X
Clay and Langham left MacWilliams and Stuart to look after theirprisoner, and returned to the Palms, where they dined in state, andmade no reference, while the women were present, to the events of theday.
The moon rose late that night, and as Hope watched it, from where shesat at the dinner-table facing the open windows, she saw the figure ofa man standing outlined in silhouette upon the edge of the cliff. Hewas dressed in the uniform of a sailor, and the moonlight played alongthe barrel of a rifle upon which he leaned, motionless and menacing,like a sentry on a rampart.
Hope opened her lips to speak, and then closed them again, and smiledwith pleasurable excitement. A moment later King, who sat on herright, called one of the servants to his side and whispered someinstructions, pointing meanwhile at the wine upon the table. And aminute after, Hope saw the white figure of the servant cross the gardenand approach the sentinel. She saw the sentry fling his gun sharply tohis hip, and then, after a moment's parley, toss it up to his shoulderand disappear from sight among the plants of the garden.
The men did not leave the table with the ladies, as was their custom,but remained in the dining-room, and drew their chairs closer together.
Mr. Langham would not believe that the downfall of the Government wasas imminent as the others believed it to be. It was only after muchargument, and with great reluctance, that he had even allowed King toarm half of his crew, and to place them on guard around the Palms.Clay warned him that in the disorder that followed every successfulrevolution, the homes of unpopular members of the Cabinet were oftenburned, and that he feared, should Mendoza succeed, and Alvarez fall,that the mob might possibly vent its victorious wrath on the Palmsbecause it was the home of the alien, who had, as they thought, robbedthe country of the iron mines. Mr. Langham said he did not think thepeople would tramp five miles into the country seeking vengeance.
There was an American man-of-war lying in the harbor of Truxillo, aseaport of the republic that bounded Olancho on the south, and Clay wasin favor of sending to her captain by Weimer, the Consul, and askinghim to anchor off Valencia, to protect American interests. The runwould take but a few hours, and the sight of the vessel's white hull inthe harbor would, he thought, have a salutary effect upon therevolutionists. But Mr. Langham said, firmly, that he would not askfor help until he needed it.
"Well, I'm sorry," said Clay. "I should very much like to have thatman-of-war here. However, if you say no, we will try to get alongwithout her. But, for the present, I think you had better imagineyourself back in New York, and let us have an entirely free hand.We've gone too far to drop out," he went on, laughing at the sight ofMr. Langham's gloomy countenance. "We've got to fight them now. It'sagainst human nature not to do it."
Mr. Langham looked appealingly at his son and at King.
They both smiled back at him in unanimous disapproval of his policy ofnon-interference.
"Oh, very well," he said, at last. "You gentlemen can go ahead, kill,burn, and destroy if you wish. But, considering the fact that it is myproperty you are all fighting about, I really think I might havesomething to say in the matter." Mr. Langham gazed about himhelplessly, and shook his head.
"My doctor sends me down here from a quiet, happy home," he protested,with humorous pathos, "that I may rest and get away from excitement,and here I am with armed men patrolling my garden-paths, with a lot offilibusters plotting at my own dinner-table, and a civil war likely tobreak out, entirely on my account. And Dr. Winter told me this was theonly place that would cure my nervous prostration!"
Hope joined Clay as soon as the men left the dining-room, and beckonedhim to the farther end of the veranda. "Well, what is it?" she said.
"What is what?" laughed Clay. He seated himself on the rail of theveranda, with his face to the avenue and the driveway leading to thehouse. They could hear the others from the back of the house, and thevoice of young Langham, who was giving an imitation of MacWilliams, andsinging with peculiar emphasis, "There is no place like Home, SweetHome."
"Why are the men guarding the Palms, and why did you go to the PlazaBolivar this morning at daybreak? Alice says you left them there. Iwant to know what it means. I am nearly as old as Ted, and he knows.The men wouldn't tell me."
"What men?"
"King's men from the 'Vesta'. I saw some of them dodging around in thebushes, and I went to find out what they were doing, and I walked intofifteen of them at your office. They have hammocks swung all over theveranda, and a quick-firing gun made fast to the steps, and musketsstacked all about, just like real soldiers, but they wouldn't tell mewhy."
"We'll put you in the carcel," said Clay, "if you go spying on ourforces. Your father doesn't wish you to know anything about it, but,since you have found it out for yourself, you might as well know whatlittle there is to know. It's the same story. Mendoza is getting readyto start his revolution, or, rather, he has started it."
