pause. Then, "But how are you going to do this
miracle?" Gilbert was anxious to find out.

"Zat is for you to leave to me. Well, what you say?"

"I say yes, of course!"

"_Bueno!_ We begin," said the bandit. He called through the door: "Pedro!
Bring zem all in again."

Uncle Henry was curious, "What are you going to do?"

"You shall see," was all Lopez answered.

Angela was the first to file into the room. Uncle Henry glanced at her.
"What are you going to do about her?" he asked.

Lopez looked around, "Her?" he said.

"Her!" repeated Uncle Henry.

"What 'as her to do wiz it?" the bandit inquired.

"Why, she wants to marry him," Uncle Henry revealed, pointing to his
nephew. "That's what started the whole jamboree."

Lopez looked astonished. "So?" he said.

"Uh--huh!"

The bandit glanced at Gilbert. "But 'e does not love 'er," he said, nodding
toward Angela.

"Certainly not!" Gilbert was instantly saying, and glared at his uncle.
The latter, as usual, plunged straight ahead, as the others now gathered
about the room. "He," meaning "Red," "loves her. _He_," he nodded toward
his nephew, "loves _her_," pointing to Lucia Pell. "And she loves him,"
nodding back to Gilbert.

"Shut up! How many times must I tell you to--"

"But she," went on Uncle Henry, just as if nothing had been said, and
pointing to Lucia, "is married to him," indicating Pell. "Which makes it a
hell of a mess all around!" He leaned back in his chair as if he had done a
good day's work.

Gilbert could scarcely restrain himself. Again he wanted to lay violent
hands upon him--he wished he could. "Be quiet, won't you?" he breathed.

"Not me!" Uncle Henry persisted. "I've gotter tell the truth."

"Yes, but--" Gilbert began.

"I don't wanter get shot," the old man declared.

Lopez turned to Gilbert. "Is it true? You love her?" his eyes going to
Lucia.

How could he tell the truth? "Of course I do not," he affirmed. Then he
went close to his uncle. "What did you do all this again for?"

"He says he can fix it," Uncle Henry said. "Let him try. He's done swell so
far. Personally, I got a lot o' confidence in that feller. He's slick, he
is!"

It was easy to be seen that the bandit was not satisfied with the answer
Gilbert had given him. He had been slyly watching both him and Lucia. Now,
he said, looking at them both: "So!" And old man Smith started to break in
once more; but Lopez went on: "Is it true?"

"What makes you think so?" Gi