268 MARTIN RATTLER.

of their fire on the campo under the shelter of one of
the small trees which grew here and there at wide in-
tervals on the plain. They had left the diamond mine
early that morning, and their first day on horseback
proved to them that there are shadows as well as lights
in equestrian life. Their only baggage was a single
change of apparel and a small bag of diamonds—the
latter being the product of the mine during the Baron
Fagoni’s reign, and which that worthy was conveying
faithfully to his employer. During the first part of
the day they had ridden through a hilly and wooded
country, and towards evening they emerged upon one
of the smaller campos which occur here and there in
the district.

“Martin,” said Barney, as he lay smoking his pipe,
“’tis a pity that there’s no pleasure in this world with-
out something cross-grained into it. My own feelin’s
is as if I had been lately passed through a stamping
machine.”

“Wrong, Barney, as usual,” said Martin, who was
busily engaged concluding supper with an orange.
“Tf we had pleasures without discomforts we wouldn’t
half enjoy them. We need lights and shadows in
life—what are you grinning at, Barney ?”

“Oh, nothin’! only ye’re a re-markable philosopher,

when ye’re in the vein.”