Don Pablo shook with laughter. "So! She belongs to you, eh? And
I'm to be robbed of my winnings. Very well, then, come and give me
a kiss, both of you, and I'll see what can be done."

But the children saw that Don Pablo's face was strangely flushed,
that his eyes were wild and his magnificent beard was wet with
wine; therefore they hung back.

"You won your bet fairly," Esteban growled at him. "Pay no heed to
these babies."

"Evangelina is ours," the little ones bravely repeated.

Then their father exploded: "The devil! Am I dreaming? Where have
you learned to oppose me? Back to your beds, both of you." Seeing
them hesitate, he shouted for his wife. "Ho, there! Isabel, my
love! Come put these imps to rest. Or must I teach them manners
with my palm? A fine thing, truly! Are they to be allowed to roam
the house at will and get a fever?"

Mere mention of their stepmother's name was enough for Rosa and
Esteban; they scuttled away as fast as they could go, and when
Dona Isabel came to their rooms, a few moments later, she found
them in their beds, with their eyes deceitfully squeezed shut.
Evangelina was cowering in a corner. Isabel had overheard the
wager, and her soul was evilly alight; she jerked the slave girl
to her feet and with a blow of her palm sent her to her quarters.
Then she turned her attention to the twins. When she left them
they were weeping silently, both for themselves and for
Evangelina, whom they dearly loved.