Part 20 (2/2)

”Yes,” I replied; ”so is his rider Can you tell me who lives in that _estancia_?”

”My ood-hearted er?” I asked

He took a very long ti to say about suchpause; then he shook his head and tapped his forehead significantly; after which he resumed his mermaid task

”Deed his shoulders, but said nothing

After a long silence, for I was anxious not to irritate hi, I ventured to res on rinned, and said that it was an establishs

I paid hiarette, which he took very readily, and see labours

”An _estancia_ without dogs, and where the e,” I remarked tentatively, but he puffed on in silence

”What is the na my horse

”It is a house without a name,” he replied; and after this rather unsatisfactory interview I left hi the house I saw that there had fore plantation behind it, of which only a few dead stu now nearly obliterated The place was ruinous and overgroeeds Dish a perfect wilderness of wild sunflowers, horehound, red-weed, and thorn-apple, up to soate, of which only two or three broken posts reate the path ran on, still through weeds, to the door of the house, which was partly of stone and partly of red brick, with a very steep, sloping, tiled roof Beside the ruined gate, leaning against a post, with the hot afternoon sun shi+ning on her uncovered head, stood a woman in a rusty-black dress She was about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, and had an unutterably weary, desponding expression on her face, which was colourless as e, dark eyes She did not move when I approached her, but raised her sorrowful eyes tolittle interest in my arrival

I took off my hat to salute her, and said:

”Senora, -place; can I have shelter under your roof?”

”Yes, _caballero_; why not?” she returned in a voice even nificant of sorrow than her countenance

I thanked her, and waited for her to lead the way; but she still re before , troubled look on her face

”Senora,” I began, ”if a stranger's presence in the house would be inconvenient--”

”No, no, senor, it is not that,” she interrupted quickly Then, sinking her voice almost to a whisper, she said: ”Tell me, senor, have you come from the department of Florida? Have you--have you been at San Paulo?”

I hesitated a little, then answered that I had

”On which side?” she asked quickly, with a strange eagerness in her voice

”Ah, senora,” I returned, ”why do you ask ht's shelter, such a question--”

”Why? Perhaps for your good, senor Remember, women are not like men--implacable A shelter you shall have, senor; but it is best that I should know”