"Señor Don Pablo did not concern himself with them, and after having taken leave of me in a few words, he set off with his partisans."
"Ah! And then?"
"Then I also set out, a little embarrassed, as I have already told you. Happily for me, and for the persons who accompanied me, at the moment when lost in the mountains, we wandered through unknown paths without knowing where to direct our steps, Providence sent us a numerous troop of Indian horsemen."
"What!" quickly interrupted Zeno Cabral; "These whites of whom you spoke to me last night, chief—"
"That caballero and the persons of his suite," answered the old chief, affirmatively nodding his head.
"That, upon my word, is a very extraordinary incident. When the chief spoke to me on the subject, I boldly answered that I did not know you."
All the suspicions of the chief had suddenly vanished before this frank explanation.
The Montonero understood that he had attained the end which he sought.
"You have no other questions to ask me, señor," said the painter, in a slightly jeering tone.
"Well, I will ask you one thing more."