ghout this the Governor had continued to regard me with great
austerity. Quite unmoved by my attempt at lightness, he now signed to
his secretary, and spoke to me in a most peremptory tone: "Your papers,
fellow!"

I drew out the documents relating to the Le Lande claim and handed them
over to the secretary. His Excellency demanded their purport, which I
gave as clearly and briefly as my French would permit.

"We shall see," he commented, when I ended my account. "Your papers will
be examined, and I will send for Le Lande. Meantime you will consider
yourself under arrest. You will be given quarters in the rooms assigned
for officers in confinement, but you are at liberty within the bounds of
the town, if accompanied by your guard."

With this, he appointed a corporal of the regular dragoons to attend
upon me both as guard and waiter, and I was promptly led out. During the
short delay which followed, I had no cause to complain of my treatment.
The corporal proved a most accommodating servant, and my meals were sent
to me from His Excellency's own table. In addition, the hospitality of
the leading people of Santa Fe was so cordial that I should have enjoyed
greatly the two days I had to wait, had it not been for my fears that
the Governor might detain me for an indefinite period, or send me
eastward out of the province, into the country of the Comanches.

When, therefore, he again called me before him, and stated that he had
inquired and found that Le Lande was incapable of discharging the claim
presented by me, I declared boldly that I knew this to be a mistake,
and that it appeared to me His Excellency was seeking to shelter a
refugee debtor of my country, in violation of the treaties between Spain
and the United States.

"Look to it, Your Excellency!" I concluded, with all the heat and
indignation I could affect. "Look to it! This is no light matter. The
man is an outright thief, and the treaty rights of Monsieur Morrison are
clear. I insist upon the payment of this claim. If I cannot obtain
justice of Your Excellency, I will appeal to the Governor-General."

This last stirred him out of the daze of astonishment into which he had
been thrown by the audacity of my heated protest. Governors of Spanish
provinces are not accustomed to being bearded by their inferiors in
rank, much less by lone foreigners suspected of espionage. But at my
mention of his superior, he found his voice.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, and I marked t