from the lips of my old teacher, Senor Morales.

Half-rising from my chair, I placed my hand over
my shirt-front and thanked his Excellency for his
confidence--really one of the greatest compliments
that had ever been paid me in all my professional
career. To be at once the partner of two such distinguished
caballeros as General Alvarez, the saviour
of his country, and my distinguished guest, was an
honor that few men could resist, but--BUT--here I
picked up a lead pencil and a pad--BUT--the only
way I could permit myself to rob him of his just
desserts would be--here I traced a few lines on the
pad--would be--my voice now became impressive--
to receive one-third when it was erected in the yard
in Brooklyn, and the balance on delivery of the bills
of lading to his agent; payments to be made by his
distinguished Excellency's bankers in New York.

If the modification of terms in any way disappointed
the gentleman from San Juan, my closest
observation of his smile and glance failed to detect
it. He merely quivered his shoulders--a sort of
plural shrug--rolled his cigarette tighter between
his thumb and forefinger, remarked that the memoranda
were entirely satisfactory, and folding the
paper slid it carefully into his pocket; then with a
series of salaams that reminded me of a Mohammedan
spreading a prayer rug, and an "A Dios,
Senor," the ivory-tinted individual withdrew.