THE　DEVOTION　OF　ENRIQUEZ
  In　another　chronicle　which　dealt　with　the　exploits　of　〃Chu　Chu；〃　a
  Californian　mustang；　I　gave　some　space　to　the　accomplishments　of
  Enriquez　Saltillo；　who　assisted　me　in　training　her；　and　who　was
  also　brother　to　Consuelo　Saitillo；　the　young　lady　to　whom　I　had
  freely　given　both　the　mustang　and　my　youthful　affections。　　I
  consider　it　a　proof　of　the　superiority　of　masculine　friendship　that
  neither　the　subsequent　desertion　of　the　mustang　nor　that　of　the
  young　lady　ever　made　the　slightest　difference　to　Enriquez　or　me　in
  our　exalted　amity。　　To　a　wondering　doubt　as　to　what　I　ever　could
  possibly　have　seen　in　his　sister　to　admire　he　joined　a　tolerant
  skepticism　of　the　whole　sex。　　This　he　was　wont　to　express　in　that
  marvelous　combination　of　Spanish　precision　and　California　slang　for
  which　he　was　justly　famous。　　〃As　to　thees　women　and　their　little
  game；〃　he　would　say；　〃believe　me；　my　friend；　your　old　Oncle　'Enry
  is　not　in　it。　　No；　he　will　ever　take　a　back　seat　when　lofe　is
  around。　　For　why？　　Regard　me　here！　　If　she　is　a　horse；　you　shall
  say；　'She　will　buck…jump；'　'She　will　ess…shy；'　'She　will　not
  arrive；'　or　'She　will　arrive　too　quick。'　　But　if　it　is　thees　women；
  where　are　you？　　For　when　you　shall　say；　'She　will　ess…shy；'　look
  you；　she　will　walk　straight；　or　she　will　remain　tranquil　when　you
  think　she　buck…jump；　or　else　she　will　arrive　and；　look　you；　you
  will　not。　　You　shall　get　left。　　It　is　ever　so。　　My　father　and　the
  brother　of　my　father　have　both　make　court　to　my　mother　when　she　was
  but　a　senorita。　　My　father　think　she　have　lofe　his　brother　more。
  So　he　say　to　her：　'It　is　enofe；　tranquillize　yourself。　　I　will　go。
  I　will　efface　myself。　　Adios！　　Shake　hands！　　Ta…ta！　　So　long！　　See
  you　again　in　the　fall。'　　And　what　make　my　mother？　　Regard　me！　　She
  marry　my　fatheron　the　instant！　　Of　thees　women；　believe　me；
  Pancho；　you　shall　know　nothing。　　Not　even　if　they　shall　make　you
  the　son　of　your　father　or　his　nephew。〃
  I　have　recalled　this　characteristic　speech　to　show　the　general
  tendency　of　Enriquez'　convictions　at　the　opening　of　this　little
  story。　　It　is　only　fair　to　say；　however；　that　his　usual　attitude
  toward　the　sex　he　so　cheerfully　maligned　exhibited　little
  apprehension　or　caution　in　dealing　with　them。　　Among　the　frivolous
  and　light…minded　intermixture　of　his　race　he　moved　with　great
  freedom　and　popularity。　　He　danced　well；　when　we　went　to　fandangos
  together　his　agility　and　the　audacity　of　his　figures　always
  procured　him　the　prettiest　partners；　his　professed　sentiments；　I
  presume；　shielding　him　from　subsequent　jealousies；　heartburnings；
  or　envy。　　I　have　a　vivid　recollection　of　him　in　the　mysteries　of
  the　SEMICUACUA；　a　somewhat　corybantic　dance　which　left　much　to　the
  invention　of　the　performers；　and　very　little　to　the　imagination　of
  the　spectator。　　In　one　of　the　figures　a　gaudy　handkerchief；　waved
  more　or　less　gracefully　by　dancer　and　danseuse　before　the　dazzled
