The judge shook his head, and clapping spurs to his horse, he set off at full trot, followed by his escort, after having made the farmer a farewell gesture.
The latter looked after him, as long as he could see him, and then re-entered the house with long and hasty strides.
"Nô Eusebio," he said to the mayoral, "ring the bell to call together all the peons, as well as the other servants of the hacienda."
The mayoral, after having looked at his master with astonishment, hastened to execute the order he had received.
"What does all this mean?" he said to himself.
At the sound of the bell, the men employed on the farm ran to answer it in haste, not knowing to what cause they should attribute this extraordinary summons.
They were soon all collected together in the great hall, which served as a refectory. The completest silence reigned among them. A secret pang pressed on their hearts,—they had the presentiment of a terrible event.
After a few minutes of expectation, Doña Jesuita entered, surrounded by her children, with the exception of Rafaël, and proceeded to take her place upon a platform, prepared at one end of the hall.
Her countenance was pale, and her eyes proclaimed that she had been weeping.
Don Ramón appeared.