Coronado had so pushed the pace that he had made this distance in the rather remarkable time of three days.

Of course his object in thus hurrying was to get so far ahead of Thurstane that the latter would not try to overtake him, or would get lost in attempting it.
Meanwhile he had not forgotten Garcia's little plan, and he had even better remembered his own.

The time might come when he would be driven to _lose_ Clara; it was very shocking to think of, however, and so for the present he did not think of it; on the contrary, he worked hard (much as he hated work) at courting her.
It is strange that so many men who are morally in a state of decomposition should be, or at least can be, sweet and charming in manner.

During these three days Coronado was delightful; and not merely in this, that he watched over Clara's comfort, rode a great deal by her side, gathered wild flowers for her, talked much and agreeably; but also in that he poured oil over his whole conduct, and was good to everybody.

Although his natural disposition was to be domineering to inferiors and irascible under the small provocations of life, he now gave his orders in a gentle tone, never stormed at the drivers for their blunders, made light of the bad cooking, and was in short a model for travellers, lovers, and husbands.