, his legal successor. It was their duty, as soldiers of
the Republic, to rescue him from prison, to drive the man who had
usurped his place into exile, and by so doing uphold the laws which
they had themselves laid down. The second motive, he went on, was a
less worthy and more selfish one. The Olancho mines, which now gave
work to thousands and brought millions of dollars into the country,
were coveted by Mendoza, who would, if he could, convert them into a
monopoly of his government. If he remained in power all foreigners
would be driven out of the country, and the soldiers would be forced to
work in the mines without payment. Their condition would be little
better than that of the slaves in the salt mines of Siberia. Not only
would they no longer be paid for their labor, but the people as a whole
would cease to receive that share of the earnings of the mines which
had hitherto been theirs.

"Under President Rojas you will have liberty, justice, and prosperity,"
Clay cried. "Under Mendoza you will be ruled by martial law. He will
rob and overtax you, and you will live through a reign of terror.
Between them--which will you choose?"

The native soldiers answered by cries of "Rojas," and breaking ranks
rushed across the plaza toward him, crowding around his horse and
shouting, "Long live Rojas," "Long live the Constitution," "Death to
Mendoza." The Americans stood as they were and gave three cheers for
the Government.

They were still cheering and shouting as they advanced upon the Palace,
and the noise of their coming drove the people indoors, so that they
marched through deserted streets and between closed doors and sightless
windows. No one opposed them, and no one encouraged them. But they
could now see the facade of the Palace and the flag of the
Revolutionists hanging from the mast in front of it.

Three blocks distant from the Palace they came upon the buildings of
the United States and English Legations, where the flags of the two
countries had been hung out over the narrow thoroughfare.

The windows and the roofs of each legation were crowded with women and
children who had sought refuge there, and the column halted as Weimer,
the Consul, and Sir Julian Pindar, the English Minister, came out,
bare-headed, into the street and beckoned to Clay to stop.

"As our Minister was not here," Weimer said, "I telegraphed to Truxillo
for the man-of-war there. She started some time ago, and we have just
h