Old Marcia announced dinner, and Talbot sprang to his feet with a sensation of relief and offered the Senora his arm.  She made no further references to their youth during the excellent and highly seasoned repast, but discussed the possibilities of the crops and listened with deep attention to the political forecast.  She knew that politics were becoming the absorbing interest in the life of her friend, and although she also knew that they would one day put a continent between herself and him, she had long since ceased to live for self, and never failed to encourage him.

When the last dulce had been eaten they went out upon the veranda and talked drowsily of minor matters until both nodded in their comfortable chairs, and finally fell asleep.

For a time the heavy dinner locked Talbot’s brain, but finally he began to dream of his youth, and the scenes of which Delfina Carillo had been the heroine were flung from their rusty frames into the hot light of his memory, until he lived again the ecstasy and the anguish of that time.  The morning’s reminiscences had moved coldly in his mind, but so intense was his vision of the woman he had worshipped that she seemed bathed in light.

He awoke suddenly.  The Senora still slept, and her face was as placid as in consciousness.  It was slightly relaxed, but the time had not yet come for the pathetic loss of muscular control.  Still, she looked so large and brown and stout that Talbot rose abruptly with an echo of the agony that had returned in sleep, and entered the sala and stood deliberately before the portrait.  It had been painted by an artist of much ability.  There was atmosphere behind it, which in the dim room detached it from the canvas; and the curved red mouth smiled, the eyes flashed with the triumph of youth and much conquest, the skin was as white as the moon-flowers in the fields at night.

Talbot recalled the night he had taken this woman in his arms—­not the woman on the veranda—­and involuntarily he raised them to the picture.  “And I thought it was over,” he muttered, with a terrified gasp.  “But I believe I would give my immortal soul and everything I’ve accomplished in life if she would come out of the frame and the past for an hour and love me.”

“Whatte you say?” drawled a gentle voice.  “I fall asleep, no?  Si you ring that little bell Marcia bring the chocolate.  You find it too hot out here?”

“Oh, no; I prefer it out-of-doors.  It is cooler now, and I like all the air I can get.”

He longed to get away, but he sipped his chocolate and listened to the domestic details of his four vicarious daughters.  The Senora was immensely proud of her five grandchildren.  Their photographs were all over the house.

At six o’clock he shook hands with her and sprang on his horse.  Half-way down the avenue he turned his head, as usual.  She stood on the veranda still, and smiled pleasantly to him, moving one of her large brown hands a little.  He never saw the Senora again.