the cause, his
absence gave gratification to the two men noting it. With less
constraint glances might now be exchanged--even gestures.

And both were. The look Kearney had given to him was accompanied by a
nod of recognition; slight and timid, for it could not well be otherwise
under the circumstances. But the eyes spoke more eloquently, telling
him of respect undiminished, faith that had never faltered, love strong
and true as ever. If he read pity in them too, it was not such as he
would now spurn.

To Rivas were accorded signs of a very different sort. He had them not
only from eyes, but the movement of a fan and fingers. They seemed
satisfactory to him; for as the carriage passed out of sight, he turned
to the other and said in a cheerful whisper:

"Keep up heart, _camarado_! I perceive you're not unknown to a friend
of my friend. You heard the brute of a gaol-governor taunt me about a
certain Condesa?"

"I did."

"Well; that's the lady, alongside her who's just been making eyes at
you. An old acquaintance of yours, I see; and I think I could say where
it was commenced. Never mind about that now. Enough for you to know
that if friendship can get us out of this fix, with gold to back it, we
may yet have a chance of giving leg-bail to the turnkeys of the
Acordada."

Their dialogue was terminated by Dominguez, who, temporarily absent for
a swill at one of the neighbouring _pulquerias_, now returned to the
superintendence of his charge, and roughly commanded them to resume
their work.

For nearly another hour the work went on, though not so regularly as
before. The stream of returning sightseers still lined the foot-walks,
many of them showing by their behaviour they had been paying a visit to
_pulquerias_ too, and more than once. Some stopped to fraternise with
the soldiers, and would have done likewise with the _forzados_, if
permitted. They were not hindered, however, from holding converse with
the former, and extending hospitality to them in the shape of treats;
sentry after sentry stealing away from his post after the proffered and
coveted toothful. Nor was Dominguez an exception, he too every now and
then repeating his visit to the dram-shop.

All this gave the scavengers licence of speech, with some liberty of
action, or rather rest from their disagreeable task. And in the
interval, while they were thus idling, the young Irishman noticed that
the eyes of his chain companion were kept