"You must do me a service, Carmen," said he. "My cousin Rita is now within an hour's ride of this place. She comes hither expecting to find her father. She must be detained captive."
"What!" exclaimed the abbess, "is your suit so hopeless as to render such hazardous measures adviseable? What is to be gained by such an act of violence? Her father will inevitably seek and discover her, and disgrace and disappointment will be the sole result of your mad scheme."
"Her father," replied Baltasar gloomily, "will give us no trouble."
"How?--no trouble! If all be true that I have heard of Count Villabuena, and of his affection for his only surviving child, he is capable of devoting his life to the search for her."
"Count Villabuena," said Baltasar, "now stands before you. The father of Rita is dead."
"Dead!" exclaimed the abbess with a start. "How and when did he die?"
"In a skirmish!" repeated Doña Carmen. "He held no military command."
"I was escorting him with a few men to attend a junta. We were attacked by a superior force, from which we escaped, thanks to an intervening river. A few shots were exchanged, the Count thrust himself into the fire, and fell."
The abbess seemed to reflect a moment, and then fixed a keen and searching look upon the countenance of Baltasar.
"Was your loss in men severe?" said she abruptly.
"No--yes--" replied Baltasar, slightly confused. "I believe there were several wounded. Why do you ask?"
"And the Count's death gives you the Villabuena estates?"
The dark penetrating eyes of the abbess still remained fixed, with a peculiar expression of enquiry and suspicion, upon the countenance of Colonel Villabuena. He tried at first to sustain their gaze, but was unable to do so. He looked down, and a slight paleness came over his features.
"I have no time to answer questions," said he, with a rough brutality of manner which seemed assumed to veil embarrassment. "My plan is arranged, but promptness of execution is essential to its success. Rita must be detained here, where none will think of seeking her, till she becomes my wife. Your power in this place is unlimited, and your word law; you will have no difficulty in secluding her in some corner where none shall see her but those in whom you can fully confide. Make the necessary preparations. Each moment she may arrive."