“She will not do it, either.  I talked with her for two hours this afternoon and she said that she would preach war, and help it by every means in her power; but that she would not bid one man stab another in the back.  She would be right in opposing it if anything serious were intended, but I don’t want any wounds; all I want is to give him a fright.”

“Well, if Dona Perfecta doesn’t want to order a fright to be given to the engineer, I don’t either, do you understand?  My conscience is before every thing.”

“Very well,” returned his niece.  “Tell Caballuco to come with me to-night—­that is all you need say to him.”

“Are you going out to-night?”

“Yes, senor, I am going out.  Why, didn’t I go out last night too?”

“Last night?  I didn’t know it; if I had known it I should have been angry; yes, senora.”

“All you have to say to Caballuco is this:  ’My dear Ramos, I will be greatly obliged to you if you will accompany my niece on an errand which she has to do to-night, and if you will protect her, if she should chance to be in any danger.’”

“I can do that.  To accompany you, to protect you.  Ah, rogue! you want to deceive me and make me your accomplice in some piece of villany.”

“Of course—­what do you suppose?” said Maria Remedios ironically.  “Between Ramos and me we are going to slaughter a great many people to-night.”

“Don’t jest!  I tell you again that I will not advise Ramos to do any thing that has the appearance of evil—­I think he is outside.”

A noise at the street-door was heard, then the voice of Caballuco speaking to the servant, and a little later the hero of Orbajosa entered the room.

“What is the news?  Give us the news, Senor Ramos,” said the priest.  “Come!  If you don’t give us some hope in exchange for your supper and our hospitality——­What is going on in Villahorrenda?”

“Something,” answered the bravo, seating himself with signs of fatigue.  “You shall soon see whether we are good for anything or not.”

Like all persons who wish to make themselves appear important, Caballuco made a show of great reserve.

“To-night, my friend, you shall take with you, if you wish, the money they have given me for—­”

“There is good need of it.  If the soldiers should get scent of it, however, they won’t let me pass,” said Ramos, with a brutal laugh.

“Hold your tongue, man.  We know already that you pass whenever you please.  Why, that would be a pretty thing!  The soldiers are not strait-laced gentry, and if they should become troublesome, with a couple of dollars, eh?  Come, I see that you are not badly armed.  All you want now is an eight-pounder.  Pistols, eh?  And a dagger too.”

“For any thing that might happen,” said Caballuco, taking the weapon from his belt and displaying its horrible blade.

“In the name of God and of the Virgin!” exclaimed Maria Remedios, closing her eyes and turning her face in terror, “put away that thing.  The very sight of it terrifies me.”