ntense anxiety; 'did
you bring any?'

''Certainly,' replied Pepito, handing him very unconcernedly a small
package; 'I brought more than you told me, and, in fact, I might have
brought a mule-load if you had wanted so many.'

''Adele!' cried Mr. Livermore, overcome with delight, as he rushed into
my room, 'Adele, HE HAS FOUND IT!'

Pepito followed Arthur with his sharp eye, and on beholding Adele, asked
me, in a low tone:

''Who is that lady, Caballero?'

''I can not say; I myself never saw her until to-day,' said I; and
noticing his gaze riveted on her in apparent admiration, I added:

''Do you think her pretty?'

''Pretty! Holy Virgin! she is lovely enough to make a man risk his
salvation to win her.'

'Feeling that my presence might be one of those superfluities with which
they would gratefully dispense, I was on the point of leaving, when
there was a knock at the door. Again Adele sought refuge in my room, and
again Arthur advanced to the door:

''Open, it is I,' said a voice from the outside; 'I have come to inquire
after my friend Pepito.'

''Senor,' exclaimed Pepito, 'that must be my compadre, Pedro.'

'On the door being opened, they flew to one another's arms, and gave a
true Mexican embrace.

'The entrance of Pedro, which evidently annoyed Mr. Livermore, awakened
in my mind strange suspicions. I resolved at the earliest opportunity I
had of a private interview with him, to allude to what I had overheard
on the Alameda. In the mean time I would keep an eye on these two
cronies.

''Stand back, Pedro, and let me have a good look at you.'

''_There!_ well, how do you think I look?'

''My dear fellow, you are growing decidedly coarse and fat.'

''Bah! but how do you like my new rig?'

''I can not admire the cut; but, of course, you bought them
ready-made--one could see that with half an eye.'

''Well, Pepito, now that you are once more back in the city, I lack
nothing to make me perfectly happy. You will spend the rest of the day
with me?'

''Of course, my dear fellow.'

''Well, it is about dinner-time; let us be off.'

''Wait till I have first bid adieu to his excellency,' replied Pepito,
turning toward Mr. Livermore. Then advancing a few steps, he whispered a
few words to him, at the same time bowing very low. Arthur unlocked the
drawer of his table and took out a roll of dollars, which he handed to
the Mexican.

''Must you absolutely leave me so soon?' said he.

''Well, Caballero,