"Why don't you stop him?" asked Hope.
"You are very flattering," said Clay. "Even if I could stop him, it'snot my business to do it as yet. I have to wait until he interfereswith me, or my mines, or my workmen. Alvarez is the man who shouldstop him, but he is afraid. We cannot do anything until he makes thefirst move. If I were the President, I'd have Mendoza shot to-morrowmorning and declare martial law. Then I'd arrest everybody I didn'tlike, and levy forced loans on all the merchants, and sail away toParis and live happy ever after. That's what Mendoza would do if hecaught any one plotting against him. And that's what Alvarez shoulddo, too, according to his lights, if he had the courage of hisconvictions, and of his education. I like to see a man play his partproperly, don't you? If you are an emperor, you ought to conductyourself like one, as our German friend does. Or if you are aprize-fighter, you ought to be a human bulldog. There's no such thingas a gentlemanly pugilist, any more than there can be a virtuousburglar. And if you're a South American Dictator, you can't afford tobe squeamish about throwing your enemies into jail or shooting them fortreason. The way to dictate is to dictate,--not to hide indoors allday while your wife plots for you."
"Does she do that?" asked Hope. "And do you think she will be indanger--any personal danger, if the revolution comes?"
"Well, she is very unpopular," Clay answered, "and unjustly so, Ithink. But it would be better, perhaps, for her if she went as quietlyas possible, when she does go."
"Is our Captain Stuart in danger, too?" the girl continued, anxiously."Alice says they put up placards about him all over the city lastnight. She saw his men tearing them down as she was coming home. Whathas he done?"
"Nothing," Clay answered, shortly. "He happens to be in a falseposition, that's all. They think he is here because he is not wantedin his own country; that is not so. That is not the reason he remainshere. When he was even younger than he is now, he was wild andfoolish, and spent more money than he could afford, and lent more moneyto his brother-officers, I have no doubt, than they ever paid back. Hehad to leave the regiment because his father wouldn't pay his debts,and he has been selling his sword for the last three years to one oranother king or sultan or party all over the world, in China andMadagascar, and later in Siam. I hope you will be very kind to Stuartand believe well of him, and that you will listen to no evil againsthim. Somewhere in England Stuart has a sister like you--about yourage, I mean, that loves him very dearly, and a father whose heart achesfor him, and there is a certain royal regiment that still drinks hishealth with pride. He is a lonely little chap, and he has no sense ofhumor to help him out of his difficulties, but he is a very bravegentleman. And he is here fighting for men who are not worthy to holdhis horse's bridle, because of a woman. And I tell you this becauseyou will hear many lies about him--and about her. He serves her withthe same sort of chivalric devotion that his ancestors felt for thewoman whose ribbons they tied to their lances, and for whom they foughtin the lists."
"I understand," Hope said, softly. "I am glad you told me. I shallnot forge
t." She sighed and shook her head. "I wish they'd let youmanage it for them," she said.
Clay laughed. "I fear my executive ability is not of so high an order;besides, as I haven't been born to it, my conscience might trouble meif I had to shoot my enemies and rob the worthy merchants. I hadbetter stick to digging holes in the ground. That is all I seem to begood for."
Hope looked up at him, quickly, in surprise.
"What do you mean by that?" she demanded. There was a tone of suchsharp reproach in her voice that Clay felt himself put on the defensive.
"I mean nothing by it," he said. "Your sister and I had a talk theother day about a man's making the best of himself, and it opened myeyes to--to many things. It was a very healthy lesson."
"It could not have been a very healthy lesson," Hope replied, severely,"if it makes you speak of your work slightingly, as you did then. Thatdidn't sound at all natural, or like you. It sounded like Alice. Tellme, did Alice say that?"
The pleasure of hearing Hope take his part against himself was socomforting to Clay that he hesitated in answering in order to enjoy itthe longer. Her enthusiasm touched him deeply, and he wondered if shewere enthusiastic because she was young, or because she was sure shewas right, and that he was in the wrong.
