THE TIGRERO.
Don Ruiz and his sister left the red chamber together, gloomy, sad, and despairing, and not daring to communicate their impressions, because they knew that they had nothing to hope from an exchange of conventional consolation. When they reached the hall whence ran the stairs leading to their different suites of rooms, Don Ruiz let loose his sister's arm, and kissed her on the forehead.
"Courage, Marianna," he said, gently.
"Are you leaving me, brother?" she remarked, with a slight tinge of reproach in her voice.
"Are you not going to your own rooms?" he asked her.
"And what do you intend doing?"
"To tell you the honest truth, sister," he replied, "after what has occurred in the red chamber, I feel in such a state of excitement, that I want to breathe the fresh air; did I not, I fancy I should be ill."
"Do you propose going out, then?"
"In leaving you, my dear sister, it is my firm intention to saddle Santiago, and ride about the country for two or three hours."