Words have passed between this gentleman and myself which we are now on our way to the station and the frontier to settle.

If you are willing to accompany us, I shall give you every opportunity to converse with him alone, and arrange whatever business you may have with him, provided it does not interfere with mine." "My business," said Pendleton, "is of a personal nature, that will not interfere with any claim of yours that Mr.Briones may choose to admit, but is of a private quality that must be transacted between us now." His face was pale, and his voice, although steady and self-controlled, had that same strange suggestion of sudden age in it which Paul had before noticed.

Whether Don Caesar detected it, or whether he had some other instinctive appreciation of greater security, Paul could not tell.

He seemed to recover his swagger again, as he said,-- "I shall hear what Colonel Pendleton has to say first.

But I shall hold myself in readiness to meet you afterwards--you shall not fear, sir!" Paul remained looking from the one to the other without speaking.