“A tyrant!” she exclaimed quickly. “I must protest, Mr. Forrester, that the word comes strangely from one who has denounced my husband as a traitor.”
The attack confused Roddy, and to add to his discomfort it was greeted by the men in the rear of Señora Rojas with a chorus of approving exclamations. Roddy raised his eyes and regarded them gravely. In a tone of stern rebuke Señora Rojas continued:
“We have been frank and honest,” she said, “but when we cannot tell whether the one with whom we treat runs with the hare or the hounds, it is difficult.”
Again from the men came the murmur of approval, and Roddy, still regarding them, to prevent himself from speaking pressed his lips tightly together.
Knowing how near Señora Rojas might be to attaining the one thing she most desired, his regret at her distress was genuine, and that, in her ignorance, she should find him a most objectionable young man he could well understand. The fact aroused in him no resentment. But to his secret amusement he found that the thought uppermost in his mind was one of congratulation that Inez Rojas was more the child of her Venezuelan father than of her American mother. Even while he deeply sympathized with Señora Rojas, viewed as a future mother-in-law, she filled him with trepidation. But from any point he could see no health in continuing the scene, and he rose and bowed.
“I am sorry,” he said, “but I cannot find that any good can come of this. I assure you, you are mistaken in thinking I am of any importance, or that I carry any weight with the Rojas party. Believe me, I do not. I am doing nothing,” he protested gently, “that can bring harm to your husband. No one outside of your own family can wish more sincerely for his safety.”
The chorus of men interrupted him with an incredulous laugh and murmurs of disbelief.
Roddy turned upon them sharply.
“We can dispense with the claque,” he said. “My interview is with Madame Rojas. If you gentlemen have anything to discuss with me later you will come out of it much better if that lady is not present. If you don’t know what I mean,” he added significantly, “Caldwell can tell you.”
Señora Rojas had no interest in any annoyance Roddy might feel toward her guests. She recognized only that he was leaving her. She made a final appeal. Rising to her feet, she exclaimed indignantly: