ve my--Moll, Kit?" says he, with no
attempt to disguise names.

"Why should I leave her; are we not as brothers, you and I?"

"Aye, I'd trust you with my life," answers he, "and more than that, with
my--Moll! If you were her uncle, she couldn't love you more, Kit. And
you will stand by her, too, Senor?"

The Don bowed his head.

"Then when you leave, to-morrow, I'll go with you to London," says Jack.

"I shall return the next day," says Don Sanchez, with significance.

"And I shall not, God help me!" says Jack, bitterly.

"Give me your hand," says the Don; but I could speak never a word, and
sat staring at Jack, in a maze.

"We'll say nought of this to her," continues Jack; "there must be no
farewells, I could never endure that. But it shall seem that I have gone
with you for company, and have fallen in with old comrades who would
keep me for a carousing."

"But without friends--alone--what shall you do there in London?" says I,
heart-stricken at the thought of his desolation. The Don answers for
Jack.

"Make the best of his lot with a stout heart, like any other brave man,"
says he. "There are natural hardships which every man must bear in his
time, and this is one of them." Then lowering his voice, he adds,
"Unless you would have her die an old maid, she and her father must part
sooner or later."

"Why, that's true, and yet, Master," says Jack, "I would have you know
that I'm not so brave but I would see her now and then."

"That may be ordered readily enough," says the Don.

"Then do you tell her, Senor, I have but gone a-junketing, and she may
look to see me again when my frolic's over."

The Don closed his eyes as one in dubitation, and then says, lifting his
eyebrows: "She is a clever woman--shrewd beyond any I have ever known;
then why treat her as you would a foolish child? You must let me tell
her the truth when I come back, and I warrant it will not break her
heart, much as she loves you."

"As you will," says t'other. "'Twill be all as one to me," with a sigh.

"This falls out well in all ways," continues the Don, turning to me.
"You will tell Simon, whose suspicion we have most to fear, that we have
handed over four thousand of those pieces to Captain Evans as being most
in need, we ourselves choosing to stay here till the rest of our claim
is paid. That will account for Evans going away, and give us a pretext
for staying here."

"I'll visit him myself, if you will," says Jack, "and wrin