Page:Pictures of life in Mexico Vol 1.djvu/90

64 which the salt water from the Gulf of Mexico eventually finds its way. The léperos narrative was to this effect:—

"It is now nearly two years, Señor,' he said, 'since I first saw my worst enemy. It was at a low and very crowded gambling-house in the city of Mexico, much frequented by our class; and for the first night or two, by chance, I was his partner in the game. He was low in stature, but strongly built; with eyes that seemed to glow like burning wood, and which, when fortune turned against him, appeared ready to start from their sockets.

" 'He was one of the most successful gamblers in Mexico—very cunning and skilful; but would yet have recourse, on occasions, to those tricks of knavery with which he was so well acquainted—so that being opposed to him a few days after, and perceiving that he had not played fairly, I exposed his practices. He denied them vociferously; and on my repeating my assertions, he became violently enraged. Words ran high, mutual defiances were given, a crowd gathered about us; he seized his knife, and made a ferocious thrust at my breast—but I avoided the blow by a quick movement; and as it was perceived by the