feel justified in returning to you an article which I
have reason to believe is your property."

"An article--my property?" I repeated, not a little puzzled.

He smiled, and, unobserved by the attendants, handed me my lady's
handkerchief. I gazed at it, first astounded, then dismayed. It was all
too clear that my message had been intercepted, probably by Don Pedro,
and intrusted to this priest, to be returned as a courteous hint that my
suit for the niece's hand was not acceptable. But as, greatly downcast,
I thrust the handkerchief into my bosom, the padre raised his brows, and
spoke in evident surprise: "You do not appear pleased, senor doctor.
From what she said, I was led to infer--"

"What she said?" I broke in. "She? You mean--"

"A certain senorita who voyaged down a long river in company with her
uncle and a certain gallant young heretic," he answered over his glass.

"She--my Alisanda! Then it is from her you bring the kerchief! You are
our friend!"

"I am her confessor, and, I trust, her best friend," he replied. "As for
yourself, God grant I may also become your friend and confessor."

"Friend--yes!" I assented eagerly.

"And confessor!" he urged. "Remember, you are now in the Kingdom of New
Spain. It is in point to remark that a heretic was burned at the city of
Mexico within the last three years."

My head sank forward in gloomy meditation. I had crossed the Barrier, it
is true; but now I saw yawning before me the abyss of the Gulf.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE HOUSE OF VALLOIS

Before I could pluck up my depressed spirits sufficiently to ask Father
Rocus the thousand and one questions about my lady which for months I
had been longing to have answered, the Governor-General rose from the
table with an abruptness that surprised us. Though by now somewhat
informed as to the Spanish-Mexican custom of the siesta, we had supposed
that at a formal dinner, served in the usual mode, there would be some
lingering over the wine.

We had sat scarcely an hour, all told. Yet His Excellency led us into
the _sala_, and awaited our adieus with a manner which, though urbane,
did not encourage extended farewells. As his bearing toward myself was
markedly less gracious than toward Pike and Malgares, I for one was not
so ill-pleased as I might have been over this hurried leave-taking.

In the outer gateway Malgares for the second time excused himself to
gallop off to his senora, while we returned afoot across th