Californians, Frenchmen, Germans and a few Americans, the latter
conspicuous by the absence of colour in their dress; for with the
exception of an occasional coatless man in a red or blue shirt, they
wore faded, old, black coats,--frequently frock-coats, at that,--which
certainly contrasted unfavourably, at least so far as heightening the
gaiety of the scene was concerned, with the green velvet jackets,
brilliant waistcoats with gold filigree and silver buttons and red
sashes of the Mexicans. That there was not a man present but what was
togged out in his best and was armed, it goes without saying, even
if the weapons of the Mexicans were in the form of murderous knives
concealed somewhere about their persons instead of belts with guns and
knives openly displayed, as was the case with the Americans.

At the time of the outlaw's entrance into the dance-hall the fandango
was over. But presently the fiddles, accompanied by guitars, struck up a
waltz, and almost instantly some twenty or more men and women took the
floor; those not engaged in dancing surrounding the dancers, clapping
their hands and shouting their applause. In order to see if the woman he
sought was present, it was necessary for Ramerrez to push to the very
front of the crowd of lookers-on, where he was not long in observing
that nearly all the women present were of striking appearance and danced
well; likewise, he noted, that none compared either in looks or grace
with Nina Micheltoreña who, he had to acknowledge, even if his feelings
for her were dead, was a superb specimen of a woman.

Good blood ran in the veins of Nina Micheltoreña. It is not in the
province of this story to tell how it was that a favourite in the best
circles of Monterey came to be living in a Mexican camp in the Sierras.
Suffice it to say that her fall from grace had been rapid, though her
dissolute career had in no way diminished her beauty. Indeed, her