know more. The engineer-in-chief assured him that the administrator of
the San Tome silver mine had an immense influence over all these Spanish
Dons. He had also one of the best houses in Sulaco, and the Gould
hospitality was beyond all praise.

"They received me as if they had known me for years," he said. "The
little lady is kindness personified. I stayed with them for a month. He
helped me to organize the surveying parties. His practical ownership of
the San Tome silver mine gives him a special position. He seems to have
the ear of every provincial authority apparently, and, as I said, he can
wind all the hidalgos of the province round his little finger. If you
follow his advice the difficulties will fall away, because he wants the
railway. Of course, you must be careful in what you say. He's English,
and besides he must be immensely wealthy. The Holroyd house is in with
him in that mine, so you may imagine--"

He interrupted himself as, from before one of the little fires burning
outside the low wall of the corral, arose the figure of a man wrapped in
a poncho up to the neck. The saddle which he had been using for a pillow
made a dark patch on the ground against the red glow of embers.

"I shall see Holroyd himself on my way back through the States," said
Sir John. "I've ascertained that he, too, wants the railway."

The man who, perhaps disturbed by the proximity of the voices, had
arisen from the ground, struck a match to light a cigarette. The flame
showed a bronzed, black-whiskered face, a pair of eyes gazing straight;
then, rearranging his wrappings, he sank full length and laid his head
again on the saddle.