ritating. Caballuco was pale.

"Senor Paso Largo," continued the lady, becoming serious, "when you go
home to-night, send me your son Bartolome to stay here. I need to have
brave people in the house; and even with that it may very well happen
that, some fine morning, my daughter and myself will be found murdered
in our beds."

"Senora!" exclaimed every one.

"Senora!" cried Caballuco, rising to his feet, "is that a jest, or what
is it?"

"Senor Vejarruco, Senor Paso Largo," continued Dona Perfecta, without
looking at the bravo of the place, "I am not safe in my own house. No
one in Orbajosa is, and least of all, I. I live with my heart in my
mouth. I cannot close my eyes in the whole night."

"But who, who would dare----"

"Come," exclaimed Licurgo with fire, "I, old and sick as I am, would be
capable of fighting the whole Spanish army if a hair of the mistress'
head should be touched!"

"Senor Caballuco," said Frasquito Gonzalez, "will be enough and more
than enough."

"Oh, no," responded Dona Perfecta, with cruel sarcasm, "don't you see
that Ramos has given his word to the governor?"

Caballuco sat down again, and, crossing one leg over the other, clasped
his hands on them.

"A coward will be enough for me," continued the mistress of the house
implacably, "provided he has not given his word to any one. Perhaps I
may come to see my house assaulted, my darling daughter torn from my
arms, myself trampled under foot and insulted in the vilest manner----"

She was unable to continue. Her voice died away in her throat, and she
burst into tears.

"Senora, for Heaven's sake calm yourself! Come, there is no cause yet!"
said Don Inocencio hastily, and manifesting the greatest distress in his
voice and his countenance. "Besides, we must have a little resignation
and bear patiently the calamities which God sends us."

"But who, senora, who would dare to commit such outrages?" asked one
of the four countrymen. "Orbajosa would rise as one man to defend the
mistress."

"But who, who would do it?" they all repeated.

"There, don't trouble yourselves asking useless questions," said the
Penitentiary officiously. "You may go."

"No, no, let them stay," said Dona Perfecta quickly, drying her tears.
"The company of my loyal servants is a great consolation to me."

"May my race be accursed!" said Uncle Licurgo, striking his knee with
his clenched hand, "if all this mess is not the work of the mistress'
own nephew."