ledge of his
name?"

"The proprietor of the great Hacienda del Venado--a man worth three
millions! Who does not know him?" replied one of the bystanders.

"He is the same. This cavalier, whom you see, is a vaquero, entrusted
with the care of the beasts of the hacienda; for myself, I am a
major-domo attached to the service of the proprietor. Would you have
the kindness, my dear friend, to give me a light for my cigar?"
continued the bearded major-domo.

He paused to light his cigar of maize husk, and then resumed:

"Six months ago an expedition set out from here in search of gold dust.
This expedition was headed by one named--let me see--_carrai_! I have
heard him called by so many names that I cannot remember any!"

"Don Estevan Arechiza!" replied one of the interlocutors, "a Spaniard,
and one such as we do not often see in this country; one who seemed, by
his noble deportment and majestic countenance, to have commanded all his
life."

"Don Estevan Arechiza: the very same," said the major-domo, "a man who
as far exceeds all others in generosity as a gamester who has just won a
fortune. But let me return to the expedition; about how many men
composed it, do you guess?"

"More than eighty started out with it."

"More than a hundred," suggested another.

"You are mistaken--the number was not a hundred in all," interrupted a
third.

"That matters little to Don Augustin, my master. It is far more
important to know how many returned."

Upon this point also there were two different opinions.

"Not a single one," remarked a voice.

"Yes; there was one, and but one," continued another.

The major-domo rubbed his hands with an air of satisfaction.

"Good!" said he, "then at least one is saved, provided this gentleman,
who declares that all the gold-seekers are not dead, be rightly
informed, as I hope he is."

"Do you not think," said the last who had spoken, "that the man of the
red handkerchief may not be one of those whose departure we witnessed
six months ago? I would swear to it by the cross and Gospel."

"No! not so!" cried another, "that man never set foot in the Presidio
before the other day."

"In any case," interrupted a third, "the man of the red handkerchief has
doubtless something of interest in store for Don Augustin Pena, since he
has so often inquired about him. With these gentlemen, he will probably
be more communicative than with us."

"That will be just what we desire," resumed t