Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 93: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Sa THE ARGOSY. As a matter of fact, the don made some complimentary remark with re- gard to the American’s promptness in getting his affairs under way, and Joe was at considerable pains to treat the don with that perfect courtesy which implies condescension to a man of im- portance, but which also tells, as plainly as possible, that every minute thus granted is really taken from exacting business duties. The fussy little don bowed himself out with voluble apologies for his in- terruption, and Joe, with a _ certain solemn restraint, assured him that there had been no interruption, and that he should be pleased to have him remain for a time. Of course the don knew that this was a fiction, but he accepted it as the proper thing to be said by one man of affairs to another, and he went away with the profoundest sort of im- pression concerning Senor Barber's business energy and ability. It came time for dinner at length, and Joe presented himself at the don’s house in all the glory of evening dress. Of course he went in a carriage. He had engaged it at the hotel, ordering the charge to be entered against his account. That expedient, however, did not prevent the necessity of dipping into his rapidly vanishing cash reserve for the customary tip to the driver, and the tip was a generous one, too. As the vehicle approached the don’s residence, the memory of the adven- ture that had taken place there occurred | to Joe, and brought an amused smile to his face. He saw, again, the half fright- ened, half quizzical, but wonderfully brilliant eyes of the senorita, and he seemed to hear again that remarkable torrent of profanity which had aroused his ire against “ that rascal Pedro.” “Funny howthings happen,” thought Joe, recalling not at all the rather ro- mantic feature of the episode, but the fact that this had brought about his first meeting with the Porto Rican cap- italist upon whose gullibility the suc- cess of the American Syndicate de- pended. . It was therefore with thoughts com- mercial, and as far as possible removed from the romantic, that Joe gave his card to the porter at Don Octavio’s door. He was there to win a man, three or four of them, perhaps, and not the faintest shadow of a _ thought crossed his mind with regard to making any special impression upon the lady of the family. Most dwellings of the wealthy -in Spanish American cities are built upon the same pattern, and Don Octavio’s house was no exception. It was con- structed upon the four sides of a court- yard, called the pattwo. In the very cen- ter of the street side was an entrance so wide that a carriage could have been driven through it. One of the rooms opening upon this entrance on the ground floor was the porter’s lodge, and in front of the door the porter sat throughout all the hours of the day, rolling cigarettes at a little table when he was not called upon to announce the arrival of guests. In addition to the balcony overhang- ing the street there was another bal- cony, built upon three of the inner walls of the house, and overlooking the patito. A stairway led from the patto pavement to this balcony, the stairway itself constructed in the open air. All the living rooms of the family proper were upon the second story, the rooms on the ground floor being devoted to servants’ quarters, and in some in- stances to stables. Joe alighted without the entrance, and gave his card to the porter, who ceased his occupation of rolling cigar- ettes and struck a gong that was sus- pended above him. In response to this signal a servant came down the patio stairway. “You are expected, Senor Barber,” he said, taking the card and standing aside to indicate that Joe was to precede him up the stairs. eo This Joe did, observing as fe wei