Don't attempt to carry too much, of your coin about your
waist."
I thanked him and tramped off.
CHAPTER XXVII
THE POINT OF VIEW
That evening, after our dinner, a perfect dinner eaten under a grape-
arbor, lingering over the fruit and honey in the mingled light of waning
dusk and a clear crescent moon, I showed Septima my belt and bags, put in
the belt what silver would fill it to a flaccid and comfortable flatness,
and gave her all the gold and the rest of the silver. I had already
explained to her what impended over us, and had emphasized my wish to
remain with her and my anxiety to know that she was provided for, if we
were to be separated.
I did not visit the post of the road-constabulary as often as the camp of
the outlaws. Next day I rode over to their post and chatted with one of
the sergeants and several of the men. They were in doubt between, two
opinions: most held that their presence in the district had frightened the
bandits away and that they had left the neighborhood and transferred their
attention to a wholly different region; only a few maintained the view
that the brigands had been lurking near from before their arrival and that
all their efforts had failed to locate their hiding place.
Pages:
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596