ked back, not to return his grave
bows, but in search of my lady. It was in vain. Dona Marguerite had
taken care to spirit her away. Heavy-footed, I dragged myself out into
the street and away from that hateful gateway.

Before I could reach the plaza, I heard a sudden rumble of wheels and
thud of hoofs, and there swirled into the street a grand coach and six
that all but ran me down. I flung myself clear of the trampling hoofs,
but the forewheel of the huge gilded carriage grazed my leg as I pressed
back against the nearest wall.

A few strides of the splendid horses whirled the coach upstreet to the
gateway I had just left. There the driver pulled up with a flourish, and
the footmen sprang down to stand at the heads of the horses and to open
the coach door, from which stepped--Medina!

It flashed upon me that this was the man to whom my lady was to be
bartered. I turned on my heel to rush back and challenge him. But from
the manner in which he stood to one side, I perceived he had not come
alone. A moment later Don Pedro appeared in the gateway and stepped to
the side of the coach, bowing profoundly. A hand was reached out to him,
and from the coach descended, not the young gallant whom I looked to
see, but stern-faced, gray-haired Nimesio Salcedo.

Greatly puzzled, I turned again and walked slowly to our quarters,
striving to discern an opening through the meshes of intrigue in which
Alisanda and I had become entangled. What could be the meaning of this
visit of the Governor-General to one who I knew had reason to detest
and fear him? And if, as it seemed to me Don Pedro had intimated, he
intended to win over the Viceroy Iturrigaray by the offer of Alisanda's
hand, why had he not already taken her to the City of Mexico, or stopped
there on his way from Vera Cruz?

CHAPTER XXVII

HEART TO HEART

One result of my pondering of the tangled situation was the resolve to
keep from my friend all that concerned myself alone. He had enough and
to spare of anxieties and difficulties over the safety of himself and
his men, without becoming involved in my private affairs. At the least,
his concern for my safety and happiness would have tended to interfere
with the observations and notes which we hoped would be of such great
value to our country.

The following morning being Sunday, I went early to the _Parroquia_,
thinking to visit Father Rocus, should I fail to meet Alisanda again.
This last was barely within t