er
place, which we can select at our leisure."

"Your words sound well," remarks Don Manuel.

"Wonderful well," echoes Rocas, with assumed surprise.

"Are they not too good to be true?" asks Diaz.

"No. They're true as good. Not a bit of exaggeration, I assure you.
The gold only wants to be got at, and then taken."

"Ah! there may be difficulty about that?" rejoins the doubting Diaz.

"Do you expect to finger sixty thousand _pesos_ without taking the
trouble to stretch out your hand?"

"Oh, no. I'm not so unreasonable. For that I'd be willing to stretch
out both hands, with a knife in one, and a pistol in the other."

"Well, it's not likely to need either, if skilfully managed. I ask you
again, are you the men to go in for it?"

"I'm one," answers Diaz.

"And I another," growls Rocas.

"I'm not going to say nay," assents Calderon, glancing significantly at
the questioner.

"Enough!" exclaims De Lara; "so far you all consent to the partnership.
But before entering fully into it, it will be necessary to have a more
thorough understanding, as also a more formal one. Are you willing to
be bound, that there shall be truth between us?"

"We are!" is the simultaneous response of all three.

"And fidelity to the death!"

"To the death."

"_Bueno_! But we must take an oath to that effect. After which, you
shall know what it's for. Enough now to say it's a thing that needs
swearing upon. If there's to be treason, there shall be perjury also.
Are you ready to take the oath?"

They signify assent unanimously.

"To your feet, then!" commands the chief conspirator. "It will be more
seemly to take it standing."

All four spring up from their chairs, and stand facing the table.

De Lara draws a dagger and lays it down before him. The others have
their stilettos too--a weapon carried by most Spanish Californians.

Each exhibits his own, laying it beside that already on the table.

With the four De Lara forms a cross--Maltese fashion, and then standing
erect, Diaz opposite, Rocas and Calderon on either flank--he repeats in
firm, solemn voice, the others after him:

"_In the deed we this day agree to do, acting together and jointly, we
swear to be true to each other--to stand by one another, if need be, to
the death; to keep what we do a secret from all the world; and if any
one betray it, the other three swear to follow him wherever he may flee,
seek him wherever he may shelter himself, and take v