"O, friend of my heart, I would spare you pain."
"Tell me everything, señora."
"O, Don Alfredo, everything? My heart fails me. How can I wound you?"
"Do not fear for me, gentle one. Let me know the truth. Please go on."
"Well—if I must. I made occasion to do your bidding by visiting the Mendoza house, ostensibly to express to the host of the great baile at Mission San José my appreciation of that event. The señor was away, but his daughter received me. This was just the opportunity I would have wished for. Nothing could have been better for our purpose, Don Alfredo."
He bowed in recognition of the fact.
"We passed bits of conversation from one to the other on chance topics. The young lady was delightful. As we sat in the cool drawing room sipping tea and nibbling dulces I thought continually of you, my friend. Small wonder, truly, that you wished to wed this beautiful and talented young woman. Small wonder, again, that the swains of the valley lay their hearts before her, as she beckons."
The soldier's face grew gloomy.
"When our time had in a measure sped I introduced the subject on which you wished me to speak with her."
"How did she receive it?"