"It started this way," Clay began, carefully. He was anxious to bequite fair to Miss Langham, but he found it difficult to give her pointof view correctly, while he was hungering for a word that wouldre-establish him in his own good opinion. "Your sister said she didnot think very much of what I had done, but she explained kindly thatshe hoped for better things from me. But what troubles me is, that Iwill never do anything much better or very different in kind from thework I have done lately, and so I am a bit discouraged about it inconsequence. You see," said Clay, "when I come to die, and they ask mewhat I have done with my ten fingers, I suppose I will have to say,'Well, I built such and such railroads, and I dug up so many tons ofore, and opened new countries, and helped make other men rich.' Ican't urge in my behalf that I happen to have been so fortunate as tohave gained the good-will of yourself or your sister. That is quitereason enough to me, perhaps, for having lived, but it might not appealto them. I want to feel that I have accomplished something outside ofmyself--something that will remain after I go. Even if it is only abreakwater or a patent coupling. When I am dead it will not matter toany one what I personally was, whether I was a bore or a most charmingcompanion, or whether I had red hair or blue. It is the work that willtell. And when your sister, whose judgment is the judgment of theoutside world, more or less, says that the work is not worth while, Inaturally feel a bit discouraged. It meant so much to me, and it hurtme to find it meant so little to others."
Hope remained silent for some time, but the rigidity of her attitude,and the tightness with which she pressed her lips together, showed thather mind was deeply occupied. They both sat silent for some fewmoments, looking down toward the distant lights of the city. At thefarther end of the double row of bushes that lined the avenue theycould see one of King's sentries passing to and fro across the roadway,a long black shadow on the moonlit road.
"You are very unfair to yourself," the girl said at last, "and Alicedoes not represent the opinion of the world, only of a very small partof it--her own little world. She does not know how little it is. Andyou are wrong as to what they will ask you at the end. What will theycare whether you built railroads or painted impressionist pictures?They will ask you 'What have you made of yourself? Have you been fine,and strong, and sincere?' That is what they will ask. And we like youbecause you are all of these things, and because you look at life socheerfully, and are unafraid. We do not like men because they buildrailroads, or because they are prime ministers. We like them for whatthey are themselves. And as to your work!" Hope added, and then pausedin eloquent silence. "I think it is a grand work, and a noble work,full of hardships and self-sacrifices. I do not know of any man whohas done more with his life than you have done with yours." Shestopped and controlled her voice before she spoke again. "You shouldbe very proud," she said.
Clay lowered his eyes and sat silent, looking down the roadway. Thethought that the girl felt what she said so deeply, and that the factthat she had said it meant more to him than anything else in the worldcould mean, left him thrilled and trembling. He wanted to reach out hishand and seize both of hers, and tell her how much she was to him, butit seemed like taking advantage of the truths of a confessional, or ofa child's innocent confidences.
"No, Miss Hope," he answered, with an effort to speak lightly, "I wishI could believe you, but I know myself better than any one else can,and I know that while my bridges may stand examination--_I_ can't."
Hope turned and looked at him with eyes full of such sweet meaning thathe was forced to turn his own away.
"I could trust both, I think," the girl said.
Clay drew a quick, deep breath, and started to his feet, as though hehad thrown off the restraint under which he had held himself.
It was not a girl, but a woman who had spoken then, but, though heturned eagerly toward her, he stood with his head bowed, and did notdare to read the verdict in her eyes.
The clatter of horses' hoofs coming toward them at a gallop broke inrudely upon the tense stillness of the moment, but neither noticed it."How far," Clay began, in a strained voice, "how far," he asked, moresteadily, "could you trust me?"
Hope's eyes had closed for an instant, and opened again, and she smiledupon him with a look of perfect confidence and content. The beat of thehorses' hoofs came now from the end of the driveway, and they couldhear the men at the rear of the house pushing back their chairs andhurrying toward them. Hope raised her head, and Clay moved toward hereagerly. The horses were within a hundred yards. Before Hope couldspeak, the sentry's voice rang out in a hoarse, sharp challenge, likean alarm of fire on the silent night. "Halt!" they heard him cry. Andas the horses tore past him, and their riders did not turn to look, heshouted again, "Halt, damn you!" and fired. The flash showed a splashof red and yellow in the moonlight, and the report started into lifehundreds of echoes which carried it far out over the waters of theharbor, and tossed it into sharp angles, and distant corners, and in aninstant a myriad of sounds answered it; the frightened cry ofnight-birds, the barking of dogs in the village below, and thefootsteps of men running.
Clay glanced angrily down the avenue, and turned beseechingly to Hope.
