slowly sat down on the blood-covered floor.

The silence continued. The alferez was breathing heavily. His wife
was observing him with her questioning eyes. She seized the whip
and in a calm and measured tone asked him: "What's the matter with
you? You have not said 'good evening' to me."

The alferez, without replying, called the orderly.

"Take this woman," he said, "and have Marta give her another shirt
and take care of her. Find her good food, and a good bed.... Let him
look out who treats her badly!"

After carefully closing the door, he turned the key in the lock and
approached his senora.

"You want me to smash you?" he said, clenching his fists.

"What's the matter with you?" asked she, retreating a step or two.

"What's the matter with me?" he shouted, in a thundering voice, and,
giving vent to an oath, showed her a paper covered with scribbling. He
continued:

"Didn't you write this letter to the Alcalde, saying that I am paid
for permitting the gambling, d----n you? I don't know how I can keep
from smashing you."

"Go ahead! Try it if you dare!" said she, with a mocking smile. "He
who smashes me has got to be more of a man than you!"

He heard the insult, but he saw the whip. He seized one of the plates
which were on the table and threw it at her head. The woman, accustomed
to these fights, ducked quickly and the plate was shivered to pieces
against the wall. A glass, a cup, and a knife shared the same fortune.

"Coward!" she cried. "You dare not come near me!"

And then she spat at him to exasperate him more. The man, blind and
howling with rage, threw himself on her, but she, with wonderful
rapidity, struck him a few blows across the face with the whip, and
quickly escaped. Closing the door of her room with a slam, she locked
herself in. Roaring with rage and pain the alferez followed her, but,
coming up against the door, he could do nothing but belch forth a
string of blasphemies.

"Cursed be your ancestors, you swine! Open, d----n you! Open that door
or I'll break your skull!" he howled, pounding and kicking the panels.

Dona Consolacion did not reply. A moving of chairs and trunks could
be heard, as though some one was trying to raise a barricade of
household furniture. The house fairly shook with the oaths and kicks
of the husband.

"Don't you come in! Don't you come in!" she said, in a bitter
voice. "If you show yourself, I'll shoot you!"

The husband calmed down, little by little