“In war times, war methods,” murmured the soldier, after having executed this manœuvre with extraordinary rapidity. “Now,” he added, “lie down and pretend to be fast asleep, in case anybody should happen along.”
In a few moments came a drone of voices from the hollow, and Manuel saw two guards pass by the shed on horseback.
People were hastening toward the scene of the suicide. The civil guards, after a search of the corpse, found a letter addressed to the judge in which the deceased declared that nobody was responsible for his death.
Manuel and the soldier joined the curious onlookers.
When they picked up the body and bore it off, Manuel asked:
“Shall we go back and dig the stuff up?”
“Wait for everybody to disappear.”
The place was soon deserted. The soldier then disinterred the rings and the watch.
“I think this diamond ring is all right,” he said. “How are we to find out?”