ere's a heavy duty on
them. I should say a hundred apiece." And without any seeming reference
to this revenue statement, the toll taker placed the tip of an index
finger under each ear, then pointed them lower down against his throat,
then lower again, and at the last the two fingers met in an acute angle,
significantly acute, under his chin, while the half-veiled black bead in
the outer corner of his eye had a sheen unutterably merry and malignant.

The pantomime bore a money value, for Murguia stifled his wrath, again
drew out the belt, and more Napoleons changed hands. Murguia was then
for remounting, leaving the flask of brandy with the two imperialist
emissaries, as had become his custom. But the jovial Tiburcio stopped
him. "What must you think of us, Don Anastasio?" he exclaimed
contritely. "We haven't offered you a drink yet." Murguia dared not
refuse, and he paused for the return of hospitality from his own bottle.
At last he was on his horse, when Tiburcio again called.

"I say, Don Anastasio, if you want a big return for your money"--Don
Anastasio halted instantly--"if you do, well, we ought not to say it,
being devoted to Maximiliano. But no matter, I will tell you this much,
poor old man--look after your daughter! Look after her, Don Anastasio!
We've just come from up there."

A half cry escaped the father as he jerked back his horse. He demanded
what they meant. He pleaded. But they waved him to go on, and rode away
indifferently, taking a cross trail through a stretch of timber.

Rigid, motionless, Murguia looked after them until they had disappeared.
But when they were gone, a frenzy possessed him. He turned and galloped
to his caravan, which was again moving. He did not stop till he reached
the American. "You owe me two hundred dollars," he cried. Thus his
decent emotion concerning his daughter found vent. "Two hundred, I tell
you!"

"Will you," asked Driscoll, "take 'em now, or after you tell me what I
owe 'em for?"

Murguia wavered. The simple question brought him to his senses. But he
had gone too far not to explain. Besides, his insane device for
reimbursing himself appealed to him as good. "Because--don't you know,
senor, that travelers here must pay toll? You don't? But it's true,
and--and I've just paid out two hundred pesos on Your Mercy's account."

The trooper's brown eyes flashed. "Which way did those thieves go?" he
demanded. "Quick! Which way?"

Murguia's avarice changed to trembli