noon
Faith in the _ estancia _ as a field for my activities had been weak from the first ; the Mayordomo 's words on his return had extinguished it altogether ; and after hearing that ostrich parable I had only remained from motives of pride . I now determined to go back towards Montevideo , not , however , over the route I had come by , but making a wide circuit into the interior of the country , where I would explore a new field , and perhaps meet with some occupation at one of the _ estancias _ on the way . Riding in a south-westerly direction towards the Rio Marlo in the Tacuarembó department , I soon left the plains of Paysandù behind me , and , being anxious to get well away from a neighbourhood where I was expected to kill someone , I did not rest till I had ridden about twenty-five miles . At noon I stopped to get some refreshment at a little roadside _ pulpería _ . It was a wretched-looking place , and behind the iron bars protecting the interior , giving it the appearance of a wild beast 's cage , lounged the storekeeper smoking a cigar . Outside the bar were two men with English-looking faces . One was a handsome young fellow with a somewhat worn and dissipated look on his bronzed face ; he was leaning against the counter , cigar in mouth , looking slightly tipsy , I thought , and wore a large revolver slung ostentatiously at his waist .