ghed now in his own quiet way. "We shall do better if we deal
entirely frankly, Senora," said he. "Let us then waste no time.
Frankly, then, it would seem that, now the Baroness von Ritz is off the
scene, the Senora Yturrio would have all the better title and
opportunity in the affections of--well, let us say, her own husband!"

She bent toward him now, her lips open in a slow smile, all her subtle
and dangerous beauty unmasking its batteries. The impression she
conveyed was that of warmth and of spotted shadows such as play upon the
leopard's back, such as mark the wing of the butterfly, the petal of
some flower born in a land of heat and passion. But Calhoun regarded her
calmly, his finger tips together, and spoke as deliberately as though
communing with himself. "It is but one thing, one very little thing."

"And what is that, Senor?" she asked at length.

"The signature of Senor Van Zandt, attache for Texas, on this memorandum
of treaty between the United States and Texas."

Bowing, he presented to her the document to which he had earlier
directed my own attention. "We are well advised that Senor Van Zandt is
trafficking this very hour with England as against us," he explained.
"We ask the gracious assistance of Senora Yturrio. In return we promise
her--silence!"

"I can not--it is impossible!" she exclaimed, as she glanced at the
pages. "It is our ruin--!"

"No, Senora," said Calhoun sternly; "it means annexation of Texas to the
United States. But that is not your ruin. It is your salvation. Your
country well may doubt England, even England bearing gifts!"

"I have no control over Senor Van Zandt--he is the enemy of my country!"
she began.

Calhoun now fixed upon her the full cold blue blaze of his singularly
penetrating eyes. "No, Senora," he said sternly; "but you have access to
my friend Mr. Polk, and Mr. Polk is the friend of Mr. Jackson, and they
two are friends of Mr. Van Zandt; and Texas supposes that these two,
although they do not represent precisely my own beliefs in politics, are
for the annexation of Texas, not to England, but to America. There is
good chance Mr. Polk may be president. If you do not use your personal
influence with him, he may consult politics and not you, and so declare
war against Mexico. That war would cost you Texas, and much more as
well. Now, to avert that war, do you not think that perhaps you can ask
Mr. Polk to say to Mr. Van Zandt that his signature on this little
tre