"Still," the stranger interrupted, "you would have had no objection to prowl a little longer round the rancho, I presume?" "I confess it." "Well, on my honour, you are wrong, for two excellent reasons: the first is, that you will learn nothing more than you have surmised,--that is to say, that the rancho is the headquarters of the insurrection. You see that I am frank with you." "I perceive it. And now, what is your second reason?" "It is very simple: you run the risk, at any moment, of being saluted with a bullet, and you know that the Texans are decent marksmen." "Certainly; but you know also that this reason possesses but slight value for me." "I beg your pardon; courage does not consist, in my opinion, at least, in sacrificing one's life without reason; it consists, on the contrary, in being only killed for a good price,--that is to say, for a motive worth the trouble." "Thanks for the lecture, Caballero." "Shall we be off?" "At once, if you will be good enough to tell me who you are and where we are going?" "I am surprised that you did not recognise me long ago, for we have been for some time past on excellent, if not intimate terms." "That may be; the sound of your voice is rather familiar to me, and I fancy I have heard it before, but it is impossible for me to recall either when or under what circumstances." "By Heaven, Colonel! You will allow me to remark that you have a preciously short memory. But since our last meeting, so many events have occurred, that it is not surprising you should have forgotten me. With one word I will recall everything to your mind--I am John Davis, the ex-slave dealer." "You!" the Colonel exclaimed, with a start of surprise. "Yes, I am that person." "Ah! Ah!" the Colonel continued, as he crossed his arms haughtily and looked him in the face, "In that case we have an account to settle." "I am not aware of the fact, Colonel." "You forget, Master Davis, in what manner you abused my confidence in order to betray me." "I? You are in error, Colonel. To do that I must have been a Mexican, which is not the case, thank Heaven! I served my country as you serve yours, that is all; each for himself in a revolution, you know." "That proverb may suit you, Master Davis, I grant, but I only know one way of acting honourably, with uplifted head." "Hum! There would be a good deal to say on that head, but it is not the question at this moment. The proof that you are mistaken and unjust toward me is, that a few minutes ago I held your life in my hands, and was unwilling to take it." "You were wrong, for I swear to you that unless you defend yourself I shall take yours in a second," he said, as he cocked a pistol. "You are in earnest, then?" "Most earnest, he assured." "You are mad," said Davis, with a shrug of his shoulders; "what strange idea is this of yours to insist on killing me?" "Will you defend yourself; yes or no?"