It was--I
hesitate, and yet you are bound to learn, my dear friends, it was
this Ant'ony."
His moment had indeed been worth waiting for. It even went far to
atone for the sense of injury under which he smarted; for the
banker was stricken speechless, and his daughter went deathly
white. Her eyes began to fill with horror.
Garavel was the first to recover himself. "Infamous! It is
unbelievable! The wretch, then, had betrayed his friend."
"He is indeed a villain. That much I have always known."
"It is a lie!" said the girl, quietly. She had risen and was
standing straight, a tragic little figure.
"Gertrudis!" her father admonished. "You hear what Ramon has
said."
"Yes!" said Ramon. "He deceived Senor Cortlan' very nicely; it had
been going on for months."
"It is a lie!" she repeated. "He loved no one but me."
"Gertrudis!" The banker was shocked beyond measure at what he
considered his daughter's jealousy. "Those are not nice words. He
told you so, yes; but if he would betray his best friend, he would
deceive you also. It was our great good-fortune to be done with
him in time. You will see now that I did well in sending him off--
eh, Chiquita?"
"No! I do not believe you."
Ramon had not counted upon such a spirit, and, his anger getting
the better of him, he sneered: "I should not have spoken.
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