as yourself? Stay! oh imbecile that I am. I have not remembered.
You would possibly say that he has no longer of horses! Play him;
play him, admirable yet prudent Hamlin. I have two thousand
horses! Of a surety he cannot exhaust them in four hours.
Therefore play him, trust to me for recompensa, and have no fear."

A quick flush covered the stranger's cheek, and his eyebrows
momentarily contracted. He walked carelessly to the window,
however, glanced out, and then turned to Don Jose.

"May I ask, then," he said with almost sepulchral gravity, "is
anybody taking care of you?"

"Truly," returned Don Jose cautiously, "there is my brother and
friend Roberto."

"Ah! Roberto, certainly," said Mr. Hamlin profoundly.

"Why do you ask, considerate friend?"

"Oh! I only thought, with your kind of opinions, you must often
feel lonely in California. Good-bye." He shook Don Jose's hand
heartily, took up his hat, inclined his head with graceful
seriousness, and passed out of the room. In the hall he met the
landlord.

"Well," said Jenkinson, with a smile half anxious, half
insinuating, "you saw him? What do you think of him?"

Mr. Hamlin paused and regarded Jenkinson with a calmly