After our trip through San Nicolas Panotla, Jose took us back to his house, where, meantime, a, dinner had been made ready.
Weeks later, we learned the probable reason of the governor's gruffness, which was in such marked contrast to his previous treatment, that it puzzled us considerably.

At about the time of our visit, a number of wealthy _hacienderos,_ of the State of Tlaxcala, had been arrested for counterfeiting silver money.

They were men whose _maguey_ fields brought them enormous incomes; one would suppose their legitimate sources of wealth would have contented them! But such was not the case, and they had gone into wholesale counterfeiting.

The fraudulent coin had long been known and diligent efforts were made to find the criminals, efforts at last crowned with success.

The guilt was fixed without a doubt, the parties were arrested, tried, and sentenced.