"
"I believe I agree with you, Jim," said Paul thoughtfully.
They strolled back into the Place d'Armes, where the review was still in
progress, and where more people were gathering. The women were
bare-headed, and generally wore a short round skirt, and long basque like
overgarments, the two invariably of different, but bright, colors. All of
them wore much ribbon and jewelry, but, as a rule, they were too dark of
countenance to suit the ideas of the five concerning feminine beauty. At
rare intervals, however, they saw a girl with light hair and light eyes
and light complexion, and all these were really handsome.
"Those, I imagine, are French," said Paul. "We've got into the habit of
thinking of the French as always dark, but many of them are fair. I've
heard our school teacher, Mr. Pennypacker, say so often, and he ought to
know. For the matter of that, some of the Spaniards are light, too."
"Yes, thar's Alvarez," said Shif'less Sol. "He's light, an' that's one
reason why I mistrusted him the first time I saw him. It looks more
nateral fur a Spaniard to be dark."
As they stood in the Place d'Armes looking at the sights, the five
themselves began to attract much attention. Their height and strength,
their long, sender barreled rifles, and their deerskin attire made them
highly picturesque figures.
Pages:
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267