With these
and a thousand other perplexing thoughts I left the House, hailed a cab,
and was hurried to my hotel.
"While dressing for dinner there came a discreet knock at the door, and
Manuel Villasante glided in.
[Illustration: Manuel Villasante.]
"I was distinctly annoyed.
"'Pardon this intrusion, Senor,' he said courteously, 'also what I may
have said to you this afternoon. I was excited--distressed--wounded to
the heart! Perhaps I forgot myself. Let us forget it all, and be good
friends once more,' and he held out his hand with a smile. I took it.
There was something very winning about the fellow, and he made me feel
sorry and ashamed. Somehow all the blame shifted over to me. We shook
hands warmly.
"'Now,' he said, 'you are the bon comrade I knew at Saratoga. Let it
always be so. My father and sister are waiting below and long to see
you. Perhaps you will dine with us? We will consider ourselves
fortunate.'
"We went down to the parlors and found Mercedes and her father. She was
as beautiful as ever, and the old fellow was the same courtly, polished
man of the world as of yore; a little grayer and more rat-like, perhaps,
but showing no other signs of advancing age. Mercedes was a trifle more
plump than when I last saw her, but not unbecomingly so. What a
magnificent creature she was!
[Illustration: Papa Villasante.
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