"Certainly; for being hurled into two opponent camps, each of us serves the cause that appears to him the better. But, for all that, we are not the less attached to each other in our hearts."
"I am not at all disposed to blame you, my friend, for our inclinations should be independent of our political opinions. But let us return to the subject which at this moment is the most interesting to us. A man, I say, presented himself during your absence at the outposts as being a friend of yours."
"That is strange," the Colonel muttered, searching his memory; "and did he mention his name?"
"Of course; do you think I would have received him else? However, he is in this very house, for I begged him to await your return."
"But his name, my dear General?"
"He calls himself Don Felix Paz."
"Oh," the Colonel exclaimed eagerly, "he spoke the truth, General, for he is really one of my dearest friends."
"Then we can place in him——"
"Full and entire confidence; I answer for him on my head," the young officer interrupted warmly.
"I am the more pleased at what you tell me, because this man assured me that he held in his hands means that would enable us to give the rebels a tremendous thrashing."