ve them. The last
I've heard of paying attentions to Inez is a young naval officer--a
midshipman on board a British man-of-war now lying in the harbour.
Indeed there are two of them spoken of; one said to be _your_ rival, as
the other is mine. Shall I tell you what's been for some time the talk
of the town? You may as well know it, if you don't already."

"What?" asks the Creole, excitedly.

"Why, that the one represented as your competitor has cut out all
Carmen's other admirers--yourself among the rest."

Bitter words to the ear of Francisco de Lara, bringing the red colour to
his cheeks, as if they had been smitten by a switch. With eyes
flashing, and full of jealous fire, he exclaims:

"If that be so, I'll do as I've said--"

"Do what?"

"_Kill Carmen Montijo_! I swear it. I'm in earnest, Calderon, and mean
it. If it be as you've heard, I'll surely kill her. I've the right to
her life--by her giving me the right to her love."

"But did she do that? Has she ever confessed to loving you?"

"Not in words, I admit. But there are other signs of assent strong as
speech, or the hand-squeezings you speak of. Carmen Montijo may be
cunning. Some call her a coquette. All I know is, that she has led me
to believe she loved me; and if she's been playing a false game, she
shall rue it, one way or the other. This day I'm determined to
ascertain the truth, by offering her my hand, as I've said, and asking
hers. If she refuse it, then I'll know how things stand, and take steps
for squaring accounts between us. She shall find that Frank Lara is not
the sort of man to let one of womankind either laugh at, or play tricks
with him."

"I admire your spirit, _amigo_. I catch courage from it, and will
imitate your action. If it turn out that Inez has been trifling with
me, I'll--well, we must first find what answer there is for us; which we
shall, I suppose, soon after ascending yonder hill. One of us may be
accepted, the other rejected. In that case, one will be happy, the
other wretched. Or both may be accepted, and then we'll both be
blessed. Taking things at their worst, and that we both get refused--
what then? Despair, and a speedy end, I suppose?"

"The last, if you like, but not the first. When despair comes to Frank
Lara, death will come along with it, of soon after. But we waste time
talking; let us forward and learn our fate!"

With stroke of spur, urging their horses into a gallop, the two