"Si, Señorita. He quarreled. He said—"
"Yes?"
"——that ... that Señor Gordon ..."
Again, groping for the truth, Valencia found it swiftly.
"You mean that Pablo was jealous?"
"Because I had nursed Señor Gordon, because he was kind to me, because——" Juanita had lifted her face to answer. As she spoke the color poured into her cheeks even to her throat, convicting evidence of the cruel embarrassment she felt.
Valencia's hand dropped to her side. When she spoke again the warmth had been banished from her voice. "I see. You nursed Mr. Gordon, did you?"
Juanita's eyes fell before the cold accusation in those of Miss Valdés. "Si, Señorita."
"And he was kind to you? In what way kind?"
The slim Mexican girl, always of the shyest, was bathed in blushes. "He called me ... niña. He ..."