oung man came galloping up like a thunderbolt, both
himself and horse all of a sweat, to beg that I would go along with him
and confess his mother who was upon her death-bed. Only ten leagues he
said it was, and I should have been glad for a pretext to get off from
such a difficult turn of duty; but at the earnest entreaty of the young
fellow, and knowing who he was, I could not refuse him. Who do you
think he was?"

"How should I know?" replied the haciendado.

"Tiburcio, the adopted son of the famous gambusino, Marcos Arellanos."

"How! his mother dead! I am sorry. He is a brave youth, and I have not
forgotten the service he once did me. But for him we should all have
been dead of thirst, my daughter, my people, and myself. If he is left
without resources, I hope you have said to him that he will find a
welcome at the Hacienda del Venado."

"No--I have not," replied the monk.

"And why?"

"Because this young fellow is desperately in love with your daughter; it
is my duty to tell you so."

"What signifies that, so long as my daughter does not love him?" replied
Don Augustin. "And if she did, where would she find a man possessing
higher physical or moral qualities than this same Tiburcio? I never
dreamt of having for my son-in-law any other than an intelligent man,
brave enough to defend the frontier against these hordes of savage
Indians, and just such a man is young Arellanos. But in truth I forget
myself; I have this day designed for Rosarita a husband of a more
exalted station."

"And it may be that you have done wrong," rejoined the monk, in a
serious tone; "from what I suspect--in fact, what I may say I know--this
Tiburcio might make a more valuable son-in-law than you imagine."

"It's too late then," said Don Augustin. "I have given my word, and I
cannot retract it."

"It is just about this matter I wish to speak to you, if you have time
to hear me."

At this moment the two horsemen, having passed the stockade, had arrived
at the foot of the stone stairway--which led up to the portico, and
thence into the grand sala of the hacienda--and while dismounting, their
dialogue was interrupted.

This sala was a large room, which, according to the practice in hot
countries, was so arranged as to be continually kept cool by a current
of air passing lengthwise through its whole extent. Fine Chinese mats
covered the floor, while richly painted window-blinds prevented the rays
of the sun from enteri