It was easy to divine that he
had been the victim of some cruel outrage. My curiosity had become
fully aroused; and I felt an eager desire to hear a tale, which, though
beyond doubt painful, could not be otherwise than one of romantic
interest.

"Your lameness, then, had something to do with the story of your
blighted love? You say that both misfortunes happened to you at the
same time!" My interrogatives were intended to arouse him from the
reverie into which he had fallen. I was successful; and the recital was
continued.

"True, _senor_--both came together; but you shall hear all. It is not
often I speak of the affair, though it is seldom out of my thoughts, I
have tried to forget it. _Carrambo_! how could I, with a thing like
that constantly recalling it to my memory?" The speaker again pointed
to his deformed foot with a smile of bitter significance. "_Por Dios,
cavallero_! I think of it often enough; but just now more than common.
Their presence--" he nodded towards the lovers, whose forms were just
visible in the grey twilight, "the happiness I see reminds me of my own
misery. More especially does _she_ recall the misfortune to my memory--
this wild huntress who has had misfortunes of her own. But beyond that,
_senor_, though you may think it strange, your _conpaisana_ is
wonderfully like what she was."

"Like whom?"

"Ah! _senor_, I have not told you? She that I loved with all the love
in my heart--the beautiful Gabriella Gonzales."

Men of the Spanish race--however humble their social rank--are gifted
with a certain eloquence; and in this case passion was lending poetry to
the speech. No wonder I became deeply interested in the tale, and
longed to hear more of Gabriella Gonzales.

"_En verdad_," continued the Mexican, after a pause, "there are many
things in the character of your countrywoman to remind me of my lost
love--even in her looks. Gabriella, like her, was beautiful. Perhaps
your comrade yonder might not think her so beautiful as the huntress;
but that is natural. In my mind Gabriella was everything. She had
Indian blood in her veins: we all have in these parts, though we boast
of our pure Spanish descent. No matter; Gabriella was white enough--to
my eyes white as the lily that sparkles upon the surface of the lagoon.
Like yonder maiden, she inherited from her ancestors a free daring
spirit. She feared neither our Indian enemies, nor danger of any
kind--_Por Dios_! Not she."