"Good!" the Captain exclaimed, enthusiastically; "You are a man after my own heart, Jaguar, and whatever may happen, I shall always think with gladness that I have pressed your honest hand, and am worthy of being counted among your friends. Yes, I have a deep and sincere love for Carmela; for a smile from her rosy lips I would joyfully lay down my life; but I swear that I will follow the noble example you give me, and the struggle shall be as honourable on my side as on yours." "Viva Cristo!" the young man said with frank and simple delight, "I was sure we should end by coming to an understanding." "To produce that," the Captain remarked, with a smile, "we only needed the opportunity for an explanation." "Canarios, I trust that it will not be repeated under similar conditions, for it is a perfect miracle that we are still alive." "I am not at all anxious to repeat the experiment." "Nor I either, I swear to you. But the sun is rapidly declining on the horizon: I need not tell you that you are free, and at liberty to go wherever you please, if it is not your intention to remain any length of time with us: I have had a horse got ready which you will permit me to offer you." "I gladly accept it: I do not wish to have any false pride with you, and afoot in these regions, which are quite strange to me, I should feel greatly embarrassed." "That need not trouble you, for I will give you a guide to accompany you, till you get in the right road." "A thousand thanks." "Where do you propose going? Of course, if my question be indiscreet, I do not expect you to answer it." "I have nothing to hide from you; I intend joining General Rubio as quickly as possible, to whom I must report the accident that has happened to the conducta de plata, and the terrible catastrophe of which I have been the victim." "It is the fortune of war, Captain." "I do not reproach you; I merely say it was an unfortunate affair." "Had it been possible to save the conducta by courage and devotion, you would have doubtless done it, for you performed your duty worthily." "I thank you for this praise." "It will be easy for you to reach General Rubio's camp before sunset." "Do you think so?" "I am sure of it, for you are only three leagues at the most from it." "So near as that? Had I but known it," the Captain said in a tone of regret. "Yes, but you were ignorant of the fact. But, nonsense, what good is it returning to that, you will take your revenge some day or the other." "You are right; what is done cannot be undone, so I will be off." "Already?" "I must." "That is true." The Jaguar made a signal to a borderer standing a short distance off. "The Captain's horse," he said.