"Nothing," the half-breed said, with a regretful tone. "But come," he said, kicking the bed over which he had taken so much pains in preparing, "you really seem so anxious to speak to me that I might fancy that you had important business."
"What makes you suppose that I want to speak to you?"
"Oh, good Heaven! Leon, we have lived together long enough for us to be able to read on one another's faces what our thoughts are. Confess that you are suffering, that you are anxious, and that you have come to ask some explanation of me. Come, if it be so, tell me frankly what you want of me, and I will answer. For on my side I also have to speak with you about the grief and sorrow which seem to have assailed you since yesterday. Speak; is it the engagement you made to support me in the struggle I am preparing, for that seems to you too heavy to carry out? Only say one word: there is still time, and I will give you back your word; but speak, for I am anxious to come to a decision."
"Brother," said Leon, without replying directly to Diego's injunction, "I notice bitterness in your words and mocking on your lips: still, in order to remove from the discussion anything that might resemble passion or annoyance, I have let the whole day pass over the event about which I wish to speak to you, for it is the friend I am addressing, and not Tahi-Mari."
Leon drew from his belt the ring which he had found, and handed it to Diego.
"What is it?" said the half-breed, taking it and turning it over in his fingers, while giving the young man an inquiring glance.
"Hang it, I can see that, and a very handsome ring too; but I ask you what meaning it has in your hands?"
"Is it true that you do not know to whom it belongs?"
"Then you did not notice it on anybody's hand?"
"No; and I assure you that if I had seen it twenty times I should not recognise it now, for I pay no attention to such futilities."
"Well, since you do not know to whom it belongs, I will tell you."
"If you insist on my knowing, very good. But," he added, with a smile, "if I could have thought that you wished to speak to me so anxiously in order to talk about a pearl, I should have begged you to let me sleep."
"A little patience, for this ring is more important than you seem to fancy."