ill
bear our words to His Excellency the fact that the Floridas are within
easy striking distance of our turbulent frontiersmen."

"_Por Dios!_ You dared send such a message to Salcedo?"

"You may call it a message. We spoke in the presence of Lieutenant
Walker. Nor is it the only one. Since the first, we have been loading
him with similar information."

"Yet Salcedo has not incarcerated you? _Poder de Dios!_ It is a
miracle!"

"Rather, it is merely that we have outfaced him."

"God gave you the wisdom to be bold! Yet the danger is by no means past.
He may free your companions, but detain you for years, as he has
detained the men of Captain Nolan."

"I could fancy a harsher fate, padre. To remain a prisoner, yet have
Alisanda to comfort my captivity--"

He raised his hand warningly at the sound of sandalled feet scraping
along the brick pavement of the corridor.

"Let us hope for the best, my son. Go now, and God be with you!"

I thanked him with a glance, and hastened out past the withered old
priest who was shuffling across the threshold.

CHAPTER XXVI

A DEFEAT

That afternoon, immediately after the siesta, Pike and I received the
first fruits of our course of action with regard to the Government.
Malgares came to us from His Excellency, bearing a most urbane and
ceremonious message. The Governor-General expressed himself as more than
pleased to supply us with the official loan for which Pike had applied,
and offered to render us any and all other service which lay within his
power. Pike returned mellifluous thanks, while I looked at Walker and
smiled.

In the evening we accompanied Malgares to the south border of the town,
where we found a delightful promenade beneath the intertwining boughs of
a triple row of fine trees. Here gathered the society of Chihuahua, to
loll in the many seats or saunter to and fro, the gentlemen with their
_cigarros_, the ladies with their fans, and few of either sex indisposed
toward an exchange of ardent glances. All displayed the utmost
graciousness toward the _Americano_ guests of the Government, and, as
usual, we found ourselves highly entertained.

Among the ladies were Senora Vallois and Senora Malgares, and I was
pleased that Pike was introduced to them by their husbands. We met many
other ladies, but, with one exception, there was none other than Senora
Vallois whose husband was sufficiently free from the old Moorish ideas
about women to permit his wife