"Go," she said. "See what is wrong," and moved away as though shealready felt that he could act more freely when she was not near him.
The two horses fell back on their haunches before the steps, andMacWilliams and Stuart tumbled out of their saddles, and started,running back on foot in the direction from which the shot had come,tugging at their revolvers.
"Come back," Clay shouted to them. "That's all right. He was onlyobeying orders. That's one of King's sentries."
"Oh, is that it?" said Stuart, in matter-of-fact tones, as he turnedagain to the house. "Good idea. Tell him to fire lower next time.And, I say," he went on, as he bowed curtly to the assembled company onthe veranda, "since you have got a picket out, you had better doubleit. And, Clay, see that no one leaves here without permission--no one.That's more important, even, than keeping them out."
"King, will you--" Clay began.
"All right, General," laughed King, and walked away to meet hissailors, who came running up the hill in great anxiety.
MacWilliams had not opened his lips, but he was bristling withimportance, and his effort to appear calm and soldierly, like Stuart,told more plainly than speech that he was the bearer of some invaluablesecret. The sight filled young Langham with a disquieting fear that hehad missed something.
Stuart looked about him, and pulled briskly at his gauntlets. King andhis sailors were grouped together on the grass before the house. Mr.Langham and his daughters, and Clay, were standing on the steps, andthe servants were peering around the corners of the house.
Stuart
saluted Mr. Langham, as though to attract his especialattention, and then addressed himself in a low tone to Clay.
"It's come," he said. "We've been in it since dinner-time, and we'vegot a whole night's work cut out for you." He was laughing withexcitement, and paused for a moment to gain breath. "I'll tell you theworst of it first. Mendoza has sent word to Alvarez that he wants themen at the mines to be present at the review to-morrow. He says theymust take part. He wrote a most insolent letter. Alvarez got out ofit by saying that the men were under contract to you, and that you mustgive your permission first. Mendoza sent me word that if you would notlet the men come, he would go out and fetch them in him self."
"Indeed!" growled Clay. "Kirkland needs those men to-morrow to loadore-cars for Thursday's steamer. He can't spare them. That is ouranswer, and it happens to be a true one, but if it weren't true, ifto-morrow was All Saints' Day, and the men had nothing to do but to liein the sun and sleep, Mendoza couldn't get them. And if he comes totake them to-morrow, he'll have to bring his army with him to do it.And he couldn't do it then, Mr. Langham," Clay cried, turning to thatgentleman, "if I had better weapons. The five thousand dollars Iwanted you to spend on rifles, sir, two months ago, might have savedyou several millions to-morrow."
Clay's words seemed to bear some special significance to Stuart andMacWilliams, for they both laughed, and Stuart pushed Clay up the stepsbefore him.
"Come inside," he said. "That is why we are here. MacWilliams hasfound out where Burke hid his shipment of arms. We are going to try andget them to-night." He hurried into the dining-room, and the othersgrouped themselves about the table. "Tell them about it, MacWilliams,"Stuart commanded. "I will see that no one overhears you."
MacWilliams was pushed into Mr. Langham's place at the head of the longtable, and the others dragged their chairs up close around him. Kingput the candles at the opposite end of the table, and set somedecanters and glasses in the centre. "To look as though we were justenjoying ourselves," he explained, pleasantly.
Mr. Langham, with his fine, delicate fingers beating nervously on thetable, observed the scene as an on-looker, rather than as the personchiefly interested. He smiled as he appreciated the incongruity of thetableau, and the contrast which the actors presented to the situation.He imagined how much it would amuse his contemporaries of the UnionClub, at home, if they could see him then, with the still, tropicalnight outside, the candles reflected on the polished table and on theangles of the decanters, and showing the intent faces of the younggirls and the men leaning eagerly forward around MacWilliams, who satconscious and embarrassed, his hair dishevelled, and his face coveredwith dust, while Stuart paced up and down in the shadow, his sabreclanking as he walked.
