There are days which are crowded with events; days so bursting with happenings that a single twenty-four hours will not suffice to tell the tale. There are other days so blank and uneventful that one sighs for very weariness when one thinks of them. It is not well to wish time away, but such days are worse than useless. It is, however, of one of the former that this chapter relates. To a little community like that surrounding San Isidro and Palmacristi, to say nothing of Troja, the day on which Agueda carried the note for Raquel was full of events.

When Escobeda went from Raquel's room, slamming the door after him, the terrified girl dropped on her knees before Ana. All her courage seemed to have flown. She bent her head and laid it in Ana's lap, and then tears rained down and drenched Ana's new silk apron.

"Ana," she whispered, "Ana, who is there to help me?"

Ana sighed and sniffed, and one or two great drops rolled off her brown nose and splashed down on the back of Raquel's dark head.

[Pg 107]

"There is no one but you and God, Ana."

"Holy Mother! child, do not be so irreverent."

"Can you steal out into the corridor and down the two little steps, and into the rum room, Ana, and hear what is being said?"

"I am too heavy; that you know, Se?orita. The boards creak at the very sound of my name. I am tall, my bones are large. Such persons cannot trip lightly; they tip the scales at a goodly number of pounds. Holy Mother! If he should catch me at it!" and Ana shivered, her tears drying at once from fright.

"You could very well do it if you chose. Listen, Ana. If he takes me away, I shall die. Now I tell you truly, Ana, I will never go to that government house alive; that you may as well know. Get me my mother's dagger, Ana."

Ana arose and went to a bureau drawer. The drawer squeaked as she pulled at the knobs.

A far door was heard opening. "What is that?" roared Escobeda.

"I am packing the child's trunks, Se?or. How can I pack them unless I may open the drawer?" There was a sound of retreating footsteps and the closing of the door. Raquel looked at Ana, who was kneeling upon the floor, searching in the drawer.

"Ah! here it is," said Ana. "But you will not use it, sweet?"

[Pg 108]

"Not unless I must," said Raquel. She sighed. "Not unless I must. I do not want to die, Ana. I love my life, but there is a great horror over there." She nodded her head in the direction of the Port of Entry. "When that horror comes very near me, then I—" Raquel made as if she would thrust the dagger within her breast. Ana shuddered.

"I shall not see it," she said. "But I advise it, all the same, if you must."

She drew the girl up to her, and cried helplessly upon her neck.

"Can't you think a little for me, Ana? It is hard always to think for one's self."

"No," said Ana, shaking her head, "I never have any fresh thoughts. I always follow."

"Then, dear Ana, just tiptoe down and listen. It is the last thing that I shall ever ask of you, Ana."

Ana, her eyes streaming with tears, took her slippers—those tell-tale flappers—from her feet, and went to the door. She turned the knob gently and pushed the door outward without noise. As she opened it she heard Escobeda's voice, raised in angry tones.

"Go now! now! while he is scolding," whispered Raquel. "He will not hear you. I must know what he is saying to that man. Do you think it is the Se?or Silencio's messenger?"

[Pg 109]

Ana nodded and put her finger to her lip. She crept noiselessly along the passage. Raquel, listen as she would, heard nothing of Ana's footsteps, for Escobeda was still swearing so loudly as to drown every other sound.

Raquel went to the bureau, and took from the drawer a piece of kid. She seated herself and began to polish her weapon of defence. "Of death," said Raquel to herself. "If I am forced—"

She peeped out, but Ana had turned the corner, and was hidden from sight. Ah! she must be in the rum room now, where she could both peer through the cracks and hear all that was said on either side. Suddenly a far door was violently wrenched open, and Raquel heard Escobeda's steps coming along the corridor. Where was Ana, then? Raquel's heart stood still. Escobeda came on until he reached the door of Raquel's chamber. The girl did not alter her position, and but for her flushed cheeks there was no sign of agitation. She bent her head, and rubbed the shining steel with much force.

"Where is that lazy Ana?"

Raquel raised her innocent eyes to his.

"Did you call, uncle? Well, then, she must have gone to the kitchen."

"You lie," said Escobeda.

Raquel's cheeks reddened still more.

[Pg 110]

"Perhaps I do, uncle. At all events, she is not here."

"What have you there?"

Escobeda had stooped towards the girl with hand outstretched, but she had sprung to her feet in a moment, and stood at bay, the dagger held, not in a threatening attitude, but so that it could be turned towards the man at any moment.

"It is my mother's dagger, uncle."

"What are you doing with it?"

"Polishing it for my journey, uncle."

"Give it to me."

"Why should I give it to you, uncle?"

"Because I tell you to."

Raquel's hair had fallen down; she was scantily clothed. Her cheeks were ablaze. She looked like a tigress brought to bay.

"Do you remember my mother, uncle?"

"I remember your mother; what of her?"

"Do you know what she said to me at the last—at the last, uncle?"

"I neither know nor care," said Escobeda. "Hand me the knife."

"My mother told me," said Raquel, still polishing the blade and changing its direction so that the point was held towards Escobeda—"my mother told me to keep this little thing always at hand. It has always been with me. You do not know how[Pg 111] many times I have had the thought to turn it upon you"—Escobeda started and paled—"when your cruelties have been worse than usual. Sometimes at night I have thought of creeping, creeping along the hall there, and going to the side of your bed—"

"You murderess!" shouted Escobeda. "So you would do that, would you? It is time that you came under the restraint that you will find over there in the government town. Do you hear? Give me the knife. It was like that she-dev—"

"I can hear quite well with it in my hand," said Raquel. "You may say whatever comes into your head, only about my mother. That I will not bear. Speak of her gently, I warn you—I warn you—"

"Do you know who the man was who came to me just now?"

"The Se?or Silencio?" said Raquel, breathless, her eyes flashing with a thousand lights.

"No, it was not the Se?or Silencio." Raquel's eyelids drooped. "But it was the next thing to it. It was that villain, Rotiro. I could have bought him, as well as Silencio. A little rum and a few pesos, and he is mine body and soul. But I do not want him. I have followers in plenty—"

"Those who follow you for love?" said Raquel, with sly malice in her tone.

Escobeda flashed a dark and hateful look upon her.

[Pg 112]

"It makes no difference why they follow me. They are all mine, body and soul, just as you are mine, body and soul."

"Are you going to tell me why Rotiro came here to-day?" asked Raquel.

"Yes, that is what I came to tell you. I came purposely to tell you that. The Se?or Silencio sent me a letter by the villain Rotiro."

"For me?" asked Raquel, breathless. "Oh, uncle! Let me see it, let me—"

"No, it was to me. But I will tell you its contents. I will tell you gladly. He offers you his hand in marriage."

"Oh, uncle!"

The girl's eyes were dancing. She blushed and paled alternately; then drew a long sigh, and waited for Escobeda to speak further.

"From your appearance, I should judge that you wish me to accept him for you."

"Oh, uncle!" Again the girl drew short, quick breaths. She gazed eagerly into Escobeda's face. "Can you think anything else? Now I need not go away. Now I n............