ful?"

"By no means; the payment of the slight sum--only forty-two
_pesos_--with an expression of regret, will more than satisfy
President Bambos."

"I shall hasten to comply with so moderate and just a demand: will you
be good enough to convey this statement to my esteemed brother?"

Considering the moderate sum involved, it would seem that President
Yozarro might well have closed the incident by passing over the amount
to the ambassador, but, since he made no offer to do so, the
ambassador could not in common courtesy remind him of it. The
Atlamalcan Republic had its own methods and red tape ruled there as
elsewhere.

"I am sure that President Bambos could ask nothing more, and I shall
take pleasure in repeating your gracious words to him."

President Yozarro bowed, smiled, muttered "_Gracias_," and lit another
cigarette.

"I beg your Excellency that I may have the privilege of a few words
with my sister, Miss Starland, who came ashore from my yacht last week
to visit her friend Senorita Estacardo, and whom it has not been my
pleasure to see since then."

"My good friend makes another request which it shall be my delight to
grant," replied President Yozarro, with his bland smile, as he crossed
his shapely legs, leaned back and blew the puffs of his cigarette
toward the ceiling.

Major Starland felt that he was getting on swimmingly. He had already
decided to hand over to President Bambos the amount of the damages for
the injury to the property of one of his citizens, quite content to
place it to his personal account of profit and loss. Uneasy over the
prolonged absence of Miss Starland, he would quickly arrange matters
with her during the impending interview.

"I have a pleasant surprise for you," said the President, after his
caller had expressed his acknowledgments; "the Senorita made known so
warm a wish to see her brother that I hastened to take her, as she and
I supposed, to him."

"I do not understand your Excellency."

"She is now at Zalapata, whither she went in our gunboat."

"When?"

"Last night; we must have met on the way, for you could scarcely have
made the voyage between the capitals since sunrise."

This remark explained that night trip of the _General Yozarro_, whose
going the Major had seen and whose returning he had heard.

"Yes," added his host; "she had but to make known her wish, when she
and her friend Senorita Manuela, my niece, became my guests on my
gunboat, and were land