“You say this is the order of General Yozarro?”
“Were it not, I should not dare utter the words.”
“What is his reason for the command?”
It was essentially a feminine question, but the soldier did not hesitate with the reply:
“War impends between Zalapata and Atlamalco; we are expecting at almost any hour an attack upon Castillo Descanso; the Señorita observes the armed force that has been placed here by General Yozarro; he cannot allow the Señoritas the danger of falling into the hands of the perfidious General Bambos and his barbarians.”
It was on the tongue of Miss Starland to declare that she would prefer a hundred times that eventuality to remaining in charge of the Atlamalcans, but instead, her companion said what was in the minds of both:
“The order of General Yozarro may apply to me, but cannot apply to my friend who owes no allegiance to Atlamalco or Zalapata. She comes from the Great Republic of the North, and no one elsewhere has the right to say yea or nay to her.”
“It distresses me very much, Señorita Estacardo, that special weight was laid by General Yozarro upon the order as affecting la Americana.”
And looking toward the latter, he again removed his hat and bowed low, instead of contenting himself with the military salute that would have been the proper thing under the circumstances. The soldier was above the ordinary native in intelligence.