isk his body and soul? Or, perhaps, we have no souls--like dogs?"

"There was Decoud, too, with his plan," the doctor reminded him again.

"Si! And the rich man in San Francisco who had something to do with
that treasure, too--what do I know? No! I have heard too many things. It
seems to me that everything is permitted to the rich."

"I understand, Capataz," the doctor began.

"What Capataz?" broke in Nostromo, in a forcible but even voice. "The
Capataz is undone, destroyed. There is no Capataz. Oh, no! You will find
the Capataz no more."

"Come, this is childish!" remonstrated the doctor; and the other calmed
down suddenly.

"I have been indeed like a little child," he muttered.

And as his eyes met again the shape of the murdered man suspended in
his awful immobility, which seemed the uncomplaining immobility of
attention, he asked, wondering gently--

"Why did Sotillo give the estrapade to this pitiful wretch? Do you
know? No torture could have been worse than his fear. Killing I can
understand. His anguish was intolerable to behold. But why should he
torment him like this? He could tell no more."

"No; he could tell nothing more. Any sane man would have seen that. He
had told him everything. But I tell you what it is, Capataz. Sotillo
would not believe what he was told. Not everything."

"What is it he would not believe? I cannot understand."

"I can, because I have seen the man. He refuses to believe that the
treasure is lost."

"What?" the Capataz cried out in a discomposed tone.

"That startles you--eh?"

"Am I to understand, senor," Nostromo went on in a deliberate and, as it
were, watchful tone, "that Sotillo thinks the treasure has been saved by
some means?"

"No! no! That would be impossible," said the doctor, with conviction;
and Nostromo emitted a grunt in the dark. "That would be impossible. He
thinks that the silver was no longer in the lighter when she was sunk.
He has convinced himself that the whole show of getting it away to sea
is a mere sham got up to deceive Gamacho and his Nationals, Pedrito
Montero, Senor Fuentes, our new Gefe Politico, and himself, too. Only,
he says, he is no such fool."

"But he is devoid of sense. He is the greatest imbecile that ever called
himself a colonel in this country of evil," growled Nostromo.

"He is no more unreasonable than many sensible men," said the doctor.
"He has convinced himself that the treasure can be found because he
desires passiona