Page:Caroline Lockhart--The full of the Moon.djvu/127

 face and heard the faint titter from her classmates throughout the schoolroom in her moment of hesitation.

Perhaps Rosario heard the titter, too. At any rate her gringo blood responded royally to the challenge. Her cheeks were burning, her eyes glowing like stars as she rose to her feet, an olive-tinted little beauty in yellow silk, baited by her enemies. Slowly, very slowly, but surely, Rosario recited "7 times 1 are 7" even to 7 times 7 are 49, and 7 times 12 are 84.

It would have been wonderful even for a grown person who was not a schoolmaster, to know so much, Las Rubertas admitted to itself in deep and envious astonishment. But there was no applause on that account and she finished in silence, rewarded only by a beaming smile from Nan.

And how the little Fuentes, gorgeous in green sateen, stammered over 2 times 9, and the little Montejos sat down sniffling because 4 times 8 did not make 31.

It was a succession of triumphs for Rosario who, inspired by the presence of her adored friend la Americana, and given confidence by