n.

"Tucked in his little warm bed with a warmer hide, I guess. The old man
caught us in the very act of horse stealin'. Holy smoke, but he did
cuss. I ain't got no pride in Yankee cussin' left."

"What did Rafael tell him?" interrupted Roldan, eagerly.

"He told him as how he had made up his mind to go home with you for a
little paseo--"

"Did he say nothing about the priest?"

"Nothin'. Never opened his head about the priest--"

"When I'm governor I'll reward him," said Roldan, warmly.

"When you're President of the United States you might make him
Secretary of State--"

"But the horses? the horses?"

"They're tethered just over the mountain. I suspicioned the priest
might be here, seein' as you were expectin' him, more or less."

"Did Don Tiburcio say about me--us--what you told the priest?"

"He did, and more of it. He was as mad as a bear with a sore head. You
see, he hadn't had no peace of mind for some hours, and as for the old
lady I believe she's been havin' high strikes regular since breakfast.
Now, I'm hospitable, but my advice to you is to git. Like as not the
priest'll see old Carriller to-morrow, and then the cat'll come out. I
kin git outen it all right enough--I'll say as how the old man didn't
see you, that you were restin' on the other side of the wall. Like as
not he'll believe me, but he thinks you're pointed fur home, and if he
wants you badly, he'll follow. You'd better go South fur a month or so
and go home by barque. I'll fetch the horses down now and put them in
my shed. That'll rest 'em a bit and keep 'em warm, and then you kin
start the minute it's daylight."

"You have been a friend to us in trouble, Don Jim, and I shall never
forget it."

"Don't mention it, Rolly, don't mention it. I kinder like excitement,
when I ain't the hero, so ter speak. There's only one thing I've got to
ask in return: Have you got a grudge agin the priest?"

"I have."

"Be you meditatin' revenge?"

"A Spaniard never forgives an insult."

"Oh, . . . have you got it in yer power to injure Padre Osuna in the
sight o' men?"

"I have, and worse--for him."

"Don't do it, young man," said Hill, solemnly. "Don't do it. It ain't
worth shucks to ruin a man fur personal spite. You'll find that out the
minute you've done it. You'll feel small and mean; and if you want to
be a great man--and I kin see you're ambitious--that ain't the way to
go to work. Padre Osuna has his faults, but he's a big man; there