and fear and remorse that Lopez
did not dare to show himself in Little Tankard Yard; but still there
were, even yet, certain hopes in that direction from which great
results might come. If a certain new spirit which had just been
concocted from the bark of trees in Central Africa, and which was
called Bios, could only be made to go up in the market, everything
might be satisfactorily arranged. The hoardings of London were
already telling the public that if it wished to get drunk without any
of the usual troubles of intoxication it must drink Bios. The public
no doubt does read the literature of the hoardings, but then it reads
so slowly! This Bios had hardly been twelve months on the boards as
yet! But they were now increasing the size of the letters in the
advertisements and the jocundity of the pictures,--and the thing
might be done. There was, too, another hope,--another hope of instant
moneys by which Guatemala might be staved off, as to which further
explanation shall be given in a further chapter.

"I suppose I shall find Dixon a decent sort of a fellow?" said Lopez
to the Secretary of the Association in Coleman Street.

"Rough, you know."

"But honest?"

"Oh, yes;--he's all that."

"If he's honest, and what I call loyal, I don't care a straw for
anything else. One doesn't expect West-end manners in Guatemala. But
I shall have a deal to do with him,--and I hate a fellow that you
can't depend on."

"Mr. Happerton used to think a great deal of Dixon."

"That's all right," said Lopez. Mr. Dixon was the underground manager
out at the San Juan mine, and was perhaps as anxious for a loyal and
honest colleague as was Mr. Lopez. If so, Mr. Dixon was very much in
the way to be disappointed.

Lopez stayed at the office all the day studying the affairs of the
San Juan mine, and then went to the Progress for his dinner. Hitherto
he had taken no steps whatever as to getting lodgings for himself or
for his wife.

CHAPTER LIII

Mr. Hartlepod

When the time came at which Lopez should have left Manchester Square
he was still there. Mr. Wharton, in discussing the matter with his
daughter,--when wishing to persuade her that she might remain in his
house even in opposition to her husband,--had not told her that he
had actually desired Lopez to leave it. He had then felt sure that
the man would go and would take his wife with him, but he did not
even yet know the obduracy and the cleverness and the impregnabili