w that the moment
was not his, after all, or that it was his at least with no pleasure
unalloyed.

"The prisoner will not talk," repeated Bucky, with drawling mockery.
"Sure he will, general. There's several things he's awful curious
to know. One of them is how you happen to be Johnnie-on-the-spot so
opportune."

The lieutenant's dignity melted before his vanity. Having so excellent a
chance to sun the latter, he delivered himself of an oration. After all,
silent contempt did not appear to be the best weapon to employ with this
impudent fellow.

"Senor, no Chaves ever forgets an insult. Last night you, a common
American, insulted me grossly--me, Lieutenant Ferdinand Chaves, me,
of the bluest Castilian blood." He struck himself dramatically on the
breast. "I submit, senor, but I vow revenge. I promised myself to spit
on you, to spit on your Stars and Stripes, the flag of a nation of dirty
traders. Ha! I do so now in spirit. The hour I have longed for is come."

Bucky took one step forward. His eyes had grown opaque and flinty. "Take
care, you cur."

Swiftly Chaves hurried on without pressing the point. He had a prophetic
vision of his neck in the vise grip of those brown, sinewy hands, and,
though his men would afterward kill the man, small good would he get
from that if the life were already squeezed out of him.

"And so what do I do? I think, and having thought I act with the
swiftness of a Chaves. How? I ride across country. I seize a hand car.
My men pump me to town on the roadbed of the Northern. I telephone to
the hotels and find where Americans are staying. Then I come here like
the wind, arrest your friend, and send him to prison, arrest you also
and send you to the gallows."

"That's real kind of you, general," replied Bucky, in irony sportive.
"But you really are putting yourself out too much for me. I reckon I'll
not trouble you to go so far. By the way, did I understand you to say
you had arrested a friend of mine?"

Indifferently he flung out the question, if his voice were index of his
feeling, but his heart was pumping faster than it normally ought.

"He is in prison, where you will shortly join him. Soldiers, to the
commandant with your captive."

If Bucky had had any idea of attempting escape, he now abandoned it at
once. The place of all places where he most ardently desired to be
at that moment was in the prison with his little comrade. His desire
marched with that of Chaves so far, and th