ery sad over it; not so much over my actual loss, but, I
_did_ think it most unkind and thoughtless of my fellow townsmen to
select me as their victim. The next morning I reported my loss to the
Mayor of Jerez. He didn't appear to be much concerned about it, and he
informed me that he had already had some forty similar complaints of the
loss of watches, pocket-books, etc., from visitors to Puerto Santa Maria
from Jerez the day previous. He had had a telegram also from the Mayor of
Puerto Santa Maria to the effect that some seventy like cases had been
reported to him in that town.

"So that, after all," he said, "I don't really see any particular reason
why you should be hurt. I may tell you that you are in good company.
General Primo de Rivera" (who was then Captain-General Commanding the
Military District) "was with a friend when he saw a man take the latter's
pocket-book from inside his coat. He fortunately grabbed the thief before
he could make off. One of the Ministers of State was successfully robbed
of some thirty pounds in notes; while a friend of yours" (mentioning a
business man in Jerez who hadn't even been to the bull-fight, but had
been collecting rents at Cadiz, and was returning through Puerto Santa
Maria home) "was surprised to find on his arrival there, that the large
sum, which should have been in his pocket had evidently passed, somehow
or other, into some other fellow's hands."

This, of course, somewhat cheered me up, because, after all, there is no
doubt that a common affliction makes us very sympathetic. I asked him how
he accounted for this wonderful display of sleight-of-hand.

"Oh," he said, "don't you know that the elections are on this week, and
that usually, before the elections, the party in power takes the
opportunity of letting out of gaol as many criminals as it dares, hoping
for and counting on their votes? Of course, the responsibility falls on
the heads of the police for making some effort to protect our easy-going
and unsuspicious visitors at such times. The job is too big for us at the
time being, with the result that these gentry make a good harvest. But
yet, after all, we are not really downhearted about it, because, after
the elections are over, especially if the opposition party gets in, we
round them all up and promptly lock them up again."

The explanation, though quite clear, didn't seem to me to be of much help
towards getting back my goods and chattels, so I ventured to as