unpleasantly
suggested a mongrel breed. The eyes had red lids, out of which the
lashes struck like rusted needles, and the eyes themselves, of a faded
blue, seemed to fawn an excuse for Nature's maladjusting. But he had a
goodly frame on which to hang the livery of a king's guardsman. And as
the cross of the Legion of Honor ticketed his breast, he must have been
a goodly man too, and his Maker's insignia only a libel. Once Maximilian
had said, "What, Bebello, and art thou a better judge of men than I, thy
master and the master of men?" For it seemed that Bebello, the simple
hound, had read Nature's voucher instead of Napoleon's, and being thus
deceived, would ever snarl at the Colonel of Dragoons. Maximilian of
course knew better. What looked like toadying was only profound
deference for himself. The royal favorite could discriminate. He could
also be the thick-headed, intolerable martinet. The sandy lashes
bristled as the American inquired a second time if he were to have
counsel.

"Being president of this court," Lopez announced, "I am judge advocate."

In the tone of congratulation Driscoll blandly said, "Well, then, I
challenge the president."

"Challenge?"

"Certainly, Your Honor. It's my right, either on the ground of
inexperience, malice, or--but I reckon the first two will do."

"This is insolence!" cried the president, and glaring angrily, he
maintained that it was a regular court martial for the field, and that
as he was the ranking officer at hand, there could be no appeal beyond
himself.

"A regular drum-head," Driscoll observed. "Well, let it go at that. I'm
in a hurry."

Lopez called a lieutenant of Austrian cavalry to his right upon the
sofa, and the Dragoon color sergeant to his left, and the three of them
sat thenceforth in judgment. The charges were read, and next a
deposition, gathered that day from Michel Ney. Therein appeared the
American, reinforcing Rodrigo Galan at Tampico, and in so far aiding the
abduction of Mademoiselle d'Aumerle.

"The complicity is evident," stated Lopez, and his colleagues, blinking
at the candles on the box, nodded wisely.

"It's straight so far," Driscoll agreed, "but the story goes a little
further. Does the ma'am'selle herself happen to have left any
deposition?"

She had, admitted the president, but it merely corroborated the
foregoing. Driscoll, in sole charge of his own defence, insisted that
her deposition be read, but Lopez would permit no such wast