''I am deeply sensible, madame, of the confidence you repose in me; but I must beg you will allow me to remain in ignorance.'
''You refuse, then, to give us the promise?' exclaimed Adéle, 'I see it all! you will thwart us; you would preserve your liberty of action without forfeiting your word.'
'If you had known me longer, such a suspicion would not have crossed your mind. However, as I have no other means of proving it unjust, I will give the pledge you desire, I am now ready to hear whatever you have to communicate.'
'Mr. Livermore resumed the conversation:
''The secret which Adéle imparted to me will, I dare say, appear at first very extravagant, but before you laugh at it, give me time to explain. It is the existence of a marvelous opal mine in the interior; the precise location of which is known to no one save Adéle and myself.'
'In spite of the greatest effort, I could not suppress a smile of incredulity, at this announcement. Mexico is so full of strange stories of fabulous mines, that this wondrous tale of opals looked to me like some new confidence game, and I felt sure my neighbors were duped or else trying to dupe me.
''Oh! I see you think we are deceived?'
''I admit,' I replied, 'it strikes me as possible that you have been the victims of some crafty scheme. Did you hear of this mine before or since your arrival in Mexico?'
''Before we left New-Orleans.'
''And yet it is not known to the natives?'
''It was from a Mexican we had our information.'
''Why did not this Mexican himself take advantage of it?'
''He could not, for he was banished. He is now dead. But what do you think of these specimens?'
'He took from a drawer ten or twelve opals of rare size and brilliancy. I examined them with care; they were, beyond all doubt, of very considerable value. My incredulity gradually gave way to amazement.
''Are you certain these opals really came from the mine of which you speak?'
''Nothing can be more certain; you saw Pepito hand me a package; you heard his remark that he could have brought a mule-load; these are a few of what he did bring.'
''This mine then really exists?' I said, my incredulity giving way to the most ardent curiosity.
''Really exists! yes, my friend; if you listen, I will dispel all doubt of that.'
X
''On arriving in this country, my first step was to procure a guide and the necessary equipage for reaching the opal mine. Although I felt sure of its existence, I could not dispel the fear that the story of its marvelous richness would prove false. Without loss of time, I started; for to me it was a question of life and death. I had, however, barely accomplished a third of the journey, when I was prostrated by fever. The fatigue of traveling in the interior of this magnificent but wretched country, combined with excitement and anxiety, preyed upon my mind, and brought on an illness, from which at one time I gave up all hope of recovering. I was compelled to return to Vera Cruz. The doctors were all of the opinion that several months of perfect repose would be necessary before I could undertake another such journey. Several months—oh! how those words fell on my ears; they sounded like the knell of all my hopes. A thousand expedients floated through my brain, and in adopting the course I eventually did, time alone will prove whether I followed the promptings of a good or evil genius. One evening, I explained to my attendant that I was a medical man, deeply interested in botanical and mineralogical discoveries; that my object in undertaking my recent journey was to collect certain rare herbs and a singular description of shell. I laid peculiar stress on the herbs, and added in relation to the shells, that I merely wanted a few specimens, as they were rare in my country. My attendant at once proffered his services, to go in search of them. I appeared at first to attach but little importance to his offer; but as he renewed it whenever the subject was alluded to, I at last employed him. The mine is situated on the margin of a little brook. One day's work of an active man will turn the stream into a fresh channel, and a few inches beneath its bed will be found, mixed with the damp sand and loam, the shells, which, when polished, form the opal. I gave my servant the needful information as to localities and landmarks, and promised him a gratuity of a hundred dollars over and above his wages, in case he succeeded. Having given him instructions, I retained his services until I reached this city, where I determined to await his return, it being more healthy than Vera Cruz. Having selected my lodgings and given him the pass-word by which alone a stranger could obtain admittance to me, with an anxious heart I dispatched him on the mission.
''For three months I had no tidings of him; night and day, I was the prey of doubt and fear. No words can portray the agony of suspense that I endured; the hours seemed days, the days months, and the bitterness of years was crowded into that short interval. At last, thanks be to heaven, my messenger returned.'
''Do you mean Pepito?' I exclaimed.
''The very man,' replied Arthur; 'his journey was successful. You have seen the specimens he brought. I was intoxicated with delight; but Adéle did not share my joy. Nature has given woman a faculty of intuition denied to man. Alas! Adéle's presentiment has been verified; your account of the interview between Pepito and his friend proves her fears were well-grounded.'
''In what way?'
''In this way; it shows we have an enemy who has an inkling of our secret, and is striving to snatch the prize from us. What course to take I am at a loss to know. Adéle advises to make sure of Pepito, at any price.'
''And that strikes me as being your surest if not your only course.'
''Yes, the surest; but how to make sure of him?'
''By outbidding your competitors, and proving to him that in adhering to you he is best serving his own interests.'
''But he is base enough to take bribes from both sides, and betray each.'
''Oh! that I were a man!' exclaimed Adéle, 'this fellow is the only one who knows our secret. One man ought not to stand in fear of another. Only one man crosses your path, Arthur.'
''Unless I murder him, how can he be silenced?'
''Murder him! It is not murder to kill a robber. Were I a man, I would not hesitate how to act.'
''The anxiety of Pedro,' I said, 'indicates you have an enemy. Have you any idea who he is?'
''I believe,' said Adéle, 'that I know him.'
''Are you sure there is only one?'
''Why do you ask?' said the woman, fixing her eye upon me as though she would, in spite of every obstacle, read my inmost thoughts.
''Because I fancy there are two, for instance, Brown and Hunt.'
'At the mention of these names Adéle started to her feet, exclaiming:
''On all sides there is treachery. I demand, sir, an explanation. What leads you to associate the name of that firm with this matter? Either you are our friend or you are not. Speak plainly!'
''Madame, by the merest chance, I overheard Pedro mention those names, and since you have given me your confidence, I will give you some information which may put you on your guard, and help to guide your future plans.'
'I then briefly related the conversations I had overheard between General Valiente and Pedro, both on the Alameda and in the gaming-house in the Calle del Arco.
''Now, madame,' I continued, 'let me inquire whether the Mexican from whom you derived your information, had any connection with this firm?'
''Yes, sir, he knew them,' she replied; then, after a slight pause, she added: 'We have already told you so much that it would be folly to conceal the way in which we became acquainted with the existence of this mine. Soon after my marriage, I met a veteran officer of the Mexican army,