the pain of contemplating the failure, since
I should no longer be in the States."

"It would fail," said Cartwright, "before
you could get clear of the States, and the
Union has extradition treaties."

"Not with all the world," replied the
don; "not with all America even. Not
with Texas, for instance."

"Well, why not try Texas at once?
Capital place. Just over the frontier, and
just beyond the law."

"I am thinking of it," said the don.
"But there are drawbacks. Judge Lynch,
for instance, bowie-knives, and tar-barrels, if
a man has the misfortune to lose
popularity. Besides, 'tis a devil of a distance;
and though, of course, you will pay
travelling expenses"

"That's not in the bargain," exclaimed
Cartwright, thrusting his hands in his
pockets, and walking up and down the
room, not very unlike a Bengal tiger in a
small cage. "I never agreed to that, don."

"But you will agree to it, of course.
Friends must help each other, specially such
intimate friends as you and I. And just
now, you know, you are so rich — at least,
so much richer than I."

"I ain't rich," said Cartwright; "and
you know it. But I have an idea, don."

"Felicita!" cried the don, bowing.
"Ideas are valuable properties. Yours
especially, my dear friend. Virginia mines;
you don't work 'em half enough. I suppose
you want a partner. What are the terms?"

"I want you to go down to Charleston."

"It is out of my way."

"Expenses paid."

"And from there to Texas?"

"And from there to Texas."

"Business at Charleston likely to last
long?"

"A month at longest. Possibly less."

"Say a month, then. Charleston's a dear
city. Month's board, lodging, carriage hire,
small pleasures ——"

"Paid."

"For a foreign gentleman of distinction.
Living twice as dear for foreigners as for
natives. Risk paid, too. Risk's everything
in the calculation, you know. May
be heavy. Haven't heard what it is yet."

"None in the world. But I must think
the matter over. Meet me here to-morrow
night at the same hour. If we agree as to
terms, can you start at once?"

"The sooner the better, my dear friend."

"Then to morrow night."

"I shall await you here."

"And now," said Cartwright, "to get
out of this cursed den without being seen.
Don't forget to-morrow night."

So the two gentlemen parted for that
evening.

They met again on the following night
according to appointment. On each
occasion the conversation between them was
carried on in Spanish, the only language
which Don Ramon spoke fluently. In the
interval between their first and second
interview, Cartwright was busily engaged
all day and a great part of the night, too,
in his own room at the hotel. Probably in
some occupation of a literary nature; for
before he began it he purchased a great
quantity of writing materials, various kinds
of inks, various kinds of pens, various kinds
of paper, and when he had finished it, he left
behind him, as he unlocked the door and
went out to keep his appointment with Don
Ramon, not even a pen or a scrap of paper.
The work on which he had been so assiduously
employed must have absorbed all
these materials, and perhaps spoiled many
of them; for in the room, as he left it, there
was a strong smell of burnt pens and burnt
paper.

On the morrow of that night Don Ramon
left Richmond, not by the ordinary
conveyance, but by a horse and buggy, which
he had purchased for the purpose, since, he
said, he was travelling for his pleasure.
And to a gentleman who could afford to
pay for his pleasure, nothing was less
pleasant than to be booked from place to place
like a parcel. The same day Philip
Cartwright returned to Glenoak.

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