Here was a man far different from the
gallant and gay young Almonte. That cruel strain which he believed was
in the depths of the Spanish character, dormant though it might usually
be, was patent now in General Cos. Moreover, this man was very powerful,
and, as brother-in-law of Santa Anna, he was second only to the great
dictator. He did not ask Ned to sit down and he was brusque in speech.
The air about them grew distinctly colder. Almonte had talked with Ned
in English, but Cos spoke Spanish:
"Why did you run away from the capital?" he asked, shortly. "You were
treated well there."
"No man can be held in prison and be treated well."
General Martin Perfecto de Cos frowned. The bearing of the young Gringo
did not please him. Nor did his answer.
"I repeat my question," he said, his voice rising. "Why did you run like
a criminal from the capital? You were with the man Austin. You, like he,
were the guest of our great and illustrious Santa Anna who does no
wrong. Answer me, why did you slip away like a thief?"
"I slipped away, but it was not like a thief nor any other kind of
criminal. And if you must know, General Cos, I went because I did not
believe the words of the great and illustrious Santa Anna.
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