fringed, silken shawl thrown about her; it was white and embroidered in
flowers of all colors. "Ready," she called over her shoulder to Hugh.

Then she also began, but not at once to dance; instead, she executed a
series of postures; almost without apparent transition she melted from
one pose to another of plastic grace, her body the mere, boneless,
obedient servant of her directing will.

These she followed with some wonderfully rapid exercises. Sometimes she
stood perfectly still and one saw only the marvelous play of her body
muscles, plainly visible, as no corsets had ever fettered her unmatched
lines. Again, holding the body motionless, she moved only the arms, now
with a slow and alluring rhythm, and again with incredible rapidity,
showing to the full the flexibility and liquidity of the wrist movements
for which she was later to be so famous. Then holding the body and arms
quite still she danced only with her legs, and then arms, legs, body
married in a faultless rhythm, she whirled like a cyclone about the
room.

Her father and José sat and smoked and watched her every movement with
keen, critical eyes. Were they not Spaniards who had danced all through
their childhood and youth, as naturally as they breathed? About
Gallito's mouth played the bleak smile which in him betokened content,
while José could barely wait for her to finish her preliminary exercises
before he besought her to let him join her. Even Mrs. Nitschkan laid
down some fishing tackle with which she was engrossed and Mrs. Thomas
looked on admiringly and half jealously.

"Dios," cried José plaintively, "Hughie's music invites me, even if the
Señorita does not."