windler."

Miguel burst into a laugh, and laying his hand familiarly on the man's
shoulder, he said:--

"That gave you a good scare, didn't it? Now I am somewhat repaid for the
one that you just gave me."

"But what the deuce does this mean?..."

"Calm yourself; my houses are not mortgaged. You will have the pleasure
of ruining me on the day least expected," replied the young man, with
bitter irony.

The symptom of a smile seemed to be coming into Eguiburu's face, but it
suddenly vanished again:--

"Are you in earnest?"

"Yes, man, yes; don't have any apprehension."

Then the smile that had vanished once more appeared, insinuating and
benevolent, on the money lender's lips.

"What a joker you are, Senor de Rivera! No one can ever tell whether you
are in earnest or joking."

"Then you are certainly very wrong to be so calm at this moment."

Eguiburu grew serious again:--

"No! I cannot believe that you would jest on matters so ... so...."

"So sacred, you mean?"

"That is it--so sacred."

"However, you will confess that you haven't the papers with you."

"Certainly not; you are a talented man ... and a perfect gentleman
besides...."

"Come now; don't flatter me; there is no need of it."

They went to the door, talking as they went. Eguiburu felt an anxiety
that he tried in vain to hide; he gave his hand three or four times to
Rivera; his face and attitude changed more than a score of times, and
when Miguel told him to put on his hat, he placed it, all twisted and
rumpled, on the back of his head. He tried to change the conversation to
prove that he was perfectly convinced of the good word of his surety. He
asked him with much interest about his wife and the baby, taking great
pains to inquire about the details of the occurrence. Nevertheless, when
he was already on the stairway, and Miguel was just about to close the
door, he asked in an indifferent and jovial tone, and yet betraying keen
anxiety:--

"Then that was merely a joke, was it, Rivera?"

"Have no anxiety about it, man!" replied Miguel, laughing.

But as soon as he was left alone, the laugh died on his lips; he stood
for a moment with his fingers on the latch; then he went with slow step
back to his study, sat down at the table, and leaned his head on his
hand, with his eyes covered. Thus he sat a long time in thought. When he
got up, they were swollen and red as though he had slept too long. He
went to his wife's room; as he passed t