''But, if you only receive four hundred, and give me four hundred, what the deuce will you make out of such an operation?' ''Trust entirely to your generosity.' ''What! leave me to do what I like! I take you up--by Jupiter! Pedro, that is a noble trait in your character--I take you up.' ''Then it is a bargain. Will you wait here for me, or would you prefer to meet me at our usual Monte in the Calle de los Meradores?' ''I prefer the Monte.' ''You will swear on the cross, to relate fully and truly every particular relating to your journey?' ''Of course--every thing.' ''I will be there in a couple of hours.' 'After his friend's departure, Pepito sat silent; his brow was knit, and yet a mocking sneer played around his lips; he seemed to be pursuing two trains of thought at once; suspicion and merriment were clearly working in his mind. ''This is a droll affair, Caballero; I can't clearly see the bottom of it' ''There is nothing very unusual in it that I see,' I replied, 'for every day men sacrifice honor for gold.' ''True, nothing more common, and yet this proposition beats all I ever met with.' ''In what respect?' ''Why, the interest that these folks who employ Pedro, take in this journey that I undertook for your friend, Señor Pride.' ''But, if this journey has some valuable secret object in view?' ''Valuable secret!' repeated Pepito, bursting into a fit of laughter; 'Yes, a valuable secret indeed! Oh! the joke of offering four hundred dollars for what, 'twixt you and me, is not worth a cent. But who can it be that is behind Pedro, in this matter? He must be some rival doctor, or else a naturalist, on the same scent.' ''Is Señor Pride,' I inquired, 'a doctor--are you sure of that?' ''Yes--he must be--but I don't know,' exclaimed Pepito; 'I am at my wits' end. If he is not, I have been working in the dark, and he has deceived me with a false pretext; I am at a loss--dead beat. But one thing is plain--I can make four hundred dollars, if I like.' ''And will you betray your employer?' said I indignantly. ''Time enough--never decide rashly, Caballero; I shall deliberate--nothing like sleeping on important affairs; to-morrow--who knows what to-morrow may bring forth?' 'So saying, Pepito arose, took his traveling sword under his arm, placed his hat jauntily on his head, cast an admiring eye at the looking-glass, and then brushed off some of the dust that still clung to his left sleeve. ''The smile of Heaven abide with you, Señor,' said he, with a most graceful bow. 'As for your friend's secret, do not be uneasy about it; I am not going to meet Pedro to-night. I shall take advantage of his absence to make a call on my lady-love. Pedro is a good fellow, but shockingly self-conceited; he fancies himself far smarter than I--perhaps he is--but somehow I fancy, this time he must be early if he catches me asleep.'