do those who laud its grandeur and power to
charm--she gave no hint. She was still absorbing, sifting and
digesting the welter of impressions. She had been overpowered,
smothered by the innovation; and she now found her thoughts a tangled
jumble, which she strove incessantly to unravel and classify according
to their content of reality, as judged by her own standards.

"Why, Ames," replied Reed, turning a watchful eye upon Carmen, "is a
multimillionaire financier of New York--surely you have heard of him!
He and his clique practically own the United States, and a large
slice of Europe. For some reason Ames bought a block of Molino stock.
And now, I judge, Ketchim would give his chances on eternal life if he
hadn't sold it to him. And that's what's worrying me, too. For, since
Ames is heavily interested in Molino, what will he do to the new
company that absorbs it?"

"There isn't going to be any new company," asserted Harris doggedly.

"There's got to be!" cried Reed. "Ketchim holds us strictly to our
contract. Our negotiations with old Rosendo were made while in the
employ of Molino. It wouldn't be so bad if we had only Ketchim to deal
with. We've got the goods on him and could beat him. But here enters
Ames, a man of unlimited wealth and influence. If he wants La
Libertad, he's going to get it, you mark me! Where we fell down was in
ever mentioning it to Ketchim. For if we don't come over now he will
lay the whole affair before Ames. He told me over the 'phone last
night that he was badly in debt--that Ames was pressing him--that many
of the Molino stockholders were making pertinent inquiries. Oh, he
quite opened his heart! And yesterday I saw on his desk a letter from
Ames. I can imagine what it contained. Ketchim would sacrifice us and
everything else to keep himself out of Ames's grip. We're in for it, I
tell you! And all because we were a bit too previous in believing that
the girl had disappeared for good."

"By Jove!" exclaimed Harris, "but doesn't it sound like a fairy-tale,
the way Carmen got back to us?"

"And here I am," continued Reed, with a gesture of vexation, "left
with the girl on my hands, and with a very healthy prospect of losing
out all around. My wife said emphatically last night that she wouldn't
be bothered with Carmen."

"Well, she won't bother you. Send her away to school."

"Fine! Good idea!" replied Reed sarcastically. "But do you realize
that that involves expense? I'm a comparative