line of Spanish
grandees. Vega's eyes lit with pleasure. He was now playing a part in
which he felt assured he appeared to advantage. He almost was grateful
to Roddy for permitting him to reestablish himself in his own esteem.

"My friends shall wait upon you," he said.

"Whenever you like," Roddy answered. He started up the deck and
returned again to Vega. "Understand me," he whispered, "as long as I'm
enjoying the hospitality of your country I accept the customs of your
country. If you'd made such a proposition to me in New York I'd have
laughed at you." Roddy came close to Vega and emphasized his words
with a pointed finger. "And understand _this_! We have quarrelled over
politics. You made an offensive remark about Alvarez; I defended him
and struck you. You now demand satisfaction. That is what happened.
And if you drag the name of any woman into this I won't give you
satisfaction. I will give you a thrashing until you can't stand or
see."

Roddy found Peter in the smoking-room, and beckoning him on deck, told
him what he had done.

"You're a nice White Mouse!" cried Peter indignantly. "You're not
supposed to go about killing people; you're supposed to save lives."

"No one is ever killed in a duel," said Roddy; "I'll fire in the air,
and he will probably miss me. I certainly hope so. But there will be
one good result. It will show Alvarez that I'm not a friend of Vega's,
nor helping him in his revolution."

"You don't have to shoot a man to show you're not a friend of his,"
protested Peter.

They were interrupted by the hasty approach of Vega's chief advisers
and nearest friends, General Pulido and Colonel Ramon.

"Pino seems in a hurry," said Roddy. "I had no idea he was so
bloodthirsty."

"Colonel Vega," began Pulido abruptly, "has just informed us of the
unfortunate incident. We have come to tell you that no duel can take
place. It is monstrous. The life of Colonel Vega does not belong to
him, it belongs to the Cause. We will not permit him to risk it
needlessly. You, of all people, should see that. You must apologize."

The demand, and the peremptory tone in which it was delivered, caused
the fighting blood of Roddy's Irish grandfathers to bubble in his
veins.

"'Must' and 'apologize!'" protested Roddy, in icy tones; "Those are
difficult words, gentlemen."

"Consider," cried Pulido, "what great events hang upon the life of
Colonel Vega."

"My own life is extremely interesting to me," said Rod