"Perhaps you may have swept it out, or thrown it into the fire? It looked insignificant, and, indeed, was not of much importance, but there were some patterns upon it I wished to copy. Do you think it has been destroyed?" "I know not that, Senorita. I know that _I_ did not destroy it. I neither swept it out nor threw it into the fire. I should not do that with any paper, as I cannot read myself, and might destroy something that was valuable." Whatever truth there was in the last part of her harangue, the mestiza knew that its earlier declarations were true enough. She had not destroyed it, either by sweeping out or burning. Her answer was delivered with an ingenuous _naivete_, accompanied with a slight accent of anger, as though she was not over-pleased at being suspected of negligence. Whether her mistress noticed the latter did not appear from her answer, but she expressed herself satisfied. "It is of no consequence, then," said she. "You may go, Vicenza." The girl walked off, looking sulky. When her head was just disappearing below the top of the escalera, her face was towards her mistress, whose back was now turned to her. A scornful pouting of the lips, accompanied by a demoniac smile, was visible upon it. It was evident from that look that she knew something more of the lost paper than was admitted in her late declaration. Catalina's gaze was once more turned upon the setting sun. In a few minutes he would disappear behind the snowy ridge of the mountain. Then a few hours, and then--moments of bliss! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Roblado was seated in his cuartel as before. As before, a tiny knock sounded upon the door. As before, he called out, "Quien es?" and was answered, "Yo!" and, as before, he recognised the voice and gave the order for its owner to enter. As before, it was the soldier Jose, who, in a cringing voice and with a cringing salute, approached his officer. "Well, Jose, what news?" "Only this," replied the soldier, holding out a slip of paper folded into an oblong shape. "What is it?" demanded Roblado. "Who is it from?" in the same breath. "The captain will understand it better than I can, as I can't read; but it comes from the Senorita, and looks inside like a letter. The Senorita got it from somebody at church yesterday morning: so thinks Vicenza, for she saw her read it as soon as she got back from morning prayers. Vicenza thinks that the girl Josefa brought it up the valley, but the captain most likely can tell for himself." Roblado had not listened to half of this talk; but had instead been swallowing the contents of the paper. As soon as he had got to the end of it he sprang from his chair as if a needle had been stuck into him, and paced the room in great agitation. "Quick! quick, Jose!" he exclaimed. "Send Gomez here. Say nothing to any one. Hold yourself in readiness--I shall want you too. Send Gomez instantly. _Vaya_!"