"Tell me, my friend," Don Juan answered, "may I be allowed to speak with the Chief?" "Very easily--the more so, as it seems that he has something to say to you." "Indeed." "Yes, and he even ordered me to ask you if you would allow him an interview after dinner." "Most heartily; I am entirely at his orders; especially," the Captain added, with a smile, "since I am his prisoner." "That is true; well, eat quietly, and while you are doing so I will convey your message." Hereupon Ruperto left the Captain, who did not require the invitation to be repeated, but vigorously attacked the provisions placed before him. His meal was soon over, and he had been walking up and down for some time, when he saw the Jaguar approach. The two men bowed ceremoniously, and examined each other for some moments with the greatest attention. Up to this moment they had hardly seen one another; their interview of the previous evening had taken place in the darkness, and then fought obstinately; but they had found no time to form mutual opinions as they now did with the infallible glance of men who are accustomed to judge in a second, persons with whom they have dealings. The Jaguar was the first to break the silence. "You will excuse, Caballero," he said, "the rusticity of my reception: banished men have no other palace save the dome of the forests that shelter them." The Captain bowed. "I was far from expecting," he said, "so much courtesy from--" He stopped, not daring to utter the word that rose to his lips, through fear of offending the other. "From bandits, I suppose, Captain?" the Jaguar replied, with a smile. "Oh, no denial, I know what we are called at Mexico. Yes, Caballero, at the present day we are outlaws, border ruffians, freebooters; tomorrow, perhaps, we shall be heroes and saviours of a people; but so the world goes; but let us leave that. You wished to speak to me, I heard." "Did you not also evince a desire, Caballero, to have an interview with me?" "I did, Captain; I have only one question to ask you, though--will you promise me to answer it?" "On my honour, if it be possible." The Jaguar reflected for a moment, and then continued-- "You hate me, I suppose?" "What makes you imagine that?" "How do I know?" the Jaguar replied, with embarrassment; "a thousand reasons, as, for instance, the obstinacy with which you sought to take my life a few hours agone." The Captain drew himself up, and his face assumed a stern expression which it had not worn hitherto. "I pledge you my word to be frank with you, Caballero," he said. "I thank you beforehand." "Between yourself and me, personally, no hatred can exist--at any rate, not on my side; I do not know you, I only saw you yesterday for the first time; never, to my cognizance, have you come across my path before, hence I have no reason to hate you. But beside the man there is the soldier; as an officer in the Mexican army--"