Ah! what
they give one is food for the bull's horns, believe me--I have read
'Tompano,' the American 'Tompano.'"
"Who's he?" asked Brace.
"He means Tom Paine! 'The Age of Reason'--you know," said Winslow,
gazing with a mixture of delight and patronizing pride at the Radicals
of Todos Santos. "Oh! he's no fool--is Martinez, nor Ruiz either! And
while you've been flirting with Dona Isabel, and Banks has been trying
to log-roll the Padre, and Crosby going in for siestas, I'VE found them
out. And there are a few more--aren't there, Ruiz?"
Ruiz darted a mysterious glance at Brace, and apparently not trusting
himself to speak, checked off his ten fingers dramatically in the air
thrice.
"As many of a surety! God and liberty!"
"But, if this is so, why haven't they DONE something?"
Senor Martinez glanced at Senor Ruiz.
"Hasta manana!" he said slowly.
"Oh, this is a case of 'Hasta manana!'" said Brace, somewhat relieved.
"They can wait," returned Winslow hurriedly. "It's too big a thing to
rush into without looking round. You know what it means? Either Todos
Santos is in rebellion against the present Government of Mexico, or
she is independent of any.
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