d
the door with apparent interest.

"The 'Santiago' leaves here Saturday for New York. I guess you had
better wait over for her," Clay said. "I'll engage your passage, and,
in the meantime, Captain Stuart here will see that they treat you well
in the cuartel."

The men around the table started, and sat motionless looking at Clay,
but Burke only took his pipe from his mouth and knocked the ashes out
on the heel of his boot. "What am I going to the cuartel for?" he
asked.

"Well, the public good, I suppose," laughed Clay. "I'm sorry, but it's
your own fault. You shouldn't have shown yourself here at all."

"What have you got to do with it?" asked Burke, calmly, as he began to
refill his pipe. He had the air of a man who saw nothing before him
but an afternoon of pleasant discourse and leisurely inactivity.

"You know what I've got to do with it," Clay replied. "I've got our
concession to look after."

"Well, you're not running the town, too, are you?" asked Burke.

"No, but I'm going to run you out of it," Clay answered. "Now, what are
you going to do,--make it unpleasant for us and force our hand, or
drive down quietly with our friend MacWilliams here? He is the best
one to take you, because he's not so well known."

Burke turned his head and looked over his shoulder at Stuart.

"You taking orders from Mr. Clay, to-day, Captain Stuart?" he asked.

"Yes," Stuart answered, smiling. "I agree with Mr. Clay in whatever he
thinks right."

"Oh, well, in that case," said Burke, rising reluctantly, with a
protesting sigh, "I guess I'd better call on the American minister."

"You can't. He's in Ecuador on his annual visit," said Clay.

"Indeed! That's bad for me," muttered Burke, as though in much
concern. "Well, then, I'll ask you to let me see our consul here."

"Certainly," Clay assented, with alacrity. "Mr. Langham, this young
gentleman's father, got him his appointment, so I've no doubt he'll be
only too glad to do anything for a friend of ours."

Burke raised his eyes and looked inquiringly at Clay, as though to
assure himself that this was true, and Clay smiled back at him.

"Oh, very well," Burke said. "Then, as I happen to be an Irishman by
the name of Burke, and a British subject, I'll try Her Majesty's
representative, and we'll see if he will allow me to be locked up
without a reason or a warrant."

"That's no good, either," said Clay, shaking his head. "You fixed your
nationality, as