hink that is very possible."

"What then, Juan?"

"He would pay for some of his crimes here the rest he would settle for
in purgatory. And you, too, Iza, are you with the Americans?"

"Luis Alveda says they are right."

"Oh-h! I see! So Luis is to be my brother too. Is that so, little dear?"

"Have you room in your heart for him? Or has this Dare Grant filled it?"

"If I had twenty sisters, I should have room for twenty brothers, if
they were like Dare and Luis. But, indeed, Luis had his place there
before I knew Dare."

"And perhaps you may see him soon; he is with Senor Sam Houston. Senor
Houston was here not a week ago. Will you think of that? And the mother
and uncle of Luis are angry at him; he will be disinherited, and we
shall be very poor, I think. But there is always my father, who loves
Luis."

"Luis will win his own inheritance. I think you will be very rich."

"And, Juan, if you see Luis, say to him, 'Iza thinks of you
continually.'"

At this moment Rachela angrily called her charge--

"Are you totally and forever wicked, disobedient one? Two hours I have
been kept waiting. Very well! The Sisters are the only duenna for you;
and back to the convent you shall go to-morrow. The Senora is of my
mind, also."

"My father will not permit it. I will go to my father. And think of
this, Rachela: I am no longer to be treated like a baby." But she kissed
Juan 'farewell,' and went away without further dispute.

The handsome room looked strangely lonely and desolate when the door had
closed behind her. Jack rose, and roughly shook himself, as if by that
means he hoped to throw off the oppression and melancholy that was
invading even his light heart. Hundreds of moths were dashing themselves
to death against the high glass shade that covered the blowing candles
from them. He stood and looked at their hopeless efforts to reach the
flame. He had an unpleasant thought; one of those thoughts which have
the force of a presentiment. He put it away with annoyance, muttering,
"It is time enough to meet misfortune when it comes."

The sound of a footstep made him stand erect and face the door.

It was only a sleepy peon with a request that he would go to his
father's study. A different mental atmosphere met him there. The doctor
was walking up and down the room, and Dare and Antonia sat together at
the open window.

"Your father wants to hear about our journey, Jack. Take my chair and
tell him what happened. An