nd of your daughter."

"Most true; I never thought of such an alliance. I believe you were told
that Columbian law gives these contracts the force of a legal claim,
in the event of survivorship; and you flattered yourself, perhaps too
hastily, that other ties more binding still might grow from it. If
Fortune was as fickle with you here as at the card-table, the fault is
not in me."

"But of what avail is it now?" said Roland, passionately. "If I died
to-morrow, there is not sufficient substance left to buy a suit of
mourning for my poor widow."

"She could, perhaps, dispense with outward grief," said Pedro,
sneeringly.

"I say again," cried Roland, with increased agitation, "this bond is
not worth the paper it is written on. I leave the service; I sail into
another latitude, and it is invalid,--a mere mockery!"

"Not so fast, sir," said Pedro, slowly: "there is a redeeming clause,
by which you, on paying seventy thousand doubloons, are released of your
contract, with my concurrence. Mark that well,--with my concurrence it
must be. Now, I have the opinion of learned counsel, in countries where
mayhap your adventurous fancy has already carried you, that this clause
embraces the option which side of the contract I should desire to
enforce."

"Such may be your law here; I can have little doubt that any infamy may
pass for justice in this favored region," said Roland; "but I 'll never
believe that so base a judgment could be uttered where civilization
prevails. At all events, I 'll try the case. I now tell you frankly,
that, tomorrow, I mean to resign my rank and commission in this service;
I mean to quit this country, with no intention ever to revisit it. If
you still choose to retain a contract whose illegality needs no stronger
proof than that it affects to bind one party only, I 'll not waste
further time by thinking of it."

"I will keep it, senhor," interrupted Pedro, calmly. "I knew a youth,
once, who had as humble an opinion of his fortunes as you have now; and
yet he died,--not in this service, indeed, but in these seas,--and his
fortune well requited the trouble of its claimant."

"I have no right to trespass longer on you, sir," said Roland, bowing.
"I wish I could thank you for all your hospitality to me with a more
fitting courtesy; I must confess myself your debtor without hope of
repayment."

"Have you signified to Don Gomez Noronja your intention to resign?"

"I shall do it within half an hour."