cavernous,
he cried, fastening his hands in his long hair:

"Malediction, malediction upon me, who held the avenging hands of my
sons! I was their assassin!"

"I understand you," said Elias; "I too have a vengeance to satisfy;
and yet, from fear of striking the innocent, I choose to forego that."

"You can; you are young; you have not lost your last hope. I too,
I swear it, would not strike the innocent. You see this wound? I got
it rather than harm a cuadrillero who was doing his duty."

"And yet," said Elias, "if you carry out your purpose, you will bring
dreadful woes to our unhappy country. If with your own hands you
satisfy your vengeance, your enemies will take terrible reprisals--not
from you, not from those who are armed, but from the people, who are
always the ones accused. When I knew you in other days, you gave me
wise counsels: will you permit me----"

The old man crossed his arms and seemed to attend.

"Senor," continued Elias, "I have had the fortune to do a great service
to a young man, rich, kind of heart, upright, wishing the good of
his country. It is said he has relations at Madrid; of that I know
nothing, but I know he is the friend of the governor-general. What
do you think of interesting him in the cause of the miserable and
making him their voice?"

The old man shook his head.

"He is rich, you say. The rich think only of increasing their
riches. Not one of them would compromise his peace to go to the aid
of those who suffer. I know it, I who was rich myself."

"But he is not like the others. And he is a young man about to
marry, who wishes the tranquillity of his country for the sake of
his children's children."

"He is a man, then, who is going to be happy. Our cause is not that
of fortunate men."

"No, but it is that of men of courage!"

"True," said the old man, seating himself again. "Let us suppose
he consents to be our mouthpiece. Let us suppose he wins the
captain-general, and finds at Madrid deputies who can plead for us;
do you believe we shall have justice?"

"Let us try it before we try measures of blood," said Elias. "It must
surprise you that I, an outlaw too, and young and strong, propose
pacific measures. It is because I see the number of miseries which
we ourselves cause, as well as our tyrants. It is always the unarmed
who pay the penalty."

"And if nothing result from our steps?"

"If we are not heard, if our grievances are made light of, I shall
be the fir