Сердца трех / Hearts of Three

I shall be able to trust it with you, who are, one can see with half an eye, an honest and an honorable man.’ As he talked, he fumbled forth from his pocket two silver pesos and handed them to the jailer. �There, I wish you and your men to have some pleasure of assisting me.’

Henry grinned to himself as he noted the access of interest in the old man and of consideration for him, on the part of Pedro Zurita and the gendarmes, caused by the present of the coins. They shoved the more curious of the crowd roughly back from the wrecked wagon and began to carry the boxes into the jail.

�Careful, señors, careful,’ the old one pleaded, greatly anxious, as they took hold of the big box. Handle it gently. It is of value, and it is fragile, most fragile.’

While the contents of the wagon were being carried into the jail, the old man removed and deposited in the wagon all harness from the horse save the bridle.

Pedro Zurita ordered the harness taken in as well, explaining, with a glare at the miserable crowd: �Not a strap or buckle would remain the second after our backs were turned.

’

Using what was left of the wagon for a stepping block, and ably assisted by the jailer and his crew, the peddler managed to get astride his animal.

�It is well,’ he said, and added gratefully: �A thousand thanks, señors. It has been my good fortune to meet with honest men with whom my goods will be safe only poor goods, peddler’s goods, you understand; but to me, everything, my way upon the road.

The pleasure has been mine to meet you. To-morrow I shall return with my kinsman, whom I certainly shall find, and relieve from you the burden of safeguarding my inconsiderable property.’ He doffed his hat. �Adiós, señors, adiós!’

He rode away at a careful walk, timid of the animal he bestrode which had caused his catastrophe. He halted and turned his head at a call from Pedro Zurita.

�Search the graveyard, Señor Narvaez,’ the jailer advised. �Full a hundred Tomas Romeros lie there.

’

�And be vigilant, I beg of you, Señor, of the heavy box,’ the peddler called back.

Henry watched the street grow deserted as the gendarmes and the populace fled from, the scorch of the sun. Small wonder, he thought to himself, that the old peddler’s voice had sounded vaguely familiar. It had been because he had possessed only half a Spanish tongue to twist around the language the other half being the German tongue of the mother.