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 "Great Heavens! No! Why? What for?" exclaimed the doctor in agitation. "I tell you it is madness. I will not let you go into the town for anything."

" I must."

"You must not," hissed the doctor, fiercely, almost beside himself with the fear of the man doing away with his usefulness for an imbecile whim of some sort. " I tell you you shall not. I would rather "

He stopped at loss for words, feeling fagged out, powerless, holding on to Nostromo 's sleeve, absolutely for support after his run.

"I am betrayed," muttered the capataz to himself; and the doctor, who overheard the last word, made an effort to speak calmly.

"That is exactly what would happen to you. You would be betrayed."

He thought with a sickening dread that the man was so well known that he could not escape recognition. The house of the Señor Administrador was beset by spies, no doubt. And even the very servants of the casa were not to be trusted." "Reflect capataz," he said, impressively. . . . "What are you laughing at?"

"I am laughing to think that if somebody that did not approve of my presence in town, for instance you understand, Señor Doctor if somebody were to give me up to Pedrito, it would not be beyond my power to make friends even with him. It is true. What do you think of that?"

"You are a man of infinite resource, capataz," said Dr. Monygham, dismally. " I recognize that. But the