obvious trick."

"I'm thankful they failed," Kit said sternly, and clenched his fist with
sudden passion. "If they had not--"

"One understands, Don Cristoval; I have felt like that when the plotters
did not fail," Alvarez answered with grim sympathy. He was silent for a
moment or two and Kit imagined he was thinking about his murdered son.
Then he resumed: "Well, we shall have a reckoning and it will be bad for
the dogs when I send in my bill. But that must wait, and I would like you
to dance. I see Senorita Sarmiento is not engaged and she dances well."

"I doubt if Dona Francisca would care to dance with me again."

"Ah," said Alvarez, "one should not be too modest! Francisca is a
politician, but she is a woman. Perhaps you found she is not on my side?"

"I imagined she was not."

Alvarez shrugged. "Well, I do not fight with women, although they are
sometimes dangerous. Try again, my friend. Just now we are all playing at
make-believe."

Kit obeyed and found Francisca gracious. She danced with him and
afterwards allowed him to sit by her. By and by she remarked: "I have not
seen Senor Askew for some time."

"He was not very well," said Kit.

Francisca studied his face. "I hope his illness is not serious. I thought
I saw Doctor Martin."

"Fever. My uncle gets it now and then."

"I think I warned you against our fevers," Francisca replied meaningly.
"There are two or three kinds, but all are not dangerous."

"Some are?" Kit suggested.

"Yes; to foreigners. We others take precautions and are acclimatized."

"Well," said Kit in a thoughtful voice, "I have not had fever yet, but I
suppose an unacclimatized adventurer runs some risk."

Francisca played with her fan and Kit imagined she was pondering.

"A risk that leads to nothing is not worth while," she remarked. "I think
it would be prudent if you left the country while you are well."

"I should be sorry if I thought you wanted me to go," said Kit.

"That is cheap, senor. I gave you good advice."

"Oh, well," said Kit, "I really think you did. There are matters about
which we do not agree; but I believe you are too kind to let a rather
ignorant antagonist get hurt."

Franciscans eyes twinkled as she rejoined: "I like the compliment better
than the other. But I am engaged for the next dance and as you are
intelligent there is not much more to be said."

Kit went away, thinking rather hard. The girl had some part in the
intrigue against the presi