Faciendo," replied my friend, soberly. "I
shall not forget that I am here as an officer of the Army of the
Republic. My first and only concern is the interests of my country, and
I will use all means to conserve those interests."

We were by now approaching the great arched gateway which gaped in the
centre of the _palacio's_ stuccoed _facade_. The guard turned out with a
smartness which I could see impressed Pike not a little. There was a
moment's halt, and then we all clattered through the tunnel-like archway
into the brick-paved court enclosed by the building.

This was not the first _patio_ we had entered, but it was by far the
largest. Here and there the court was ornamented with small trees and
potted shrubs, some already in flower. A line of them screened off in
the rear the view of the kitchens and stables. All around this court ran
the arched entrances of the building's inner tiers of rooms, the gallery
of the upper story being reached with outside stairways in opposite
corners.

As the audience chamber was on the lower floor, we were ushered with
Malgares into the hall of the guards by one of the aides-de-camp, a
heavy-set, dark-browed Andalusian whom Malgares introduced as Lieutenant
Don Jesus Maria de Gonzales y Medina. Our six privates were left outside
in the care of the dragoons of the escort, with whom they had long since
come to the best of terms.

Word had at once been taken in to the Captain-General that we were
awaiting his pleasure. Presently an aide appeared and bowed to Malgares.
This left Pike and me seated alone on a stone bench, under the eyes of
the guard and of a rabble of house and stable servants, who had pressed
in to gape at those strange creatures, _los Anglo-Americanos_. It was no
easy test for my temper to bear, nor, I judge, for Pike's. Added to
this, we were by now fairly on needles and pins as to the manner in
which this despotic ruler should choose to receive us.

Lieutenant Medina had withdrawn. In his place appeared a ferret-eyed
little Frenchman, who snuffled complaints of how he had been abused in
this vile land, and sought to draw from us expressions of opinion
regarding the Spanish Government. Suspecting him to be a spy, Pike
pointed to the outer door, and gave him his _conge_ in Spanish: "_Vaya,
carrejo!_"

The scoundrel went, followed by a muffled yet none the less hearty laugh
over his discomfiture from the rough, honest soldiers. After a time
Medina returned with a