! He simply wanted to make me his heir and marry
me to his daughter."

Donald and Adrian cast an admiring gaze upon Lucia, who was now
kneeling at her father's side.

"Well," said Adrian in an aside, "I don't see why you should
object to that."

"Who said I objected?" demanded Billie. "It is the young woman
who objects."

"But whoever supposed he had a daughter?" said Donald.

"Not I," from Billie. "But this is certainly a queer mess."

Then to Lucia: "How long has he been in this way, Senorita?"

"Only a few days. Since this trouble with the Americanos."

"But how could that affect him?"

"It is a long story, senor. For years he has been trying to
overthrow the government. When Madero was made president, he was
happy. Then came that awful tragedy, by which Madero was killed.
Since that time he has not been himself. But when it became
evident that the United States would interfere he became as you
have seen him to-day."

"When I told him that all the United States wanted was to get rid
of Huerta, he was much pleased," explained Billie. "That was when
he proposed to make me his heir."

Lucia's cheeks grew red, as she asked: "And did you accept his
proposal?"

"I neither accepted nor rejected. I just followed him in to see
what would happen next."

"But would you accept?" insisted Lucia.

"That depends," replied Billie, with a touch of color in his own
face. "But what had we better do now? You and I will discuss the
other question later."

"The best thing we can do," interposed Donald, "is to report to
Lieutenant Blunt. Isn't there some place, Senorita, where your
father can be placed for safe-keeping?"

"He will be perfectly safe here with me, senors, if the servants
are allowed to remain."

"They certainly will be," declared Billie. "I will personally
vouch for that. We have done Captain Rush a good turn to-day and
I know he will be glad to do that much for us. And besides, the
Americans will harm no one."

Lucia gave Billie a grateful look as she replied:

"Ah, senor, I shall trust it all to you. I can see that you are a
friend of my father and I know you are telling the truth."

"You bet you can trust me," was Billie's emphatic reply. "Come
on, fellows, let's go look after my horse."

In the door Billie turned:

"I'll leave my robe in the cupboard, Senorita; and, if you don't
mind, I'll ask Lieutenant Blunt to make himself at home in the
patio."

"The house is yours, senor. Do as you