"And what do you ask me to do?" the nun asked presently.
"I ask you to give me Manuela presently for one hour or for eternity. If Don Luis rejects her, I bring her back to you here—on the word of an old Christian. If he takes her, she goes directly to God, where you would have her be. Sister Chucha," said Gil Perez finely, "I am persuaded that you will help us."
Sister Chucha looked at her hands—fat and very white hands. "You ask me to do a great deal—to incur a great danger—for a gentleman who is nothing to me."
"He is everything to Manuela," said Gil softly. "That you know."
"And you, Gil Perez—what is he to you?" This was Sister Chucha's sharpest. Gil took it with a blink.
"He is my master—that is something. He is more to Manuela. And she is everything to me. Sister, you may trust me with her."
The nun turned from him to the motionless beauty by her side.
"You, my child, what do you say to this project? Shall I let you go?"
Manuela wavered a little. She swayed about and balanced herself with her hands. But she quickly recovered.
"Sister Chucha," she said, "let me go." The soft green light from her eyes spoke for her.