is his
niece; he is a widower; he loves your sister and he hopes by his
kindness and attention to win her for his wife, and to do this, he
sees he must keep you and her apart as long as he can."

"The infernal scoundrel! She shall die before wedding him!"

"He knows how you feel: that is why he strives to keep you apart."

"He'll have a good time in doing it! Do you know the path that leads
to the summer quarters of this precious dog?"

"Well enough to guide you thither, but Martella knows it better than
I."

"Can he be hired to guide us thither?"

"No, for he will do so without pay."

"I shall join General Bambos in his war against Yozarro, and we'll
make him pay dear for his deviltry."

"Do you prefer the friendship of General Bambos to that of General
Yozarro?"

"I don't care a picayune for either, but I will use one against the
other."

"You forget that there is no choice between the good will of the two.
When you came up the forked river you first called at Zalapata."

"What of it?"

"General Bambos was a guest on your yacht."

"Yes."

"He met Senorita Starland; he has a wife and several children, but he
loves the Senorita as much as does General Yozarro."

"What a couple of wretches! Do you tell me that _that_ is why he means
to go to war with General Yozarro?"

"That is his reason; I could not tell you before; his claim for
damages is a pretext; he hopes to defeat General Yozarro and to compel
him to give up the Senorita. Neither he nor General Yozarro cares for
you, whom they regard as an obstacle; they will be glad to put you out
of the way."

CHAPTER X.

All this seemed incredible and yet a little reflection convinced Major
Starland that the sagacious native was right. The American had two
treacherous enemies to meet in the Dictators who professed to be his
friends.

"I will go back to Atlamalco; I will call the dog to account; what
will he dare say for himself?"

"I am sure," observed the soft-voiced Captain, "that Major Starland
will not be so unwise as that."

"Why will it be unwise?"

"General Yozarro will not see you when you return."

"He dare not refuse! I will bring up my yacht and lay his confounded
town under tribute."

"He has a gunboat."

"All you folks refer to that tub as a gunboat, when it is only an old
tug, which he has painted over and fitted up with a couple of
six-pounders. It is not worth taking into consideration: I will force
myself into his