ant Hardy begged him to
say to the president that he was desolate at having to approach His
Excellency so unceremoniously. But His Excellency, having threatened the
life of an American citizen, the captain of the _Louisiana_ was forced
to act quickly.

"And this officer?" demanded President Ham; "what does he want?"

"He says," Billy translated to St. Clair, "that he is very glad to meet
you, and he wants to know how much you earn a week."

The actor suppressed his surprise and with pardonable pride said that
his salary was six hundred dollars a week and royalties on each film.

Billy bowed to the president.

"He says," translated Billy, "he is here to see that I get my ten
thousand francs, and that if I don't get them in ten minutes he will
return to the ship and land marines."

To St. Clair it seemed as though the president received his statement
as to the amount of his salary with a disapproval that was hardly
flattering. With the heel of his giant fist the president beat upon the
table, his curls shook, his gorilla-like shoulders heaved.

In an explanatory aside Billy made this clear.

"He says," he interpreted, "that you get more as an actor than he gets
as president, and it makes him mad."

"I can see it does myself," whispered St. Clair. "And I don't understand
French, either."

President Ham was protesting violently. It was outrageous, he exclaimed;
it was inconceivable that a great republic should shake the Big Stick
over the head of a small republic, and for a contemptible ten thousand
francs.

"I will not believe," he growled, "that this officer has authority to
threaten me. You have deceived him. If he knew the truth, he would
apologize. Tell him," he roared suddenly, "that I _demand_ that he
apologize!"

Billy felt like the man who, after jauntily forcing the fighting,
unexpectedly gets a jolt on the chin that drops him to the canvas.

While the referee might have counted three Billy remained upon the
canvas.

Then again he forced the fighting. Eagerly he turned to St. Clair.

"He says," he translated, "you must recite something."

St. Clair exclaimed incredulously:

"Recite!" he gasped.

Than his indignant protest nothing could have been more appropriate.

"Wants to see you act out," insisted Billy. "Go on," he begged; "humor
him. Do what he wants or he'll put us in jail!"

"But what shall I--"

"He wants the curse of Rome from Richelieu," explained Billy. "He knows
it in French