long be
thine.'"

"Well, lay on the Queen if you like. I'll go the Jack, with all his
grinning. Now shuffle, and deal off."

By this the two had seated themselves, _vis-a-vis_, just outside the
verge where met moonlight and shadow, a suite of cards turned face up
between them, the dealing pack in the hands of Perico. The hunchback,
on his knees, with neck craned out, was a spectator; but one whose
thoughts were not with his eyes. Instead, dwelling upon the valuables
he had so cunningly chucked back, making the mental calculation as to
how much they might be damaged by breakage, but caring less for that
than the danger of their also becoming stakes in that game of _monte_.
Could he have known what was going on behind, he would possibly have
preferred it so.

The unseen spectator, though silent, was not inactive, but the reverse.
From the moment of seeing himself shut up--as it were, in a pen--he had
given all his thoughts to how he might escape out of it. It needed none
to tell him there was no chance front-wards by the road. A rush he
might make past the two soldiers, risking seizure, and surely having the
bullets of their carbines sent after him. But even though he got off in
that way, what would be the upshot? The hunchback would be certain to
recognise him, remembering all. Knowing, too, that his dialogue with
the Hussar colonel must have been overheard, he would hasten the very
event which he, Jose, was now all anxious to provide against. The word
of warning meant for those now so much needing it might reach them too
late.

All these thoughts had passed through the _cochero's_ mind before the
card-playing commenced. More, too, for he had carefully inspected the
cliff overhead, so far as the light would allow, aided by groping. To
his joy, he had discovered that there was a possibility of scaling it.
A sharp pinnacle of rock was within reach of the swing of his halters;
and skilled in the use of the _laso_, over this he had succeeded in
flinging the head-stall of one, hooking it fast. It but remained to
swarm up the rope, and he was watching for an opportunity, when
glittering golden things, like a Danae's shower, came raining against
his ribs, to fall at his feet.

He saw no reason for these being left to lie there, but a good one
against it; so, stooping cautiously forward, he gathered up all, stowing
them away in his pockets. Then turning and taking hold of the halter,
with as little noise as