an mine."

"I hope so," said Pepe; "and in what place have you reserved me my
portion?"

"Up yonder!" said Cuchillo, indicating the summit of the pyramid.

"Up yonder, near the pine trees? Ah, master Cuchillo, how glad I am to
find that you have not taken my foolish little joke amiss, and that
these trees do not affect you any more than if they were cactus plants!
Between ourselves, Don Tiburcio, whom you perceive to be deeply
absorbed, is only regretting in reality the enormous sum he has given
you, for a service which he could equally well have performed himself."

"An enormous sum! it was but a very fair price, and at any rate I should
have lost it," cried Cuchillo, recovering all his habitual impudence of
manner, on seeing the change that had taken place in the conduct and
tone of the ex-carabinier.

"Agreed," continued the latter; "but in truth, he may have repented of
the bargain; and I must avow that if he commanded me to blow your brains
out, in order to get rid of you, I should be compelled to obey him.
Allow me, then, to call him here so as to restore his confidence; or,
better still, come and show me the portion, which your munificence
destines for me. Afterwards we each go our own way; and notwithstanding
all you have said about it, the share assigned to you will surpass all
your expectations."

"Let us set off then," resumed Cuchillo, happy to see a negotiation--the
probable result of which began to cause him serious uneasiness--
terminate so satisfactorily for him and, casting a glance of passionate
tenderness upon a heap of gold which he had piled up upon his wrapper,
he set off towards the summit of the pyramid. He had scarcely reached
it, when, upon Pepe's invitation, Fabian and Bois-Rose began to ascend
the steep on the other side.

"No one can escape his fate," said Pepe to Fabian, "and I had already
proved to you that the rascal would testify no astonishment. Be that as
it may remember that you have sworn to avenge the death of your adopted
father, and that in these deserts you ought to shame the justice of
cities, where such crimes go unpunished. To show mercy towards such a
knave is an outrage to society! Bois-Rose! I shall need the assistance
of your arm."

The Canadian hunter, by a glance, interrogated him, for whom his blind
devotion knew no bounds.

"Marcos Arellanos craved pardon and did not obtain it," said Fabian, no
longer undecided, "and as this man did to others, so let