That, too, was characteristic of Latin men. Nevertheless,
the possibility that she had perhaps stirred him more deeply than
she believed was disturbing--one might easily learn to fear
Longorio. As a suitor he would be quite as embarrassing, quite as-
-dangerous as an enemy, if all reports were true.
Alaire tried to banish such ideas, but even in her own room she
was not permitted entirely to forget, for Dolores echoed the
teniente's sentiments.
In marked contrast to Jose Sanchez's high and confident spirits
was the housekeeper's conviction of dire calamity. In the presence
of these armed strangers she saw nothing but a menace, and
considered herself and her mistress no more nor less than
prisoners destined for a fate as horrible as that of the two
beautiful sisters of whom she never tired of speaking. Longorio
was a blood-thirsty beast, and he was saving them as prey for his
first leisure moment--that was Dolores's belief. Abandoning all
hope of ever seeing Las Palmas again, she gave herself up to
thoughts of God and melancholy praises of her husband's virtues.
In spite of all this, however, Alaire welcomed the change in her
daily life.
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