"I have sold those two horses to Count Leon."
"Yes, so he has been telling me."
"Oh, you have seen him, have you?"
"Yes, sir; he sent down for me half an hour ago. He looks a deal better than when we left him three days back."
"Yes; he will do now. He has lost a lot of blood, and it will be some time before he gains strength again; but the doctor said yesterday that he had no fears whatever as to his getting through."
"Well, he has quite taken away my breath this morning."
"Has he? In what way?"
"Well, sir, he has told me that when he gets to Madrid he will make me a present of five hundred pounds."
"I am glad indeed to hear it, Roper. You have done him an enormous service at a good deal of risk. I have always understood that he is a wealthy young noble, and I have no doubt he can very well afford to do it."
"I told him, sir, that really I had nothing to do with it, and that I had simply done what you had ordered me, never having seen the young lady myself. But he would not allow that that made any difference. I had assisted in saving his sister's life, and he was very pleased to be able to make such an acknowledgment of my services. I should not mind how many ladies' lives I saved on such terms."