XXVI. A DEFEAT

XXVII. HEART TO HEART

XXVIII. A SPANISH BALL

XXIX. THE INSULT

XXX. THE DUEL

XXXI. MY CROSS

XXXII. THE MESSAGE

XXXIII. IMPRESSED

XXXIV. SHAME

XXXV. UNDER THE LASH

XXXVI. ACROSS THE GULF

_Illustrations_

"'We go in now, senorita,' I said, offering her my arm"

"We swung out into the current and drifted swiftly away"

"'The Grand Peak!' I shouted. 'We'll name it for you'"

"He fell like a steer: my sword blade broke clean off, a span beyond the
hilt"

_A Volunteer with Pike_

_The True Narrative of One Dr. John Robinson and of His Love for the
Fair Senorita Vallois_

CHAPTER I

THE ROSE IN THE MIRE

The first time I was blessed with a sight of the senorita was on the day
of my arrival in the Federal City,--in fact, it was upon my arrival. An
inquiry in the neighborhood of the President's House for my sole
acquaintance in the city, Senator Adair of Kentucky, had resulted in my
being directed to Conrad's boarding house on the Capitol Hill.

In the Fall of 1805 Indian Summer had lingered on through the month of
November. As a consequence, so I had been informed, Pennsylvania Avenue
was in a state of unprecedented passableness for the season. Yet as,
weary and travel-begrimed, I urged my jaded nag along the broad way of
yellow mud toward the majestic Capitol on its lofty hill, I observed
more than one coach and chariot in trouble from the chuck-holes of
semi-liquid clay.

It was midway of the avenue that I came upon _her_ coach, fast as a
grounded flatboat, both of the forewheels being mired to the hub. The
driver, a blear-eyed fellow, sat tugging at the reins and alternately
plying the whip and swearing villanously. I have ever been a lover of
horseflesh, and it cut me to see the sleek-coated, spirited pair plunge
and strain at the harness, in their brave efforts to perform a task
utterly beyond them.

I drew rein alongside. The driver stopped his cursing to stare at me,
purple-faced.

"Are you blind drunk?" I demanded. "They'll never make it without a lift
to the wheels."

"Lift!" he spluttered--"lift! Git along, ye greasy cooncap!"

He raised his whip as if to strike me. I reined my horse within
arm's-length.

"Put down that whip, or I'll put you down under the wheel," I said
cheerfully. He looked me in the eye for a moment; then he dropped his
gaze, and thrust the whipstock into its socket. "Good! Yo