Up to a certain period Arroyo rejected these proposals of his comrade. Not that he had any more respect for the property of Don Mariano than his associate had; but rather that he was not yet sufficiently hardened to reckless outrage, as to perpetrate such an audacious robbery on one who was publicly known to be a friend to the insurgent cause. We say, up to a certain time Arroyo preserved these egotistical scruples; but that time terminated on the day and hour when, in the presence of his old master, and the whole household of Las Palmas, he was forced to endure the terrible insults inflicted upon him by the dragoon captain. From that moment he transferred a portion of his vengeful hatred for Don Rafael to the haciendado and his daughters; and it is possible that on his leaving Las Palmas the night after--which the dangerous proximity of Del Valle influenced him to do--he would have left bloody traces behind him, but for the interference of his associate Bocardo. The latter, in his turn, had counselled moderation. More covetous of gold, and less thirsty of blood than Arroyo, the astute brigand had represented, that "there could be no great blame attached to them for using the silver of Don Mariano to serve the good cause of the insurrection; that the more needy of the insurgents might justly demand aid from their richer brethren, but not their lives or their blood." Arroyo no longer combated the proposals of his _confrere_. To him they now appeared moderate; and the result was, that the two _forbans_ collected all of Don Mariano's silver they could lay their hands upon, with such other valuables as were portable--and, having made a distribution among their followers, decamped that night from Las Palmas, taking good care in their _Haegira_ to give the hacienda of Del Valle a wide berth. With regard to Don Mariano and his daughters, they were only too happy that nothing worse than robbery had been attempted by the brigands. They had dreaded outrage as well as spoliation; and they were rejoiced at being left with their lives and honour uninjured. Made aware, by this episode, of the danger of living any longer in a house isolated as Las Palmas--which might be at the mercy any moment of either royalists or insurgents--Don Mariano bethought him of retiring to Oajaca. He would be safer there--even though the town was thoroughly devoted to the cause of the king; for, as yet, his political opinions had not been declared sufficiently to compromise him. For some days, however, circumstances of one kind or another arose to hinder him from putting this project into execution.