Marcos Sayosa did not escape entirely scatheless from his frightful peril at the tiro general, where Estevan Despierto attempted his murder, for the shock had thrown him into a fever that settled upon his brain. But fortunately it was not very severe, and in a week’s time he was well again, although somewhat feeble. Still he would not return to his work at the mine. The adventure had sickened him of that, for the time being, at least.
Then he recalled his promise to visit the Canelo hacienda, and thinking that a change of air and scene would do him good, he determined to redeem it, and so announced to Tomas Ventura. On the next day the old man told Carlita to get ready to pay an old friend a visit of a few days. She knew better than to cross her father, and although wondering inwardly what new whim he had taken, accompanied him to Donna Paxuita’s house, greatly to that venerable dame’s surprise. But a few words from Ventura satisfied her.
Marcos was also surprised, but still more so when tio Tomas said that he was going to accompany him upon his visit.
“You need not be troubled, Marcos. I shall not intrude upon the fine folk, but stop with the servants. There is one there that I must see, and this may be my only chance; for I do not believe that my days are to be much longer,” he exclaimed.
“Pshaw, tio Tomas, you will outlive me yet, see if you don’t. But are you really in earnest about going with me?”
“So much so that there is but one thing that can prevent me.”
“And that?”
“Is death.”
“Do you know, tio, that I wish you would not speak so much about that? It does not seem right, and gives me the cold chills whenever you mention the word. Perhaps because I have stared it in the face so lately,” said Marcos, with a little shrug.
“I may be wrong, but it seems to me that before many days, I, too, shall stand face to face with it; only instead of evading it, as you did, it will be the victor. I only hope that it may not be until after I have seen the person I wish. Then it matters but little, for I know that you will care for Carlita,” solemnly uttered Ventura.