Ностромо

           “Theyreceivedmeasiftheyhadknownmeforyears,”hesaid.“Thelittleladyiskindnesspersonified.Istayedwiththemforamonth.Hehelpedmetoorganizethesurveyingparties.HispracticalownershipoftheSanTomesilverminegiveshimaspecialposition.Heseemstohavetheearofeveryprovincialauthorityapparently,and,asIsaid,hecanwindallthehidalgosoftheprovinceroundhislittlefinger.Ifyoufollowhisadvicethedifficultieswillfallaway,becausehewantstherailway.Ofcourse,youmustbecarefulinwhatyousay.He’sEnglish,andbesideshemustbeimmenselywealthy.TheHolroydhouseisinwithhiminthatmine,soyoumayimagine—”

           Heinterruptedhimselfas,frombeforeoneofthelittlefiresburningoutsidethelowwallofthecorral,arosethefigureofamanwrappedinaponchouptotheneck.Thesaddlewhichhehadbeenusingforapillowmadeadarkpatchonthegroundagainsttheredglowofembers.

           “IshallseeHolroydhimselfonmywaybackthroughtheStates,”saidSirJohn.“I’veascertainedthathe,too,wantstherailway.”

           Themanwho,perhapsdisturbedbytheproximityofthevoices,hadarisenfromtheground,struckamatchtolightacigarette.Theflameshowedabronzed,black-whiskeredface,apairofeyesgazingstraight;then,rearranginghiswrappings,hesankfulllengthandlaidhisheadagainonthesaddle