"Well, it happened like this," MacWilliams began, nervously, andaddressing himself to Clay. "Stuart and I put Burke safely in a cellby himself. It was one of the old ones that face the street. Therewas a narrow window in it, about eight feet above the floor, and nomeans of his reaching it, even if he stood on a chair. We stationedtwo troopers before the door, and sent out to a cafe across the streetfor our dinners. I finished mine about nine o'clock, and said 'Goodnight' to Stuart, and started to come out here. I went across thestreet first, however, to give the restaurant man some orders aboutBurke's breakfast. It is a narrow street, you know, with a longgarden-wall and a row of little shops on one side, and with thejail-wall taking up all of the other side. The street was empty when Ileft the jail, except for the sentry on guard in front of it, but justas I was leaving the restaurant I saw one of Stuart's police come outand peer up and down the street and over at the shops. He lookedfrightened and anxious, and as I wasn't taking chances on anything, Istepped back into the restaurant and watched him through the window.He waited until the sentry had turned his back, and started away fromhim on his post, and then I saw him drop his sabre so that it rang onthe sidewalk. He was standing, I noticed then, directly under thethird window from the door of the jail. That was the window of Burke'scell. When I grasped that fact I got out my gun and walked to the doorof the restaurant. Just as I reached it a piece of paper shot outthrough the bars of Burke's cell and fell at the policeman's feet, andhe stamped his boot down on it and looked all around again to see ifany one had noticed him. I thought that was my cue, and I ran acrossthe street with my gun pointed, and shouted to him to give me thepaper. He jumped about a foot when he first saw me, but he was game,for he grabbed up the paper and stuck it in his mouth and began to chewon it. I was right up on him then, and I hit him on the chin with myleft fist and knocked him down against the wall, and dropped on himwith both knees and choked him till I made him spit out the paper--andtwo teeth," MacWilliams added, with a conscientious regard for details."The sentry turned just then and came at me with his bayonet, but I putmy finger to my lips, and that surprised him, so that he didn't knowjust what to do, and hesitated. You see, I didn't want Burke to hearthe row outside, so I grabbed my policeman by the collar and pointed tothe jail-door, and the sentry ran back and brought out Stuart and theguard. Stuart was pretty mad when he saw his policeman all bloody. Hethought it would prejudice his other men against us, but I explainedout loud that the man had been insolent, and I asked Stuart to take usboth to his private room for a hearing, and, of course, when I told himwhat had happened, he wanted to punch the chap, too. We put himourselves into a cell where he could not communicate with any one, andthen we read the paper. Stuart has it," said MacWilliams, pushing backhis chair, "and he'll tell you the rest." There was a pause, in whichevery one seemed to take time to breathe, and then a chorus ofquestions and explanations.
King lifted his glass to MacWilliams, and nodded.
"'Well done, Condor,'" he quoted, smiling.
"Yes," said Clay, tapping the younger man on the shoulder as he passedhim. "That's good work. Now show us the paper, Stuart."
Stuart pulled the candles toward him, and spread a slip of paper on thetable.
"Burke did this up in one of those paper boxes for wax matches," heexplained, "and weighted it with a twenty-dollar gold piece.MacWilliams kept the gold piece, I believe."
"Going to use it for a scarf-pin," explained MacWilliams, inparenthesis. "Sort of war-medal, like the Chief's," he added, smiling.
"This is in Spanish," Stuart explained. "I will translate it. It isnot addressed to any one, and it is not signed, but it was evidentlywritten to Mendoza, and we know it is in Burke's handwriting, for wecompared it with some notes of his that we took from him before he waslocked up. He says, 'I cannot keep the appointment, as I have beenarrested.' The line that follows here," Stuart explained, raising hishead, "has been scratched out, but we spent some time over it, and wemade out that it read: 'It was Mr. Clay who recognized me, and orderedmy arrest. He is the best man the others have. Watch him.' We thinkhe rubbed that out through good feeling toward Clay. There seems to beno other reason. He's a very good sort, this old Burke, I think."
"Well, never mind him; it was very decent of him, anyway," said Clay."Go on. Get to Hecuba."
"'I cannot keep the appointment, as I have been arrested,'" repeatedStuart. "'I landed the goods last night in safety. I could not comein when first signalled, as the wind and tide were both off shore. Butwe got all the stuff stored away by morning. Your agent paid me infull and got my receipt. Please consider this as the same thing--as theequivalent'--it is difficult to translate it exactly," commentedStuart--"'as the equivalent of the receipt I was to have given when Imade my report to-night. I sent three of your guards away on my ownresponsibility, for I think more than that number might attractattention to the spot, and they might be seen from the ore-trains.'That is the point of the note for us, of course," Stuart interruptedhimself to say. "Burke adds," he went on, "'that they are to make noeffort to rescue him, as he is quite comfortable, and is willing toremain in the carcel until they are established in power.'"