  eyes　of　each　other；　acted　as　love's　signal；　and　was　used　to　express
  alternate　admiration　and　indifference；　shyness　and　audacity；　fear
  and　transport；　coyness　and　coquetry；　as　the　dance　proceeded。　　I
  need　not　say　that　Enriquez'　pantomimic　illustration　of　these
  emotions　was　peculiarly　extravagant；　but　it　was　always　performed
  and　accepted　with　a　gravity　that　was　an　essential　feature　of　the
  dance。　　At　such　times　sighs　would　escape　him　which　were　supposed　to
  portray　the　incipient　stages　of　passion；　snorts　of　jealousy　burst
  from　him　at　the　suggestion　of　a　rival；　he　was　overtaken　by　a　sort
  of　St。　Vitus's　dance　that　expressed　his　timidity　in　making　the
  first　advances　of　affection；　the　scorn　of　his　ladylove　struck　him
  with　something　like　a　dumb　ague；　and　a　single　gesture　of　invitation
  from　her　produced　marked　delirium。　　All　this　was　very　like
  Enriquez；　but　on　the　particular　occasion　to　which　I　refer；　I　think
  no　one　was　prepared　to　see　him　begin　the　figure　with　the　waving　of
  FOUR　handkerchiefs！　　Yet　this　he　did；　pirouetting；　capering；
  brandishing　his　silken　signals　like　a　ballerina's　scarf　in　the
  languishment　or　fire　of　passion；　until；　in　a　final　figure；　where
  the　conquered　and　submitting　fair　one　usually　sinks　into　the　arms
  of　her　partner；　need　it　be　said　that　the　ingenious　Enriquez　was
  found　in　the　center　of　the　floor　supporting　four　of　the　dancers！
  Yet　he　was　by　no　means　unduly　excited　either　by　the　plaudits　of　the
  crowd　or　by　his　evident　success　with　the　fair。　　〃Ah；　believe　me；　it
  is　nothing；〃　he　said　quietly；　rolling　a　fresh　cigarette　as　he
  leaned　against　the　doorway。　　〃Possibly；　I　shall　have　to　offer　the
  chocolate　or　the　wine　to　thees　girls；　or　make　to　them　a　promenade
  in　the　moonlight　on　the　veranda。　　It　is　ever　so。　　Unless；　my
  friend；〃　he　said；　suddenly　turning　toward　me　in　an　excess　of
  chivalrous　self…abnegation；　〃unless　you　shall　yourself　take　my
  place。　　Behold；　I　gif　them　to　you！　　I　vamos！　　I　vanish！　　I　make
  track！　　I　skedaddle！〃　　I　think　he　would　have　carried　his
  extravagance　to　the　point　of　summoning　his　four　gypsy　witches　of
  partners；　and　committing　them　to　my　care；　if　the　crowd　had　not　at
  that　moment　parted　before　the　remaining　dancers；　and　left　one　of
  the　onlookers；　a　tall；　slender　girl；　calmly　surveying　them　through
  gold…rimmed　eyeglasses　in　complete　critical　absorption。　　I　stared
  in　amazement　and　consternation；　for　I　recognized　in　the　fair
  stranger　Miss　Urania　Mannersley；　the　Congregational　minister's
  niece！
  Everybody　knew　Rainie　Mannersley　throughout　the　length　and　breadth
  of　the　Encinal。　　She　was　at　once　the　envy　and　the　goad　of　the
  daughters　of　those　Southwestern　and　Eastern　immigrants　who　had
  settled　in　the　valley。　　She　was　correct；　she　was　critical；　she　was
  faultless　and　observant。　　She　was　proper；　yet　independent；　she　was
  highly　educated；　she　was　suspected　of　knowing　Latin　and　Greek；　she
  even　spelled　correctly！　　She　could　wither　the　plainest　field
  nosegay　in　the　hands　of　other　girls　by　giving　the　flowers　their
