"One understands, Don Cristoval; I have felt like that when the plotters did not fail," Alvarez answered with grim sympathy. He was silent for a moment or two and Kit imagined he was thinking about his murdered son. Then he resumed: "Well, we shall have a reckoning and it will be bad for the dogs when I send in my bill. But that must wait, and I would like you to dance. I see Señorita Sarmiento is not engaged and she dances well."
"I doubt if Dona Francisca would care to dance with me again."
"Ah," said Alvarez, "one should not be too modest! Francisca is a politician, but she is a woman. Perhaps you found she is not on my side?"
"I imagined she was not."
Alvarez shrugged. "Well, I do not fight with women, although they are sometimes dangerous. Try again, my friend. Just now we are all playing at make-believe."
Kit obeyed and found Francisca gracious. She danced with him and afterwards allowed him to sit by her. By and by she remarked: "I have not seen Señor Askew for some time."
"He was not very well," said Kit.
Francisca studied his face. "I hope his illness is not serious. I thought
I saw Doctor Martin."
"Fever. My uncle gets it now and then."
"I think I warned you against our fevers," Francisca replied meaningly.
"There are two or three kinds, but all are not dangerous."