don't have much occupation at that game, do you, senor?"
Tom asked, with an innocent smile.

"That--that--game?" repeated Senor Montez, with a puzzled look
at his young guest.

"The game of war lord," Reade explained. "Mexico is not often
at war, is she?"

"Not since she was forced to fight your country, Senor Tomaso,
as you help to remind me," pursued Montez, without a trace of
offense. "Though I was educated in your country, I confess that,
at times, your language still baffles me. What I meant to say
was not 'war lord,' but--but--"

"Over lord?" suggested Reade, politely.

"Ah, yes! Perhaps that better expresses what I mean. In Mexico
we have laws, senor, to be sure. But they are not for _caballeros_
like myself--not for men who can boast of the blood of Spanish
hidalgos. I am master over these people for many miles around.
Absolute master! Think you any judge would dare sign a process
against me, and send _peon_ officers of the law to interfere with
me? No! As I tell you, I, Luis Montez, am the sole master here
among the mountains. We have laws for the _peons_ (working class),
but I--I make my own laws."

"Does it take much of your time, may I ask?"

"Does what take much of my time?" repeated Senor Montez, again
looking puzzled.

"Law making," explained Tom Reade.

Montez shot a swift look at the young engineer. He wondered if
the American were making fun of him. But Reade's face looked
so simple and kindly, his eyes so full of interest, that the Mexican
dismissed the thought.

"I spend no time in making laws--unless I need them," the Mexican
continued. "I make laws only as the need arises, and I make them
to suit myself. I interpret the laws as I please for my own pleasure
or interests. Do you comprehend?"

"I think so," Tom nodded. "Many of the big corporations in my
country do about the same thing, though the privilege has not yet
been extended to individuals in the United States."

"Here," continued the mine owner, earnestly, "no man disputes
my will. That, of itself, is law. Here no man sues me, for if
he attempted to do so, he would go to prison and remain there.
If I tell a man to leave these mountains, he does so, for otherwise
he would never leave them. If a man annoys me, and I tell one
of my trusted servants to attend to my enemy--then that enemy
never troubles me further."

"That is interesting--it's so simple and effective!" cried Tom,
pretended enthusiasm glowin