ause of his continued
suspicion. Some one had spied upon me and seen the packet. I reached my
hand into my hunting-shirt, only to hesitate and draw it out again,
empty. It seemed a profanation to expose my treasures to his gaze.

"You pause! You dare not produce the packet! In it lies your
condemnation!" he cried.

The folly of my course flashed upon me. Why should I set a mere fanciful
sentiment against the lulling of his suspicions? If I did not myself
hand over the packet, he would have it taken from me by force.

He started to rise, but I caught the little bundle from my bosom and
reached it across the table. Instead of rising, he bent forward, and,
with forced deliberation, began to open the folds of the waxed parchment
cover. First exposed was the corner of the flag.

"Aha!" he exclaimed, his eyes flashing across at me in fieriest anger.
"Explain that, if you can!--a malicious desecration of the flag of His
Most Catholic Majesty!"

"Not so!" I flung back at him. "Look what is marked upon it. Those
letters were a message to me. I found it within the undisputed
boundaries of my country, at the town of the Pawnee Republicans. It was
a message to me, and I took it, for it was mine."

"Ah! ah! a message! You confess, senor spy!"

I pointed to the last unwrapped fold. He turned it open, his face keen
with exultant expectation. The now powdered leaves of the magnolia bloom
puzzled him for the moment. Not so the handkerchief. His eye was
instantly caught by the initials in the corner. Without a second glance,
he averted his gaze until he had drawn up the edge of the snowy damask
cloth over my stained and crumpled treasures.

"_Perdone, hermano!_" he murmured, with a most apologetic bow. "Be
pleased to regain your property."

With that he left the table and stood with his back to me until I had
folded up the packet and replaced it within my bosom.

"Your Excellency," I said, "the world has heard much about the
chivalrous gallantry of your people. I am now convinced the half has not
been told of it!"

"_Muchas gracias_, senor!" he returned. "You pardon my stupid error?
Yours is the act of a true _caballero!_ If the question does not trench
upon delicate ground, may I venture an inquiry as to the possible
relation of your daring journey--?"

"I have reason to believe that the lady is at Chihuahua, Your
Excellency," I explained.

"Ah! ah! now I perceive! Yet what an _amor_ to bring any man across the
vast des