s work, for
the blood you have murderously shed, and for your violence to this lady
and to myself."

"I offer you no violence," said the Admiral, smiling, as only the man
who holds the trumps can smile. "On the contrary, I have saved your
lives...."

"Saved our lives!" Lord Julian was momentarily speechless before such
callous impudence. "And what of the lives you have destroyed in wanton
butchery? By God, man, they shall cost you dear."

Don Miguel's smile persisted. "It is possible. All things are possible.
Meantime it is your own lives that will cost you dear. Colonel Bishop is
a rich man; and you, milord, are no doubt also rich. I will consider and
fix your ransom."

"So that you're just the damned murderous pirate I was supposing you,"
stormed his lordship. "And you have the impudence to call yourself
the Admiral of the Navies of the Catholic King? We shall see what your
Catholic King will have to say to it."

The Admiral ceased to smile. He revealed something of the rage that had
eaten into his brain. "You do not understand," he said. "It is that I
treat you English heretic dogs just as you English heretic dogs have
treated Spaniards upon the seas--you robbers and thieves out of hell!
I have the honesty to do it in my own name--but you, you perfidious
beasts, you send your Captain Bloods, your Hagthorpes, and your Morgans
against us and disclaim responsibility for what they do. Like Pilate,
you wash your hands." He laughed savagely. "Let Spain play the part of
Pilate. Let her disclaim responsibility for me, when your ambassador
at the Escurial shall go whining to the Supreme Council of this act of
piracy by Don Miguel de Espinosa."

"Captain Blood and the rest are not admirals of England!" cried Lord
Julian.

"Are they not? How do I know? How does Spain know? Are you not liars
all, you English heretics?"

"Sir!" Lord Julian's voice was harsh as a rasp, his eyes flashed.
Instinctively he swung a hand to the place where his sword habitually
hung. Then he shrugged and sneered: "Of course," said he, "it sorts with
all I have heard of Spanish honour and all that I have seen of yours
that you should insult a man who is unarmed and your prisoner."

The Admiral's face flamed scarlet. He half raised his hand to strike.
And then, restrained, perhaps, by the very words that had cloaked the
retorting insult, he turned on his heel abruptly and went out without
answering.

CHAPTER XIX. THE MEETING

As the