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Longorio again bent his brilliant eyes upon Alaire. "I see that you are concerned for his safety. You would not desire him to come to trouble, eh? He has done you favors; he is your friend, as I am. Well" a mirthless smile exposed his splendid white teeth "we must think of that. Now I will bid you good night." "Where are you going?" demanded Miss Jones. "To the river, and then to Romero.
Her caller stayed on interminably and she became restive under the flow of his conversation. For some reason or other Longorio was not the romantic figure he had been; in his citizen's clothes he was only a dandified Mexican gallant like any number of others.
Father O'Malley's face was white and terrible; his voice was deep, menacing; the hand he raised above Longorio seemed to brandish a weapon. "Stop!" he thundered. "Are you a madman? Destruction hangs over you; destruction of body and soul. You dare not separate those whom God hath joined." "God! God!" the other shrilled. "I don't believe in Him. I am a god; I know of no other."
"How beautiful! A nest for a bird of paradise!" "Don't you consider this rather a mad adventure?" Alaire insisted. "Suppose it should become known that you crossed the river?" Longorio snapped his fingers. "I answer to no one; I am supreme. But your interest warms my heart; it thrills me to think you care for my safety. Thus am I repaid for my days of misery."
As the priest listened a spot of color grew in his cheeks, his eyes glowed with indignation. He was about to make known what was in his mind when Alaire raised her hand and in a strained whisper exclaimed: "'Sh-h! Listen!" The heavy door of the hacienda creaked, a quick tread sounded on the tiles, the door to the living-room was flung open, and Longorio entered.
Dave, who had with difficulty restrained his anger at the fellow's bombast, was upon the point of speaking when Father O'Malley took the words out of his mouth: "Would you send this woman out of her own house into a country like like this? Remember the fortune in cattle you have already taken " Longorio broke in with a snarl: "Is it my fault that the country is in arms?
You would like to appear as an angel of mercy, eh? Your heart is touched?" "Deeply." "Bastante! There is no more to be said." Longorio rose and went into the next room where were certain members of his staff. After a time he returned with a paper in his hand, and this he laid before Alaire. It was an order for the release of Juan Garcia.
This promised to be the greatest day of his life, and he felt that he must be dreaming. "You haven't tired of Rosa, eh? You still wish to marry her?" Longorio was inquiring. "Yes. But, of course, I'm a poor man." "Just so. I shall attend to that. Now we come to the object of my visit. José, I propose to make you rich enough in one day so that you can marry."
Then, turning away, he said, without meeting his employer's eyes, "I would like to draw my money." "Very well. I am sorry to have you leave Las Palmas, for I have regarded you as one of my gente." José's face remained stony. "What do you intend to do? Where are you going?" The fellow shrugged. "Quien sabe! Perhaps I shall go to my General Longorio.
There sounded the report of a gunshot, deadened indeed by the thick adobe walls of the house, yet sudden and loud enough to startle the women. When Longorio reappeared he found Alaire standing stiff and white against the wall, with Dolores kneeling, her face still buried in her mistress's gown. "Give yourself no concern," he told them, quickly. "I beg a thousand pardons for Felipe.
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