Johnston McCulley

“ Don Carlos beamed, and Doña Catalina smiled bewitchingly, but the Señorita Lolita fought to keep her pretty upper lip from curling with scorn.
"A mug of your refreshing wine, Don Carlos," Don Diego Vega continued. "I am fatigued. Twice today have I ridden here from Reina de Los Angeles, and it is about all a man can endure."
"'Tis not much of a journey—four miles," said the captain.
"Possibly not for a rough soldier," Don Diego replied, "but it is for a caballero."
"May not a soldier be a caballero?" Ramón asked, nettled somewhat at the other's words. ”

“ Would I be a wise man to risk having my blood let out?"
"It would be the manly part, would it not?" she asked.
"Any male can be manly at times, but it takes a clever man to be sagacious," he said.
Don Diego laughed lightly, as if it cost him an effort, and bent forward to speak in lower tones.
On the other side of the room, Don Carlos was doing his best to make Captain Ramón comfortable, and was glad that he and Don Diego remained apart for the time being.
"Don Carlos," the captain said, "I come from a good family, and the governor is friendly toward me, as no doubt you have heard. ”

“ It is rather a nuisance, of course, but a man must please his father."
Lolita bit her lips because of her quick anger. Was ever girl so courted before? she wondered.
"I shall make up my mind as soon as possible, señor," she said finally.
"Does this Captain Ramón remain long at the hacienda?"
A little hope came into Lolita's breast. Could it be. possible that Don Diego Vega was jealous? If that were true, possibly there might be stuff in the man after all. Perhaps he would awaken, and love and passion come to him, and he would be as other young men. ”