ought of such a thing, he had in
desperation disappeared from Santiago, after taking a tender farewell of
Rita,--the lady objected to having the romantic details of this
farewell related!--and nothing more was ever heard of him. Some supposed
that he had perished in the claws of a tiger while searching for a gold
mine in California.

As for the third, Carolina, she was a regular flyaway! Her brother and
sisters had never been able to tame her down. When at home they had the
greatest reason to think she was in love and that the affair was
becoming serious, _poum_! one fine evening she suddenly jilted her lover
and took a new one in his place! Carolina, who was forty-five at the
very lowest reckoning, became quite rosy when she heard this report, and
exclaimed, with a fascinating smile:--

"Don't you heed what they say, Maximina! How silly that girl is!... To
be sure I cannot deny that I like change; but who does not? Men have to
be punished from time to time, for they are very bad! very bad! Don't
you be vexed, Senor Rivera.... That is the reason why I said to myself,
'I shall not give my heart to any one whatever.'"

"That means," said Rita, "that you have never been really in love!"

"Very likely; as yet I have not been troubled with those anxieties and
worriments which lovers, they say, suffer from. No man ever pleased me
for more than a fortnight."

"How terrible!" exclaimed Dolores and Rita, laughing.

"Don't say such things, you silly girl!"

"Why shouldn't I say what I feel, Rita?"

"Because it isn't proper. Young ladies ought to be careful what they
say!"

"Come now, Carolina," urged Miguel, assuming great seriousness, "in the
name of humanity I beg you to soften your hard heart and listen to some
happy man!"

"Yes; fine rascals you men are!"

"Child!" cried Dolores.

"Let her alone! let her alone!" interrupted Miguel. "In time she will
come to feel how wrong it is! I am in hopes that it will not be long
before some one will come and avenge all of us!"

"Nonsense!"

During this banter the brother, who was a fat gentleman, with long white
mustaches, snored like a sea-calf.

Maximina listened in amazement to all these things which she could
scarcely comprehend, and she glanced at Miguel from time to time, trying
to make out whether they were speaking in earnest or in jest. The
Senoritas de Cuervo--for such was their name--were on their way to
Madrid to spend the season--this was their custom eve