The girl was all hot for action.  She wanted to humble herself in apology.  She wanted to show him that she could respond to his generosity.  But how?  Only one way was open just now.

She sat down and wrote a swift, impulsive letter of contrition.  For the wrong she had done him Valencia asked forgiveness.  As for the letter he had so generously sent, she must beg him to keep it and use it at the forthcoming trial.  It would be impossible for her to accept such a sacrifice of his rights.  In the meantime she could assure him that she would always be sorry for the way in which she had misjudged him.

The young woman called for her horse again and rode to Corbett’s, which was the nearest post-office.  In the envelope with her letter was also the one of her grandfather marked “Exhibit A.”  She, too, carefully registered the contents before mailing.

As she stood on the porch drawing up her gauntlets a young man cantered into sight.  He wore puttees, riding breeches, and a neat corduroy coat.  One glance told her it was Manuel.  No other rider in the valley had quite the same easy seat in the saddle as the young Spaniard.  He drew up sharply in front of Valencia and landed lightly on his feet beside her.

“Buenos, Senorita.”

“Buenos, cousin.”  Her shining eyes went eagerly to his.  “Manuel, what do you think Mr. Gordon has done?”

He shrugged his shoulders.  “How can I guess?  That mad American might do anything but show the white feather.”

In four sentences she told him.

Manuel clapped his hands in approval.  “Bravo!  Done like a man.  He is at least neither a spy nor a thief.”

Valencia smiled with pleasure.  Manuel, too, had come out of the test with flying colors.  He and Gordon were foes, but he accepted at face value what the latter had done, without any sneers or any sign of jealousy.

“And what shall I do with the letter?” his cousin asked.

“Do with it?  Put it in the first fire you see.  Shall I lend you a match?”

She shook her head, still with the gleam of a smile on her vivid face.  “Too late, Manuel.  I have disposed of the dangerous evidence.”

“So?  Good.  You took my advice before I gave it, then.”

“Not quite.  I couldn’t be less generous than our enemy.  So I have sent the letter back to him and told him to use it.”

The young man gave her his best bow.  “Magnificent, but not war.  I might have trusted the daughter of Don Alvaro to do a thing so royal.  My cousin, I am proud of you.”

“What else could I have done and held my self-respect?  I had insulted him gratuitously and my people had tried to kill him.  The least I could do now was to meet him in a spirit like his own.”

“Honors are easy.  Let us see what Mr. Gordon will now do.”

The sound of a light footfall came to them.  A timid voice broke into their conversation.