Iron County register., 1896-07-02
CHAPTER VIII.

THE SUPPER AND AFTER
1.-THE cell where they were shut up is
that in which the old monks imprisoned
such as were suspected of heresy and
there are many such in this house,
| senor-where q spy may lie hid, and
both see and hear all that passes in the
cell.
In this place 1 ensconed myself, and
lay there for hours, with the rats run
ming over me, so anxious was to get
to the truth. In the end l was not dis
appointed, for they began to talk. A
great deal of their conversation ]
the girl said, after examining a gilt
crucifix that hung upon the wall,
"'LooS, father, here also they have
gold
"'It is gilt, not gold he answered.
Il know the art of it, though with us it
is not practised, except to keep from
corruption the spears and arrow heads
that fowlers use upon the lake. Then
he added:
"I wonder what that leaden-eyed,
preedy-faced white thief would say if
he knew that in a single temple we
could show him enough of the metal he
covets to fill this place five times over
from floor to ceiling?'
"'Hushr she said, ears may be list
ening even in these walls; let us risk
nothing, seeing that by seeming to be
ignorant alone we can hope to escape" '"
well" asked the senior eagerly, land
what did Zibalbay answer? / think
that you said that the old mans name
was Zibalbay," he added, trying to re-
cover the slip.
''ZibalbayI No, I never mentioned
that name," Don Pedro replied suspic-
iously, and with a sudden change of
manner. HE answered nothing at all.
Next morning when | came to question
them the birds had flown. 1t is a pity
for otherwise might have asked the
old man if his name is Zibalbay. / sup
pose that the Indians had let them out,
but could not discover"
"Why, Don Pedro, you said just now
that they were still in the house"
"Did l? Then / made mistake, as
you did about the name; this wine is
strong, it must have got to my head;
sometimes it does-a weakness, and a
bad one. 1t is an old tale, but there it
ended so far as am concerned. Come.
senior, take a cup of coffee, it is good. "
THANK you, no" answered the senior.
~ never drink coffee at night, it keeps
me awake"
we grow it ourselves and are proud OF
its flavor"
'It is poison TO me, l dare not" he
said. But pray tell me, do the gentle
men whom l have the honor to see at
table cultivate your plantations?"
YES, yes, they cultivate the coffee
end the cocoa, and other things also
when they have a mind daresay you
think them a rough-loolxing lot, but
they are kind-hearted, ah! so kind
hearted. Feeble as / am they treat me
like a father. Bah! senior, what is the
good of hiding the truth from one OF
your discernment? We do business of
all sorts here, but the staple of it Is
smuggling rather than agriculture.
''The trade is not what it was, those
sharks of customs officers down'on the
coast there want so much to hold their
tongues, but still there are a few pick
ings. In the old times, when they did
not ask questions, it was otherwise, for
then men of pluck were ready for any
thing, from revolution down to the
stringing up of q coach load of fat mer-
chants, but now is the day of small
profits, and we must nc thankful for
such trifies as providence sends us"
''Such as the two Americans who got
drunk and killed each other" suggested
the senior, whose tongue was never OF
the most cautious.
Instantly Don Pedro's face changed,
out of it, and was replaced by hard
and cunning look.
II am tired, senCr," he said, tas you
must be also, and, if You will excuse
me, will light another cigar and take
a nap in my hammock. Perhaps you
will amuse yourself with the others,
senior, till yoA wish to go TO rest" And,
rising, he bowed and walked somewhat
unsueadily to the hammock that was
suspended at the far end of the room.
When Don Pedro had retired to his
hammock, whittier the Indian girl,
Luisa, was summoned to swing him to
sleep, saw his son Jose and the Amer
lean outcast. Smith, both of whom, like
the rest of the company, were more or
less drunk, come to the senior and ask
him to join in game of cards. Guess
ing that their object waa to make him
show what cash he had Sbout him, he
also affected to be in liquor, and re-
piled noisily that he had lost all his
money in the shipwreck, and was. more
over, too full of wine to play.
''Then you must have lost it on the
road, friend said Don Jose, s'for you
forget that you made those sailors
present from q belt of gold which You
wore about your middle. However, no
gentleman shall be force3 to play I'm