V. [Another Stranger Makes a Visit]
VI. [The Merienda]
VII. [A Night Spent in a Cave]
VIII. [The Political Pot Simmers]
IX. [Señora Valentino Seeks to Interest Padre Osuna]
X. [The Beginning of the Ball at Señor Mendoza's Hacienda House]
XI. [At the Supper]
XII. [Carmelita Dances El Son]
XIII. [Returning from the Ball]
XIV. [O'Donnell Takes A Horseback Ride]
XV. [Señora Valentino Makes a Report]
XVI. [The Señorita of the Window Pane]
XVII. [O'Donnell Settles with Yoscolo]
XVIII. [Farquharson Meets with a Loss]
XIX. [Señora Valentino and Captain Morando Continue Conversation]
XX. [Bitter Sweet]
XXI. [A Few Diplomatic Touches]
XXII. [Almost—]
XXIII. [Pedro Zelaya Brings Important News]
XXIV. [The Next Day]
XXV. [Brown Takes a Hand at Diplomacy]
XXVI. [Braving the Storm]
XXVII. [But Yet a Woman]
XXVIII. [A Daughter of the De La Mendoza]
XXIX. [A Departure]
XXX. [Odds and Ends]
XXXI. [Across the Years]
XXXII. [A Wedding]
CHAPTER I
A SERENADE IN THE MOONLIGHT
"Fairer art thou than the lily, than the rose more sweet," sang a mellow baritone voice. A guitar thrummed accompaniment. At the end of his improvisation the singer waved the instrument gracefully, now in sweeping stroke, again in shorter measure, as if he were a maestro directing his musicians. Then he touched the strings in melancholy strain:
"Beat, beat, little dove, thy tender wings against thy iron cage."