ious anxiety."

"I do not deny it; but at present I am as easy about it as if they were
only cactus plants."

"Indeed!"

"Indeed!" repeated Cuchillo, with some impatience. "So then, you did me
the honour to speak of me, and to what purpose?"

"Oh! a simple remark. My two companions and myself had some reasons for
suspecting that amongst these mountains a certain valley of gold was to
be found; but nevertheless, it was only after long seeking that we found
it. You also know it now, and even better than ourselves, since
unhesitatingly, and without losing an instant, you have appropriated to
yourself, between what you call a heap and what you have already
collected, carramba--enough to build a church to your patron saint."

Cuchillo, at the recollection of the imprudence he had been guilty of,
and at this indirect attack, felt his legs give way under him.

"It is certainly my intention not to employ this gold to any other
purpose than a godly one," said he, concealing his anguish as well as he
could. "As to the knowledge of this wonderful valley, it is to--it is
to chance that I owe it."

"Chance always comes to the assistance of virtue," replied Pepe, coldly.
"Well, in your place, I should not, nevertheless, be without anxiety
touching the vicinity of those two pine trees."

"What do you mean?" cried Cuchillo, turning pale.

"Nothing--unless this may prove to you one of those trifling
inconveniences, about which you just now said a man should not trouble
himself. Por Dios! you have enough booty to render a king jealous."

"But I acquired this gold legitimately--I committed no murder to obtain
it. What I did was not worthless. The devil! I am not in the habit of
killing for nothing," cried Cuchillo, exasperated, and who, mistaking
the carabinier's intentions, saw only in his alarming innuendoes regret
at his defrauded cupidity.

Like the sailor, who, overtaken by a storm, throws a part of his cargo
overboard to save the rest, Cuchillo resolved with a sigh, to shun, by
means of a sacrifice, the danger with which he was threatened.

"I again repeat to you," said he, in a low voice, "chance alone gave me
a knowledge of this treasure; but I don't wish to be selfish. It is my
intention to give you a share. Listen," he continued, "there is in a
certain place, a block of gold of inestimable value; honest fellows
should understand one another, and this block shall be yours. Ah! your
share will be better th