"I shall play with this one to-morrow evening," she cried joyfully, and
put it into her bosom.

She carried out her intention, and came home beaming, with a whole
bagful of piastres.

It seemed that the family lived only by play. The son, it is true, was
in connection with one or other of the political parties of the town,
with the prospect of an appointment as officer in a volunteer corps if
any rising took place; but that did not in the meantime bring in money,
and how they managed to get along when luck went against them it was not
easy to see.

Salvé meanwhile was becoming rather tired of being on land. The
seclusion had suited him well enough at first, until the señorita had
begun to pay him attentions; but now that she evidently remained at home
all day solely on his account, to dress at him, and play off all sorts
of coquetry upon him, he began to find it intolerable; and when the Juno
at last had sailed, he announced one day that he meant to go down to the
harbour and look for employment.

The señorita turned pale, but soon recovered her self-possession, and
even joked with him about it; and later on her brother persuaded him to
defer his intention for three days, until he had attended a gathering of
Federigo's friends, which was to take place one night down in one of the
suburbs.

That evening, when her brother had gone out as usual to play, the
señorita sat down in the window of the room where Salvé was, and through