f
perfume enveloped him. A ladies' courtier, this Perona by the look of
him. His white uniform was immaculate, carefully tailored and carefully
worn to set off at its best his still trim and erect figure.

"Well," he said, when at last the President paused, "of a surety
something must be done."

Perona seemed not excited, rather more carefully watchful, of his own
words, and of me. His small dark eyes roved me.

"What is it you would plan to do about it, Senorito?"

An irony was in that Latin diminutive! He spread his pale hands. "Your
United States officials perhaps exaggerate. I am very doubtful if we
have smugglers here in Nareda."

"Unless it is Spawn," the President interjected.

* * * * *

Perona frowned slightly. But his suave manner remained. "Spawn? Why
Spawn?"

"You need not take offense, Perona," Markes retorted. "We are discussing
this before an envoy of the United States, sent here to consult with us.
We have nothing to hide."

Markes turned to me. And his next words were like a bomb exploding at my
feet.

"Perona _is_ offended, Grant. But I promise you, his natural personal
prejudice will not affect my investigation. Of course he is prejudiced,
since he is to marry Spawn's daughter, the little Jetta."

I started involuntarily. This pomaded old dotard! This perfumed, ancient
dandy!

For all the importance of my mission in Nareda my thoughts had been
subconsciously more upon Jetta--far more--than upon smugglers of
quicksilver. This palsied popinjay! This, the reality of the specter
which had been between Jetta and me during all that magic time in the
moonlit garden!

This suave old rake! Betrothed to that woodland pixie whose hand I had
held and to whom I had sung love songs in the magic flower-scented
moonlight only a few hours ago! And whom I had promised to meet there
again to-night!

This, then, was my rival!

* * * * *

Nothing of importance transpired during the remainder of that interview.
Markes reiterated his intention of making a complete governmental
investigation at once. To which Perona suavely assented.

"_Por Dios Senorito_," he said to me, "we would not have your great
government annoyed at Nareda. If there are smugglers, we will capture
them of a certainty."

From the Government House, it now being almost time for the midday meal,
I returned to Spawn's.

The rambling mud walls of the Inn stood baking in