General smiled faintly, and emitted a pleased little sigh of relief.  "Indeed," continued Clay, "I should think Mr. Langham might even save you the formality of purchasing the stock outright by sending you its money equivalent. I beg your pardon," he asked, interrupting himself, "does your orderly understand English?" 

 "He does not," the General assured him, eagerly, dragging his chair a little closer. 

 "Suppose now that Mr. Langham were to put fifty or let us say sixty thousand dollars to your account in the Valencia Bank, do you think this vote of want of confidence in the Government on the question of our concession would still be moved?" 

 "I am sure it would not," exclaimed the leader of the Opposition, nodding his head violently. 

 "Sixty thousand dollars," repeated Clay, slowly, "for yourself; and do you think, General, that were you paid that sum you would be able to call off your friends, or would they make a demand for stock also?" 

 "Have no anxiety at all, they do just what I say," returned Mendoza, in an eager whisper.  "If I say 'It is all right, I am satisfied with what the Government has done in my absence,' it is enough.  And I will say it, I give you the word of a soldier, I will say it. I will not move a vote of want of confidence on Tuesday. You need go no farther than myself. I am glad that I am powerful enough to serve you, and if you doubt me"—he struck his heart and bowed with a deprecatory smile—"you need not pay in the money in exchange for the stock all at the same time. You can pay ten thousand this year, and next year ten thousand more and so on, and so feel confident that I shall have the interests of the mine always in my heart. Who knows what may not happen in a year? I may be able to serve you even more. Who knows how long the present Government will last? But I give you my word of honor, no matter whether I be in Opposition or at the head of the Government, if I receive every six months the retaining fee of which you speak, I will be your representative. And my friends can do nothing. I despise them. I am the Opposition. You have done well, my dear sir, to consider me alone." 

 Clay turned in his chair and looked back of him through the office to the room beyond. 

 "Boys," he called, "you can come out now." 

 He rose and pushed his chair away and beckoned to the orderly who sat in the saddle holding the General's horse.  

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