nted hour. Colonel Ramon," he commanded, "remain
with Senor Caldwell. You, Pino, come with me!"

But Vega strode furiously toward Roddy.

"No!" he shouted. "This man first! My honor first!"

At this crisis of his fortunes, Sam Caldwell, much to the surprise of
Roddy, showed himself capable of abrupt action. He threw his arm
around the waist of Vega, and ran him to the window.

"Damn your honor!" he shrieked. "You take your orders from _me_! Go to
the meeting-place!"

Struggling, not only in the arms of Caldwell but in those of Pulido
and the valet, Vega was borne to the terrace. As he was pushed from
the window he stretched out his arm toward Roddy.

"When we meet again," he cried, "I kill you!"

Roddy looked after him with regret. More alarming to him than the
prospect of a duel was the prospect of facing Senora Rojas. For the
moment Vega and his personal danger had averted the wrath that Roddy
knew was still to come, but with the departure of Vega he saw it could
no longer be postponed. He turned humbly to Senora Rojas. The scene
through which that lady had just passed had left her trembling; but
the sight of Roddy confronting her seemed at once to restore her
self-possession. Anxiously, but in a tone of deep respect, Roddy
addressed her:

"I have the great honor," he said, "to inform----"

After one indignant glance Senora Rojas turned from him to her
daughter. Her words sounded like the dripping of icicles.

"You will leave the room," she said. She again glanced at Roddy. "You
will leave the house."

Not since when, as a child, he had been sent to stand in a corner had
Roddy felt so guilty. And to his horror he found he was torn with a
hysterical desire to laugh.

"But, Madame Rojas," he protested hastily, "it is impossible for me to
leave until I make clear to you----"

In the fashion of the country, Senora Rojas clapped her hands.

"Surely," she exclaimed, "you will not subject me to a scene before
the servants."

In answer to her summons the doors flew open, and the frightened
servants, who had heard of the blood-stained messenger, pushed into
the room. With the air of a great lady dismissing an honored guest
Senora Rojas bowed to Roddy, and Roddy, accepting the inevitable,
bowed deeply in return.

As he walked to the door he cast toward Inez an unhappy look of
apology and appeal. But the smile with which she answered seemed to
show that, to her, their discomfiture was in no way tragic. Roddy