"As you please; but now to the fact. What have you to tell me?"
"Not much, but yet enough to put us on our guard. Our landlord, after making his round and assuring himself that everyone had retired, woke up one of his servants, the very one who thrashed him with such good will."
"Yes, I remember that rogue's face."
"Very good. After calling him into his room, he remained shut up with him for ten minutes; then he opened a window, the peon leaped out on the highway, and ran off at full speed."
"Oh, oh!" the colonel said.
"The landlord looked after him till he disappeared, then muttered several words I could not understand, excepting one name, which, thanks to Heaven, reached my ear."
"What was it?"
"El Buitre (the Vulture)."
"Hum! Is that all?"
"Yes."