ind the men who assisted him to restore the vault in the old ruin. But
they, too, are spirited away, apparently, and all I can do fails to find
them. But I live in hope. The good time is bound to come, and may Heaven
in justice send it soon!'

Moncrieff had no letters, but I am bound to say that he was as much
delighted to see us happy as if we were indeed his own brothers, and our
aunt his aunt, if such a thing could have been possible.

But meanwhile the building of our Coila Villa moved on apace, and only
those situated as we were could understand the eager interest we took in
its gradual rise. At the laying of the foundation-stone we gave all the
servants and workmen, and settlers, new and old, an entertainment. We had
not an ostrich to roast whole this time, but the supper placed before our
guests under Moncrieff's biggest tent was one his cook might well have
been proud of. After supper music commenced, only on this special and
auspicious occasion the guitars did not have it all their own way, having
to give place every now and then to the inspiring strains of the Highland
bagpipes. That was a night which was long remembered in our little
colony.

While the villa was being built our furniture was being made. This, like
that in Moncrieff's mansion, was all, or mostly, Indian work, and
manufactured by our half-caste Gauchos. The wood chiefly used was
algaroba, which, when polished, looked as bright as mahogany, and quite as
beautiful. This Occidental furniture, as we called it, was really very
light and elegant, the seats of the couches, fauteuils and sofas, and
chairs being worked with thongs, or pieces of hardened skin, in quite a
marvellous manner.

We had fences to make all round our fields, and hedges to plant, and even
trees. Then there was the whole irrigation system to see to, and the land
to sow with grain and lucerne, after the soil had been duly ploughed and
attended to. All this kept us young fellows very busy indeed, for we
worked with the men almost constantly, not only as simple superintendents,
but as labourers.

Yes, the duties about an _estancia_, even after it is fairly established,
are very varied; but, nevertheless, I know of no part of the world where
the soil responds more quickly or more kindly to the work of the tiller
than it does in the Silver West. And this is all the more wonderful when
we consider that a great part of the land hereabouts is by nature barren
in the extreme.