ss. Neither Sulaco nor the silver of the mine had fallen
into his hands. He had performed no military exploit to secure his
position, and had obtained no enormous booty to make off with. Pedrito
Montero, either as friend or foe, filled him with dread. The sound of
bells maddened him.

Imagining at first that he might be attacked at once, he had made his
battalion stand to arms on the shore. He walked to and fro all the
length of the room, stopping sometimes to gnaw the finger-tips of his
right hand with a lurid sideways glare fixed on the floor; then, with
a sullen, repelling glance all round, he would resume his tramping in
savage aloofness. His hat, horsewhip, sword, and revolver were lying on
the table. His officers, crowding the window giving the view of the town
gate, disputed amongst themselves the use of his field-glass bought last
year on long credit from Anzani. It passed from hand to hand, and the
possessor for the time being was besieged by anxious inquiries.

"There is nothing; there is nothing to see!" he would repeat
impatiently.

There was nothing. And when the picket in the bushes near the Casa
Viola had been ordered to fall back upon the main body, no stir of life
appeared on the stretch of dusty and arid land between the town and the
waters of the port. But late in the afternoon a horseman issuing from
the gate was made out riding up fearlessly. It was an emissary from
Senor Fuentes. Being all alone he was allowed to come on. Dismounting at
the great door he greeted the silent bystanders with cheery impudence,
and begged to be taken up at once to the "muy valliente" colonel.

Senor Fuentes, on entering upon his functions of Gefe Politico, had
turned his diplomatic abilities to getting hold of the harbour as well
as of the mine. The man he pitched upon to negotiate with Sotillo was a
Notary Public, whom the revolution had found languishing in the common
jail on a charge of forging documents. Liberated by the mob along with
the other "victims of Blanco tyranny," he had hastened to offer his
services to the new Government.

He set out determined to display much zeal and eloquence in trying to
induce Sotillo to come into town alone for a conference with Pedrito
Montero. Nothing was further from the colonel's intentions. The mere
fleeting idea of trusting himself into the famous Pedrito's hands had
made him feel unwell several times. It was out of the question--it was
madness. And to put himself in ope