‘’But where shall I meet you, madame?’

‘’At the Hotel de las Diligencias.’

‘’And where shall I find Pepito?’

’’At a tavern near the Barrier del Nino Perdido.  But you will not, if you please, inform him of my address.  For—­well, it is an unpleasant matter to mention—­but this Pepito seems to be—­’

‘’Desperately in love with you.’

’’I hardly meant that—­but his attentions are too oppressive to be quite agreeable.’

’’I fully understand you, madame.  May I inquire if you have had any tidings of Mr. Percival?’

’’Do not, I beg, Mr. Rideau, allude to that painful topic—­all feelings of resentment are hushed in the grave.’

‘’What! have you heard of his assassination?’

‘’ Yes; the news reached me yesterday; I read it in the newspaper.’

’I shortly afterward took my leave—­the last words of my new copartner being: 

’’At five, then, at the Hotel de las Diligencias.  Be sure you are punctual.’

’Arrived in Mexico, my first thought was to seek for Pepito.  Following the directions given me by Mrs. Percival, I soon found him; and repeating to him a portion of the interview I had with the lady, I finished by proposing to take the place of Mr. Livermore in the bargain that had been made between them.

‘’I ask nothing better,’ was the reply.  ’Here are my terms—­two thousand dollars the very day we return to Mexico, and I to hold the shells till you hand over the money.  That is fair, is it not?’

‘’Quite.  When shall I see you again?’

‘’At eight to-night, on the Cathedral steps.’

’Hastening home, I devoted the rest of the day to preparing for my journey, and a little before five started for the Hotel de las Diligencias.  Mrs. Percival had not yet arrived.  Twice again I called, but still in vain.  The evening gradually wore away, and at eight I paced the Cathedral Square, and for an hour loitered around the steps; but Pepito, also, failed to keep the rendezvous.

’As the next day was Sunday, I felt assured the most likely place to find Pepito, would be the bull-ring.  On reaching it, I found a crowd assembled near one of the entrances, and pushing my way through, I beheld Pepito lying on the ground weltering in his blood.  I rushed to him, and kneeling down, raised him in my arms.

‘’Ah! it is you, Senor,’ said he, in a feeble tone.  ’This is Pedro’s work, but it was his last; for I have killed the traitor.’

’’Pepito, tell me, for Heaven’s sake, where did you find the shells?’I inquired; for avarice and cupidity reigned, I am ashamed to own, paramount within my breast.

‘’Those shells?  In the plains of Chiapa—­three days’ journey from the sea—­near the little river—­in a brook—­Ah! glory to God! here comes a priest!’

’At this moment a fat Franciscan friar pressed through the crowd.

‘’Absolution, padre! absolution!’ cried Pepito, to whom the sight of the friar brought back new life.