le to give him her full
attention, for she was considering whether he could be so foolish as to
have taken offence at what she said, and whether he would speak of it
again, and in wondering whether a personal basis for conversation was
not, after all, more entertaining than anecdotes of the victories and
heroism of dead and buried Spaniards.

"That Captain Stuart," said Hope to her sister, as they drove home
together through the moonlight, "I like him very much. He seems to
have such a simple idea of what is right and good. It is like a child
talking. Why, I am really much older than he is in everything but
years--why is that?"

"I suppose it's because we always talk before you as though you were a
grown-up person," said her sister. "But I agree with you about Captain
Stuart; only, why is he down here? If he is a gentleman, why is he not
in his own army? Was he forced to leave it?"

"Oh, he seems to have a very good position here," said Mr. Langham.
"In England, at his age, he would be only a second-lieutenant. Don't
you remember what the President said, that he would trust him with the
command of his army? That's certainly a responsible position, and it
shows great confidence in him."

"Not so great, it seems to me," said King, carelessly, "as he is
showing him in making him the guardian of his hearth and home. Did you
hear what he said to-day? 'He guards my home and my family.' I don't
think a man's home and family are among the things he can afford to
leave to the protection of stray English subalterns. From all I hear,
it would be better if President Alvarez did less plotting and protected
his own house himself."

"The young man did not strike me as the sort of person," said Mr.
Langham, warmly, "who would be likely to break his word to the man who
is feeding him and sheltering him, and whose uniform he wears. I don't
think the President's home is in any danger from within. Madame
Alvarez--"

Clay turned suddenly in his place on the box-seat of the carriage,
where he had been sitting, a silent, misty statue in the moonlight, and
peered down on those in the carriage below him.

"Madame Alvarez needs no protection, as you were about to say, Mr.
Langham," he interrupted, quickly. "Those who know her could say
nothing against her, and those who do not know her would not so far
forget themselves as to dare to do it. Have you noticed the effect of
the moonlight on the walls of the convent?" he cont