the Senor O'Halloran is cherished deeply in my
heart," came back the smiling colonel, with a wave of his plump, soft
hand.

"I am honored, sir, to receive such consideration at the hands of so
distinguished a soldier as Colonel Gabilonda," bowed Bucky gravely, in
his turn, with the most flowery Spanish he could muster.

There was another half-hour of the mutual exchange of compliments before
O'Connor could get away. Alphonse and Gaston were fairly outdone, for
the Arizonian, with a smile hidden deep behind the solemnity of his blue
eyes, gave as good as he got. When he was at last fairly in the safety
of his own rooms he gave way to limp laughter while describing to his
little friend that most ceremonious parting.

"He pressed me to his manly bay window, Curly, and allowed he was plumb
tickled to death to have met me. Says I, coming back equal strong, 'twas
the most glorious day of my life."

"Oh, I know YOU," answered young Hardman, with a smile.

"A friend of his friend O'Halloran--"

"Mr. O'Halloran was here while you were away. He seemed very anxious
to see you; said he would call again in an hour. I think it must be
important."

Came at that instant O'Halloran's ungentle knock, on the heels of which
his red head came through the open door.

"You're the very lad I'm wanting to see, Bucky," he announced, and
followed this declaration by locking all the doors and beckoning him to
the center of the room.

"Is that tough neck of yours aching again, Reddy?" inquired his friend
whimsically.

"It is that, me bye. There's the very divil to pay," he whispered.

"Cough it out, Mike."

"That tyrant Megales is onto our game. Somebody's leaked, or else he has
a spy in our councils--as we have in his, the ould scoundrel."

"I see. Your spy has told you that his spy has reported to him--"

"That the guns are to be brought in to-night. He has sent out a guard
to bring them in safely to him. If he gets them, our game is up, me son,
and you can bet your last nickle on that."

"If he gets them! Is there a chance for us?"

"Glory be! there is. You see, he doesn't know that we know what he has
done. For that reason he sent out only a guard of forty men. If he sent
more we would suspect what he was doing, ye see. That is the way the old
fox reasoned. But forty--they were able to slip out of the city on
last night's train in civilian's clothes and their arms in a couple of
coffins."

"Why didn't he send a couple of