slipping, during the old woman's absence, to the
door of the fellow's room. 'Who is there?' exclaimed the 'Inglez,' in a
loud voice, just as I was about to give the third kick at his door. 'Me,
Pedro,' I replied. 'Don't know you,' was the answer, 'you must have
mistaken the room,' 'Not at all, Senor,' said I, 'I come to seek some
tidings of my _compadre_, Pepito.' 'Tidings of Pepito,' repeated the
Inglez, 'tidings of Pepito--wait--' So I did wait, congratulating
myself on the success of my scheme, and handling my knife with a
confident expectation of making sure work of my man, when I heard the
floor creak, and looking through the key-hole, I saw the confounded
Inglez cocking a pistol and putting a fresh cap on it. And do you know,
General, it somehow happened that when he opened the door, I was at the
bottom of the stairs.'

''Which means, Pedro, that you ran away like a coward as you are.'

''_Coward!_--nay, General, you must be joking. The truth is, I
experienced a new sensation; I felt for the first time the emotion of
fear; yes, that must have been what passed over me. It was something
quite new to me, and for the moment I did not know what ailed me.'

''Idiot! do you suppose a foreigner would be fool enough to amuse
himself by shooting a Mexican at mid-day, in the very heart of the
capital?'

''Oh! I know very well, General, that it would cost him a small fortune,
if he was rich, and his life if he was poor. But then these Inglez are
so imprudent, so rash, so headstrong, and I felt that I had no wish to
have a bullet in my head, just to put money into the pocket of the best
judge in the city.'

''Nonsense; but about those papers. I must have them. What steps do you
propose taking?'

''General and chief, were I to put my hand upon my heart, and tell you
the sacred truth, I should say that I propose for a time to lie quiet
and--do nothing.'

''Do nothing--lie quiet! Do you forget that I have paid you already one
hundred dollars in advance, and that four hundred more are ready for you
when your job is finished?'

''Oh! I know our bargain, General, and I have the greatest confidence in
your honor. As for abandoning the enterprise, that I have never dreamed
of; but the fact is, my motive in remaining inactive for a season is,
that I am certain if I make a move now I shall be undoubtedly checked,
perhaps mated.'

''How so?'

''Well--because I find at the monte-table, where I usually try my luck,
that ther