"She's in a bad humor to-day," said Sanchez; "but I beg you to notice
that she'll keep my roses. She'll wear one to-morrow in her hair or on
her bosom; what will you wager?"

"That may be," answered Ulrich. "She probably has no money to buy any
for herself."

To be sure, the next day at twilight Carmen wore a rose in her hair.

Sanchez exulted, and drew Ulrich out upon the balcony. The beauty
glanced at him, blushed, and returned the fair-haired boy's salutation
with a slight bend of the head.

The gate-keeper's little daughter was a pretty child, and Ulrich had no
fear of doing what Sanchez ventured.

On the third day he again accompanied him to the balcony, and this time,
after silently calling upon the "word," pressed his hand upon his heart,
just as Carmen looked at him.

The young girl blushed again, waved her fan, and then bent her little
head so low, that it almost touched the embroidery.

The next evening she secretly kissed her fingers to Ulrich.

From this time the young lover preferred to seek the balcony without
Sanchez. He would gladly have called a few tender words across, or sung
to his lute, but that would not do, for people were constantly passing
to and fro in the court-yard.