Last of the Incas

ilence, Don Tor

perfect confidence in you; but you are a drun

no more," the

rribio

did just now, which cannot be recalled, and are more deadly than a dagger. It is

the gau

If anything extraordinary happens to him or his daughter Do?a Concha, you will immediately light two fires, one on the cliff of the Urubús, the other on that of San

swea

ou can; try, without exciting suspicion, which always sleeps with one eye open, to

killed?" Cor

ent, but you would have t

side glance, but Don Torri

u want

mas

ter; ta

se, through the meshes of which a gr

se, Pan

ely re-appeared, holding the bridle of a magnifi

prudence and fidelity; any ind

toward Población del Sur. As soon as they had gone some distance, the bushes in a corner of the brake were shaken, and a face pale with fear peeped out. This head b

we shall see. ?Santa Virgen del Pilar! Wh

to hear," someone re

ito shouted, as he

he came from behind the maple and jo

are welcome. You wer

ntage of the opportunity to ins

el

ous scoundrel, but, with the aid of H

be

t place, what do

ears, 'kill me cleverly.' Corrocho and Panchito are

a long time, and at present

t m

you are not

ot much

u, the boldest panther hu

an get the better of it with a bullet; but the two

er, that is to say, I am devoted to him body and soul. Don Torribio is forming some infernal plot against my master's famil

I accept, because I no longer run a risk of betraying the gauchos, my comrades. The position is changed. Kill me cleverly! By Heave

Get on your horse and go and wait for me at the estancia. I shall retu

here are y

alentine

vening,

even

, galloped toward the Estancia of San Julian, of which Don Blas was the

f about five and forty. As his family originally came from old Castile, he had retained the handsome type of that race, a type which was recognized in his face by

ocked up in his heart like a sacred relic, and he believed that it was still loving her to devote him

ld Carmen, near the fort, in one of the h

orded, two persons were seated near a br

arrangement of the furniture. Nothing was wanting; not even an Erard pianoforte, covered with the scores of operas sung at Paris, and, as if better to prove that glory travels a great distance, that genius has wings, the fashionable romance writ

his daughter Conchita we

brown lashes, contrasted harmoniously with her ebony black hair which curled round her delicate neck, and in which odoriferous jessamine flowers were expiring in delight. Short, like all true-blooded Spanish women, her waist was exquisitely sma

ge silk flowers in bright colours, and fastened round the hips by a cord and tassels. A Mechlin lace veil wa

a tiny husk cigarette, w

arrived to day from Buenos Aires, w

littl

she remarked, with an adorable pout,

t, young lady?" Don Valen

unding with delight in her chair, a

ocked with parrots, Bengalis, macaws, hummingbirds, in short

," the girl replied, throwing her arms round Don

. Do you want to stifle

o to requite

have only yo

ation you feel for me. Hence, I love you with

entle accent of reproach, "you do not f

ked, with an i

ening her tenderly with his fing

the

irl of fifteen, and for some days past, if I am not mis

l replied, with a certa

ttle maid?" Don Valentine asked,

orribio C

d, in a choking voice

my thoughts; why, I cannot say, but his look troubles and fascinates me, his voice causes me a feeling of undefinable pain; he is handsome, his manners are elegant a

omanti

id with a tremor in her voice. "Sh

ith conf

timent that this man w

ied, as he kissed her foreh

now; but I

ot to remain h

d be hastening on the mis

ad, and taking pleasure

ant announced Don Torribio Ca

latest Parisian fashion, and the

d daughte

red her a superb bouquet of exotic flowers. She thanked him with a smile

mpanied by his whole staff, and two or three other families, or altog

ine asked the governor, "Wh

who was stifling in his uniform, "has a

ory will procure us a little of that

munications are becoming so difficul

?" a merchant asked anxiousl

ast lesson they received was rude, they will remember it a long ti

smile played round

ou consider them capable of s

red, "Take them altogeth

d again in a bitter

ur opinion; I believe the Indians

so," the comma

be too great a favour to ask you to sing that delicious air from

sat down to the pianoforte, and sang the r

nightingale who has flown away, and I cannot say

ncha answered, "you liv

o, se?

come back a dete

You see, Don Torribio, that our creoles are equal

d; "but leave me alone," he added with an unde

Concha a look tha

that you will be present tomorrow at the Te D

is very evening I start

of your mysteri

ll not be long, and I

the b

young man murmured

rd the last words, was n

other, and Don Torribio Carvajal was

rney in which I shall doubtless incur great dangers. May I hope

in the face, and replied with a fr

for the success of an expediti

Don Torribio answered without the slighte

ustomary compli

lazar wishes to speak with Se?or Don Va

who had announced the capataz in so lengthy a fashi

turned round and darted a viper glance at the windows of the

low and terrible voice, "I sha

house situated a short distance off, where he generally lived when

gate opened again to le

e are we goin

other replied; and added in a

and the furious gallop of their horse