I am no longer of her gente.
I have a debt of blood to wipe out."
Longorio sat up in his bed; the smile left his face. "My Jose", he
said, quietly, "if you harm her in the least I shall bury you to
the neck in an ant's nest and fill your mouth with honey. Now,
what is this you are telling me?"
Jose, uncomfortably startled by this barbarous threat, told as
connectedly as he knew how all about his cousin's death and his
reasons for leaving Las Palmas.
"Ah-h!" Longorio relaxed. "You gave me a start. At first I thought
you came with a message from her--but that was too much to expect;
then I feared you meant the lady some evil. Now I shall tell you a
little secret: I love your senora! Yes, I love her madly,
furiously; I can think of nothing but her. I came to this
abominable village more to see her than to annoy myself over the
death of Ricardo Guzman. I must see my divinity; I must hear her
blessed voice, or I shall go mad. Why do I tell you this? Because
I have decided that you shall lead me to her to-night." The
general fell silent for a moment, then, "I intend to have her some
day, Jose, and--perhaps you will be my right hand. See, I make you
my confidant because you will not dare to anger me or--Well, my
little friend, you must understand what fate would befall you in
that case.
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