us, and looked at his friend with that cold
and hard expression which was always in his case a sign of repressed
anger. Mendoza dropped his eyes, in confusion.

"I should feel very sorry to have any misfortune happen to you, Miguel."

"The question now is not about your feelings. What I want to know this
instant is, if the general is ready to pay this sum."

"I think that the general has no other desire...."

"Nor is the question about the general's desires. I want to know--do you
hear?--I want to know if he will pay the thirty thousand duros, or will
not pay them."

"I shall have to write him: you know he is in Germany just now."

"The point is, that if he does not pay it, I will take it into court. I
have letters from him acknowledging the debt," said Miguel, striding in
a state of excitement up and down the room.

Mendoza allowed him to do so for some time, and then replied:--

"It seems to me, Miguel, that you ought not to be in too great a hurry
to do this or look on the dark side; you won't get ahead any that way."

"What makes you say that?" retorted the brigadier's son, halting.

"You would get nothing by taking it to court."

"Why so?"

"Because the general has no fortune: all that he has is in his wife's
name."

Miguel's eyes flamed with anger.

"The villain!" he muttered under his breath; and then added: "I shall be
convinced that you are as vile as he."

"Miguel, for God's sake!"

"That is what I have said. Take it as you like. I am glad that it looks
worse for him."

Mendoza had no wish nor courage to reply. He let him continue his
walking up and down, in the hope that his anger would calm down, and in
this he showed how well he knew his man. In fact, in a few minutes he
shrugged his shoulders, paused near the bed, and throwing his hands on
Mendoza's shoulders with a loving gesture, he said, laughing:--

"I have been unfair. I had forgotten that you were too much of a rough
diamond to be a villain."

Mendoza was not annoyed by this singular apology.

"You are so quick-tempered, Miguel, that when one least thinks about it,
you 'leave a man without the blood in his veins.'"

"It would be worse to leave one without any money."

"Man alive! you haven't lost it yet. I have no doubt that the matter
will be settled all right."

"Do you know what plan Eguiburu proposed to me?"

"No; what?"

"That I should also guarantee the twelve thousand duros which he had
furnished besides, and th