THROWING LIGHT ON A DAEK SCENE. 291 



" Then this is what I propose. I will stand in front of the 

 window ; but far enough from it to be beyond where a 

 burning match can throw a light upon me, with my pistol 

 pointing to thai corner. You crawl under the window-sill, 

 stretch your hand over the middle of it, strike a match on 

 the inner side, and hold it up its light will reveal every- 

 thing in the room ; you will be under cover, I in darkness. 

 If that confounded scoundrel, Lozada, or any other infernal 

 ' greaser/ is in there with a drawn weapon, I'll blow the top 



of his head off, by G , and we'll cut and run for it." 



This performance, as far as to the lighting of the match, 

 was carried out without further parley, and greeted with a 

 merry peal of laughter from within the salon the laughter 

 of a woman and of a man familiar laughs both of them. 

 Who was he; who could he be ? I joined my friend, finding 

 him leaning against a tree, quietly chuckling. " What do 

 you suppose," said he, " I was pointing my revolver at ? 

 Why, the ample paunch of our jolly old friend, the Padre 

 Jose', La Mariposa's confessor ; the old gentleman who 

 passes his daily little joke with us in the Plaza. I guess 

 you'll be safe enough while with him. Give me your word 

 of honour you will leave when he does, and I will now go 

 home ; otherwise I'll stop here until you rejoin me, or are 

 killed, if I remain till daylight." 



As he spoke, a happy suspicion crossed my mind. If 

 the thought that occurred to me had been the senorita's 

 reason for old Jose"s presence, she was as full of finesse as 

 of loveliness, as deep as fascinating. With alacrity I con- 

 sented to my friend's request. I gave him the required 

 promise. He left. I joined La Mariposa and her confessor. 



IT 2 



