"Degraded herself? What do you mean?" asked Felipe, turning his searching gaze upon her.
"Only a fortnight ago," answered Señora, "on the great day of the Fiesta, she danced publicly in Carlos Moreno's theater."
"Chiquita danced in Carlos Moreno's hall? Impossible!"
"Don Felipe," replied Señora with just the suggestion of a smile, "all things are possible with a woman."
"But why did she dance?" he asked.
"I don't know; neither does any one else. They say she received three thousand pesos in gold."
"Three thousand pesos?" echoed Felipe. "What did she do with them?"
"Ah! that's the mystery! What did she do with them?" answered Señora.
"It was not so much her dancing that scandalized the community, for we all know what a wonderful dancer she is. Nobody ever danced as she does, and we are willing to give her credit for it, but what did she do with the money? That's the scandal of it! I have noticed no change in her dress," she continued, "nor is it known that she has spent a single peso as yet."