the General stands for him. What a goose! . . . All
right, you want to go back home?"

"The Holy Virgin protect me. My mother would beat
me to death!"

"She'll do nothing of the sort. You and I can fix things.
Listen! The soldiers are leaving any moment now. When
Demetrio tells you to get ready, you tell him you feel
pains all over your body as though someone had hit
you; then you lie down and start yawning and shivering.
Then put your hand on your forehead and say, 'I'm
burning up with fever.' I'll tell Demetrio to leave us
both here, that I'll stay to take care of you, that as
soon as you're feeling all right again, we'll catch up with
them. But instead of that, I'll see that you get home
safe and sound."



VIII


The sun had set, the town was lost in the drab mel-
ancholy of its ancient streets amid the frightened silence
of its inhabitants, who had retired very early, when Luis
Cervantes reached Primitivo's general store, his arrival
interrupting a party that promised great doings.

Demetrio was engaged in getting drunk with his old