"Ai! she is delicious--the madama whose husband plans mines and goes on long voyages! How she makes our women look tame!"
"Tah! She is insolent, that is all. We would lock up our women if they had the American way. Drink coffee--not more brandy."
"To the devil with your coffee! And it is not an American way--she is English--the delicious lady!"
"How?" roared Rafael, straightening up in his chair. "You forget, señor! She is my friend--my very illustrious friend--she is--no matter what she is. Her husband goes on long voyages--and you must apologize to me--you hear? I have the admiration for her--I--"
"You are drunk; that is what ails you, Rafael," said his friend, bluntly. "You think that you are in love with that woman, but you are only drunk."
"Drunk--I? And you call her--call the illustrious lady who is a friend of mine, 'that woman!' Señor, there are two swords on the wall. You take your choice--you--"
Fernando tried to avoid him, but he wrenched the sword from the wall and lunged at him wickedly.
But for a girl who shrieked and rushed from a shadowy doorway, and flung herself on the arm of Rafael, it would have gone ill with Fernando.
"Rafael mio!" she cried, clinging to him, "for the love of God!"
"Marta!" he cried, and dropped the weapon. "I--did I not tell you--"
He broke off vaguely, and avoided Fernando's eyes; that young man laughed good-naturedly.
"Another illustrious friend whose husband goes on long voyages!" he said, lightly. "I leave you, my friend, until you are sober. Señorita, adios."
Rafael stared moodily at the girl. She was a pretty bit of bronze flesh with passionate eyes.
"I told you to stay on the ranch," he said at last; but she broke into tears and caught his hands.
"I could not! They all know--the old woman and the priest. They thought I was dying, and he came and I had to tell him the name of the child's father; and--and when my own father comes back from the herding he will beat me, and I will not stay! I will not! He is not a fine gentleman, Rafael; he is only a herder who was a soldier in Mexico. Fine words would not count with him, unless it would be words before the priest, and you promised--"
"Jesus, Maria, and Joseph!" burst out Rafael. "What an hour to come with a list of a man's promises! I've been up all night, and I'd fight with the saints if they came my way. Go, Marta; I will tell Antonio to make a home for you away from the crazy herder. I--I am very busy; I start south in an hour."