"Absent—for what motive?"
"He is paying his usual evening visit to the grounds, but will soon return; if your Excellency will be good enough to have a little patience, you will soon see him."
"Very good, although I do not understand the urgency of this visit. There are no wild beasts here, I suppose?"
"No, Excellency, thank heaven!"
"Then, what is the meaning of these precautions?"
"They are meant to guard the house from the attacks of the ladrones, Excellency."
"The ladrones again," he exclaimed, bounding from his seat, "why, it must be a wager! Everybody seems to have agreed to mystify me, heaven forgive me."
At this moment spurs could be heard clattering outside the room.
"Here is the Major-domo, Excellency," one of the Negroes said.
"That is lucky, let him come in."