"Within sight of the ore-trains!" exclaimed Clay. "There are noore-trains but ours. It m
ust be along the line of the road."
"MacWilliams says he knows every foot of land along the railroad," saidStuart, "and he is sure the place Burke means is the old fortress onthe Platta inlet, because--"
"It is the only place," interrupted MacWilliams, "where there is nosurf. They could run small boats up the inlet and unload in smoothwater within twenty feet of the ramparts; and another thing, that isthe only point on the line with a wagon road running direct from it tothe Capital. It's an old road, and hasn't been travelled over foryears, but it could be used. No," he added, as though answering thedoubt in Clay's mind, "there is no other place. If I had a map here Icould show you in a minute; where the beach is level there is a junglebetween it and the road, and wherever there is open country, there is alimestone formation and rocks between it and the sea, where no boatcould touch."
"But the fortress is so conspicuous," Clay demurred; "the nearestrampart is within twenty feet of the road. Don't you remember wemeasured it when we thought of laying the double track?"
"That is just what Burke says," urged Stuart. "That is the reason hegives for leaving only three men on guard--'I think more than thatnumber might attract attention to the spot, as they might be seen fromthe ore-trains.'"
"Have you told any one of this?" Clay asked. "What have you done sofar?"
"We've done nothing," said Stuart. "We lost our nerve when we foundout how much we knew, and we decided we'd better leave it to you."
"Whatever we do must be done at once," said Clay. "They will come forthe arms to-night, most likely, and we must be there first. I agreewith you entirely about the place. It is only a question now of ourbeing on time. There are two things to do. The first thing is, tokeep them from getting the arms, and the second is, if we are lucky, tosecure them for ourselves. If we can pull it off properly, we ought tohave those rifles in the mines before midnight. If we are hurried orsurprised, we must dump them off the fort into the sea." Clay laughedand looked about him at the men. "We are only following out GeneralBolivar's saying 'When you want arms take them from the enemy.' Now,there are three places we must cover. This house, first of all," hewent on, inclining his head quickly toward the two sisters, "then thecity, and the mines. Stuart's place, of course, is at the Palace.King must take care of this house and those in it, and MacWilliams andLangham and I must look after the arms. We must organize two parties,and they had better approach the fort from here and from the mines atthe same time. I will need you to do some telegraphing for me, Mac;and, King, I must ask you for some more men from the yacht. How manyhave you?"
King answered that there were fifteen men still on board, ten of whomwould be of service. He added that they were all well equipped forfighting.
"I believe King's a pirate in business hours," Clay said, smiling."All right, that's good. Now go tell ten of them to meet me at theround-house in half an hour. I will get MacWilliams to telegraphKirkland to run an engine and flat cars to within a half mile of thefort on the north, and we will come up on it with the sailors and Ted,here, from the south. You must run the engine yourself, MacWilliams,and perhaps it would be better, King, if your men joined us at the footof the grounds here and not at the round-house. None of the workmenmust see our party start. Do you agree with me?" he asked, turning tothose in the group about him. "Has anybody any criticism to make?"
Stuart and King looked at one another ruefully and laughed. "I don'tsee what good I am doing in town," protested Stuart. "Yes, and I don'tsee where I come in, either," growled King, in aggrieved tones. "Theseyoungsters can't do it all; besides I ought to have charge of my ownmen."
"Mutiny," said Clay, in some perplexity, "rank mutiny. Why, it's onlya picnic. There are but three men there. We don't need sixteen whitemen to frighten off three Olanchoans."
"I'll tell you what to do," cried Hope, with the air of havingdiscovered a plan which would be acceptable to every one, "let's allgo."
"Well, I certainly mean to go," said Mr. Langham, decidedly. "So someone else must stay here. Ted, you will have to look after yoursisters."
The son and heir smiled upon his parent with a look of affectionatewonder, and shook his head at him in fond and pitying disapproval.
"I'll stay," said King. "I have never seen such ungallant conduct.Ladies," he said, "I will protect your lives and property, and we'llinvent something exciting to do ourselves, even if we have to bombardthe Capital."
The men bade the women good-night, and left them with King and Mr.Langham, who had been persuaded to remain overnight, while Stuart rodeoff to acquaint Alvarez and General Rojas with what was going on.