  botanical　names。　　She　never　said　〃Ain't　you？〃　but　〃Aren't　you？〃
  She　looked　upon　〃Did　I　which？〃　as　an　incomplete　and　imperfect　form
  of　〃What　did　I　do？〃　　She　quoted　from　Browning　and　Tennyson；　and　was
  believed　to　have　read　them。　　She　was　from　Boston。　　What　could　she
  possibly　be　doing　at　a　free…and…easy　fandango？
  Even　if　these　facts　were　not　already　familiar　to　everyone　there；
  her　outward　appearance　would　have　attracted　attention。　　Contrasted
  with　the　gorgeous　red；　black；　and　yellow　skirts　of　the　dancers；　her
  plain；　tightly　fitting　gown　and　hat；　all　of　one　delicate　gray；　were
  sufficiently　notable　in　themselves；　even　had　they　not　seemed；　like
  the　girl　herself；　a　kind　of　quiet　protest　to　the　glaring　flounces
  before　her。　　Her　small；　straight　waist　and　flat　back　brought　into
  greater　relief　the　corsetless；　waistless；　swaying　figures　of　the
  Mexican　girls；　and　her　long；　slim；　well…booted　feet；　peeping　from
  the　stiff；　white　edges　of　her　short　skirt；　made　their　broad；　low…
  quartered　slippers；　held　on　by　the　big　toe；　appear　more
  preposterous　than　ever。　　Suddenly　she　seemed　to　realize　that　she
  was　standing　there　alone；　but　without　fear　or　embarrassment。　　She
  drew　back　a　little；　glancing　carelessly　behind　her　as　if　missing
  some　previous　companion；　and　then　her　eyes　fell　upon　mine。　　She
  smiled　an　easy　recognition；　then　a　moment　later；　her　glance　rested
  more　curiously　upon　Enriquez；　who　was　still　by　my　side。　　I
  disengaged　myself　and　instantly　joined　her；　particularly　as　I
  noticed　that　a　few　of　the　other　bystanders　were　beginning　to　stare
  at　her　with　little　reserve。
  〃Isn't　it　the　most　extraordinary　thing　you　ever　saw？〃　she　said
  quietly。　　Then；　presently　noticing　the　look　of　embarrassment　on　my
  face；　she　went　on；　more　by　way　of　conversation　than　of　explanation：
  〃I　just　left　uncle　making　a　call　on　a　parishioner　next　door；　and
  was　going　home　with　Jocasta　（a　peon　servant　of　her　uncle's）；　when　I
  heard　the　music；　and　dropped　in。　　I　don't　know　what　has　become　of
  her；〃　she　added；　glancing　round　the　room　again；　〃she　seemed
  perfectly　wild　when　she　saw　that　creature　over　there　bounding　about
  with　his　handkerchiefs。　　You　were　speaking　to　him　just　now。　　Do
  tell　meis　he　real？〃
  〃I　should　think　there　was　little　doubt　of　that；〃　I　said　with　a
  vague　laugh。
  〃You　know　what　I　mean；〃　she　said　simply。　　〃Is　he　quite　sane？　　Does
  he　do　that　because　he　likes　it；　or　is　he　paid　for　it？〃
  This　was　too　much。　　I　pointed　out　somewhat　hurriedly　that　he　was　a
  scion　of　one　of　the　oldest　Castilian　families；　that　the　performance
  was　a　national　gypsy　dance　which　he　had　joined　in　as　a　patriot　and
  a　patron；　and　that　he　was　my　dearest　friend。　　At　the　same　time　I
  was　conscious　that　I　wished　she　hadn't　seen　his　last　performance。
  〃You　don't　mean　to　say　that　all　that　he　did　was　in　the　dance？〃　she
  said。　　〃I　don't　believe　it。　　It　was　only　like　him。〃　　As　I　hesitated
  over　this　palpable　truth；　she　went　on：　〃I　do　wish　he'd　do　it　again。
  Don't　you　think　you　could