f
the life of the one for whom their president gave up his country and
his honour.

"I have brought a guest to dinner," said Goodwin. "One Colonel
Falcon, from San Mateo. He is come on government business. I do not
think you will care to see him, so I prescribe for you one of those
convenient and indisputable feminine headaches."

"He has come to inquire about the lost money, has he not?" asked Mrs.
Goodwin, going on with her sketch.

"A good guess!" acknowledged Goodwin. "He has been holding an
inquisition among the natives for three days. I am next on his list
of witnesses, but as he feels shy about dragging one of Uncle Sam's
subjects before him, he consents to give it the outward appearance
of a social function. He will apply the torture over my own wine and
provender."

"Has he found anyone who saw the valise of money?"

"Not a soul. Even Madama Ortiz, whose eyes are so sharp for the sight
of a revenue official, does not remember that there was any baggage."

Mrs. Goodwin laid down her brush and sighed.

"I am so sorry, Frank," she said, "that they are giving you so much
trouble about the money. But we can't let them know about it, can
we?"

"Not without doing our intelligence a great injustice," said Goodwin,
with a smile and a shrug that he had picked up from the natives.
"_Americano_, though I am, they would have me in the _calaboza_ in
half an hour if they knew we had appropriated that valise. No; we
must appear as ignorant about the money as the other ignoramuses in
Coralio."

"Do you think that this man they have sent suspects you?" she asked,
with a little pucker of her brows.

"He'd better not," said the American, carelessly. "It's lucky that no
one caught a sight of the valise except myself. As I was in the rooms
when the shot was fired, it is not surprising that they should want
to investigate my part in the affair rather closely. But there's no
cause for alarm. This colonel is down on the list of events for a
good dinner, with a dessert of American 'bluff' that will end the
matter, I think."

Mrs. Goodwin rose and walked to the window. Goodwin followed and
stood by her side. She leaned to him, and rested in the protection of
his strength, as she had always rested since that dark night on which
he had first made himself her tower of refuge. Thus they stood for a
little while.

Straight through the lavish growth of tropical branch and leaf
and vine that confronted them had been cunningly