You stood your ground." "Yes." "Why the Guardia did not fire," continued Hillyard, "who shall say?
But he did not." "No, he did not," Jose Medina repeated with a smile.

"Why?
It was Fate--Fortune--what you will." "You sent every one aside, and remained alone with the guards--for a long time.

Oh, for a long time! Then you called out, and your men came back, and found you alone with your horses and your carts.

How you had persuaded the guards to leave you alone----" "Quien sabe ?" said Medina, with a smile.
"But you had persuaded them, even on that first venture.

So," and now Hillyard smiled.