"Santiago will be ready in a moment. Here are your vaquera boots, which Lanzi begged me to give you."
"Thank you," he said.
And he began fastening on his legs those two pieces of stamped leather which in Mexico play the part of gaiters, and serve to protect the rider from the horse.
While the young man fastened on his botas, with one foot on the bench, and his body bent forward, Carmela examined him attentively, with an expression of timid hesitation.
The Jaguar noticed it.
"What do you want?" he asked her.
"Nothing," she said, stammering.
"You are deceiving me, Carmela. Come—time presses—tell me the truth."
"Well," she replied, with a hesitation more and more marked, "I have a prayer to make to you."
"Speak quickly, Niña, for you know that, whatever it may be, I grant it to you beforehand."