It was two or three days after this that Uncle Adan came in toward sunset with a fine piece of news.

"The Se?or knows the hacienda of Palmacristi?" began Uncle Adan, more as a preface than as a question.

Don Beltran laughed. He had known the hacienda of Palmacristi as long as he had known anything; he had known the old Don Gil well, who, indeed, had been a distant relative of his own, and he had seen the young Don Gil grow up to manhood. Beltran was ten years older than Silencio. He had often envied the young fellow his independence and freedom in the way of money. He thought him hot-headed and likely to get into trouble some day, and now, from Uncle Adan's account, that day had arrived. He did not think it necessary to say this; Adan knew it as well as he.

"What has he been doing now?" asked Don Beltran.

"Only getting married, Se?or," answered the old capitas.

[Pg 161]

"I did not dream that he would do anything so sensible," said Don Beltran, with a glance at Agueda.

Agueda bent her eyes low and blushed. How dear it was of him to think of her first of all, and always in that connection. But what was the haste? He loved her, of that she was sure. He would always love her. When he was ready, she would be, but it was not a pressing matter.

"The Se?or E'cobeda does not think it so sensible, Se?or Don Beltran."

"Aaaah! it was the little Se?orita Raquel, then. Wise man, wise man!"—Agueda looked up suddenly—"to marry the girl of his choice. But how did he get her, Adan? It was only three weeks ago that he wrote me a line, begging that I would aid him in an effort to carry her off."

"And the Se?or answered—?"

"I told him that I would come whenever he called upon me. I have no liking for Escobeda. He will not sell me the lowlands between the river and the sea. He is an unpleasant neighbour, he—"

"He is a devil," said Adan.

"I think that it must be I who made that marriage hasten as it did," said Agueda, smilingly. "The Se?or remembers the day last week when I came home and found the Se?or with the letter from the Se?or Don Noé saying that he would[Pg 162] make a visit at Palmacristi with the little child? It was on that day that I carried the note from the Se?orita to Don Gil."

"And that was the very day of the marriage," broke in Adan, willing enough to interrupt his niece, though not his master. "It was the very day. There was a shipwreck, and somehow the young Se?or got the Se?orita from the vessel. Como no, hombre! When one wants a thing he must have it if he is gran' Se?or. The padre was there, and he married them, and now they have to reckon with the Se?or E'cobeda."

"Where was the precious rascal all this time?" asked Don Beltran.

"Some say that he was on board the ship, Se?or, and that he was carried on to the government town. They say he knew nothing of the grounding of the vessel; he was always sick with the sea, that Se?or E'cobeda. Caramba! I should like to see him sick with the sea, or with the bite of a black spider, or with anything else that would kill him—that Se?or E'cobeda!"

"I cannot see what he can do, Adan," said Don Beltran. "If she is married, he cannot change that."

Adan nodded, and scratched his ankle with his machete.

"Married fast enough, Se?or Don Beltran. First by the padre at the hacienda, and then at the [Pg 163]little church at Haldez. I cannot see what rights he has over the young Se?ora now.

"None at all," said Don Beltran. "Does the lad want me over there—the Se?or Silencio?"

"I have heard nothing from him, Se?or Don Beltran. Juan Rotiro told me many things, but the Se?or knows what Juan Rotiro is when the pink rum gets into his judgment. He says that the Se?or E'cobeda will soon return, and that there will be fighting, but it seems to me that the Se?or Don Gil can hold his own. Como no! when he has the law on his side."

"Law," Beltran laughed. "Do you suppose rascals like Escobeda care for law? Besides, he has the Governor on his side. He pays large sums for so-called concessions; that I know, and the Governor winks both eyes very fast at anything that Escobeda chooses to do. Did you hear anything about his getting that band from Troja together?"

"Caramba! yes, Se?or Don Beltran! It was spoken under the breath, and just from one peon to the other. They did not know much."

Don Beltran arose. "I think I will ride over to Palmacristi, Agueda; get me my spur. Would you like to come, child?"

Agueda shook her head, and ran into the sitting-room to hide her confusion. Her face was a dull crimson as she took the spur down from the nail.

[Pg 164]

"The espuela is dusty; shall brighten it, Se?or?"

"Call old Juana. I will not have you soil your pretty hands, child, on my spur. The grey, Pablo," he shouted toward the rambling structure that was dignified by the name of stable.

"And why not come with me, Agueda?"

Agueda bent over her stitching.

"I am much too busy to-day, Se?or," she said. "Far too busy," she thought, "to go over there, not sure of my welcome." Things had changed at Palmacristi, and remembering the slight inflection in Silencio's tone when last she saw him, she knew that henceforth Raquel was quite out of her reach.

"I was good enough to take her note for her when she was Se?orita," thought Agueda, "but I am not good enough to visit her now that she is Se?ora."

Agueda's sensitive and delicate nature had evolved this feeling out of an almost imperceptible glance, a faint, evanescent colouring of tone in the inflection of Silencio's voice, but it told her, as memory called it up, that the front door of Palmacristi would henceforth be closed to her. She would not hamper Beltran. He was thoughtless, and might suffer more from a slight to her than from one to himself; or else he might become angry and break his pleasant friendship with Silencio, a friendship which had existed between the families[Pg 165] for generations. No, she had better remain at home. Again, when Beltran asked her, she shook her head and smiled, though a drop of water lay near the surface of her eye, but Beltran did not see, and rode away gaily, waving his hand.

Arrived upon the height where stood the Casa de Caoba, he rode the grey down to the bank, because on the calm sea he had discovered Silencio and Raquel, in the little skiff in which Raquel had been rescued. He heard Silencio say, "There is Beltran; let us go in and see him."

"I do not know that Don Beltran," said Raquel. "Does not the girl Agueda live there, at San Isidro?"

"............