There was a moment of silence. The maiden attended to her household duties with that bird-like lissomness and activity peculiar to women; the Jaguar walked up and down the room with a preoccupied air; after a few moments he went to the door and looked out. "I must be gone," he said. She gave him a scrutinizing glance. "Ah," she said. "Yes; then be kind enough to order Lanzi to prepare Santiago. Perhaps if I told him so myself he would feel disinclined to do it. I fancy I can see I am no longer in his good graces." "I will go," she answered him with a smile. The young man watched her depart with a stifled sigh. "What is this I feel?" he muttered, as he pressed his hand powerfully against his heart, as if he suddenly felt a sudden pain: "Can it be what people call love? I am mad!" he went on, directly after; "How can I, the Jaguar, love? Can a reprobate be beloved?" A bitter smile contracted his lips; he frowned and muttered, in a hollow voice-- "Every man has his task in this world, and I shall know how to accomplish mine." Carmela came in again. "Santiago will be ready in a moment. Here are your vaquera boots, which Lanzi begged me to give you." "Thank you," he said. And he began fastening on his legs those two pieces of stamped leather which in Mexico play the part of gaiters, and serve to protect the rider from the horse. While the young man fastened on his botas, with one foot on the bench, and his body bent forward, Carmela examined him attentively, with an expression of timid hesitation. The Jaguar noticed it. "What do you want?" he asked her. "Nothing," she said, stammering. "You are deceiving me, Carmela. Come--time presses--tell me the truth." "Well," she replied, with a hesitation more and more marked, "I have a prayer to make to you." "Speak quickly, Niña, for you know that, whatever it may be, I grant it to you beforehand." "You swear it?" "I do." "Well, whatever may happen, I desire that if you meet the Captain of Dragoons who was here this morning, you will grant him your protection." The young man sprung up, as if stung by a viper. "Ah, then," he shrieked, "what I was told was true, then?" "I do not know what you are alluding to, but I repeat my request." "I do not know the man, since I did not arrive until after his departure." "Yes, you know him," she continued, boldly. "Why seek a subterfuge, if you wish to break the promise you made me? It would be better to be frank." "It is well," he replied, in a gloomy voice and a tone of biting irony; "reassure yourself Carmela, I will defend your lover." And he rushed madly from the venta. "Oh!" the maiden exclaimed, as she fell on a bench, and melted into tears; "Oh! That demon is properly christened the Jaguar! He has a tiger's heart in his bosom." She buried her face in her hands, and broke out into sobs. At the same moment the rapid gallop of a retreating horse was heard. CHAPTER XIII. CARMELA.