"Ah," said Gil Perez, "now you aska me something. Who knows?" He shrugged profusely. Then his face cleared. "Leave it to me, sir. I ask Tormillo." He was on his feet, as if about to find the assassin there and then.
"Stop a bit," said Manvers, "stop a bit, Gil. Now I must tell you that I also saw Manuela last night."
"Ah," said Gil Perez softly; and his eyes glittered.
"I saw her in the street," Manvers continued, watching his servant. "She was all in white."
Gil Perez blinked this fact. "Yes, sir," he said. "That is true. Poor girl." His eyes clouded over. "Poor Manuela!" he was heard to say to himself.
"I followed her for a while," said Manvers, "and saw you catch her up, and stop her. Then I went away; and then that rascal struck me in the back. Now do you suppose that Don Luis means to serve Manuela the same way?"
Gil Perez did not blink any more. "I think 'e wisha that," he said; "but I think 'e won't."
"Why not?"
"Because I tell Manuela what I see at the corrida. She was there too. She know it already. Bless you, she don't care."
"But I care," said Manvers sharply. "I've got her on my conscience. I don't intend her to suffer on my account."