The lepero made them disappear in a second in his large pockets.
"The name of your rival, caballero, is Don Martial. He is a Tigrero, and very rich."
"I fancy I have heard Don Sylva mention that name."
"It is probable. Don Sylva cannot endure Don Martial, especially since he saved Doña Anita's life."
"I remember that circumstance too; Don Sylva frequently mentioned it to me. And now, how did Don Martial carry the girl off?"
"Very easily, the more so as she wished nothing better than to follow him. During your fight with the Apaches he placed Doña Anita in a canoe, into which I had already thrown her father, gagged and tied; then we went off, all four of us. All through the night we kept to the river, so as to leave no traces of our flight, and by daybreak had covered fifteen leagues. No longer fearing discovery, we landed. Indios Mansos sold us some horses. Don Martial ordered me to take the young girl's father to Guaymas, and I fulfilled this difficult commission with all honour. Don Sylva was unwilling to follow me; but at last I managed to get him into his own house, where I left him, and went back to Don Martial, who had requested me to bring him certain things, and was awaiting me at a spot agreed on between us."
"Ah!" the count said, "and how did you come to leave him?"
"Good gracious, caballero! We separated, as so often happens to the best of friends, in consequence of a misunderstanding."
"Very good! He turned you off?"
"Nearly so, I am obliged to confess."