"This is what we will do; we will draw lots who shall devote himself; the one on whom it devolves will obey without a murmur. Does that suit you?"
"As we must bring matters to an end," said Nathan, "why, the sooner the better; that way is as good as another, so I do not object."
"Nor I," Sutter remarked.
"Nonsense!" The monk exclaimed; "I was always lucky at games of chance."
"It is settled then; you swear that the man on whom the lot falls, will obey without hesitation, and accomplish his task honourably?"
"We swear it," they said with one voice; "come, Red Cedar, let us have it over."
"Yes; but in what way shall we consult chance?" Red Cedar observed.
"That need not trouble you, gossip," Fray Ambrosio said with a laugh; "I am a man of caution."
While speaking thus, the monk fumbled in his vaquera boots, and produced a greasy pack of cards.
"These will do the trick," he went on with a triumphant air. "This pretty child," he added, turning to Ellen, "will shuffle the cards; one of us will cut them, and then she will deal the cards one by one, and the man who has the two of spades will have to make the double trail. Does that suit you?"