er my family. I
decline the honour of the alliance which you have proposed; and I trust
that, under these circumstances, you will see the propriety of
discontinuing your visits to my house."

For nearly a full minute Alvaros glared at Don Hermoso, as though he
could scarcely believe that he had heard aright, could scarcely credit
the fact that a "rascally Cuban", as he mentally termed Montijo, had had
the unparalleled, the unspeakable audacity to spurn--ay, spurn was the
correct word--an alliance with him, Don Sebastian Alvaros, Captain in
the army of His Majesty the King of Spain! It was unthinkable! It was
an insult that could only be wiped out by blood! And yet it would be
exceedingly awkward to quarrel with these people; for if he did it would
put an end at once and for ever to any possibility of marriage with the
daughter. And he simply must marry her, by hook or by crook: his honour
demanded it, for he had already boasted freely among his fellow-officers
of his conquest of the fairest maid in Cuba; and his credit also
demanded it, for he had made the same boast to the money-lenders in
Havana, and had raised considerable sums of money on the strength of it.
Swallowing his rage, therefore, he made an attempt to retrace that
false step by exclaiming:

"Pardon me, Don Hermoso, but I have been most unfortunate in my choice
of words, and, believe me, you have entirely mistaken my meaning. What
I really intended to convey was--"

But in that brief minute of silence Don Hermoso had read the man's real
character in his face, and had instantly come to the conclusion that he
would rather see his daughter lying dead than in the power of such a
ruffian; he therefore cut short the officer's protestations by assuring
him that his words admitted of no misinterpretation, and that therefore
he must persist in his refusal.

"Very well, then," exclaimed Alvaros, "if you prefer to have me for an
enemy, instead of a friend and ally, be it so, Senor Montijo; I will not
disappoint you. But beware! You have insulted me, and I am a man who
never forgets or forgives an insult!"

And, springing to his feet, he dashed his braided cap on to his head,
strode clanking and jingling to the door, and so took his departure
without further word of farewell.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

SENOR ALVAROS GETS TO WORK.

For fully a quarter of an hour after the departure of Alvaros, Don
Hermoso sat plunged in a deep and somewhat anxious reverie.