"By all means, my dear colonel," said Paul warmly.
"During the time you remain here you can hardly help meeting Miss Arguello, perhaps frequently. It would be strange if you did not;it would appear to everybody still stranger. Give me your word as a gentleman that you will not make the least allusion to her of the past--nor reopen the subject."Paul looked fixedly at the colonel. "I certainly had no intention of doing so," he said after a pause, "for I thought it was already settled by you beyond disturbance or discussion. But do Iunderstand you, that SHE has shown any uneasiness regarding it?
From what you have just told me of her plans and ambition, I can scarcely imagine that she has any suspicion of the real facts.""Certainly not," said the colonel hurriedly. "But I have your promise.""I promise you," said Paul, after a pause, "that I shall neither introduce nor refer to the subject myself, and that if SHE should question me again regarding it, which is hardly possible, I will reveal nothing without your consent.""Thank you," said Pendleton, without, however, exhibiting much relief in his face. "She will return here to-morrow.""I thought you said she was absent for some days," said Paul.
"Yes; but she is coming back to say good-by to Dona Anna, who arrives here with her brother the same day, on their way to Paris."It flashed through Paul's mind that the last time he had seen her was in the company of the Briones. It was not a pleasant coincidence. Yet he was not aware that it had affected him, until he saw the colonel watching him.