became a raving maniac. So much for
Charlotte's mission.

With the news Maximilian was a broken man. He seemed to remember his
promise to rejoin her in Europe, for he set out coastward and left the
marshal a letter that was virtually his abdication. Yet in the Hot
Country he stopped for his health. An Austrian frigate waited for him.
But behind him was his capital. Would he return? History will never
know, perhaps, the soul-despairing network of intrigue and
counter-intrigue that wound and tightened about the young sapling roots
that would strike deep in an unnourishing soil and become a dynastic
oak. The rabid clericals, who were Maximilian's ministers at the time,
thought their puppet gone, and in terror of an avenging Republic they
resigned. But Bazaine, urged to it by Padre Fischer, prevailed upon them
to remain, and Fischer gave his word that the puppet would not escape.
So France lost another chance to take back the Mexican Empire, and
thereby pave a way out of her shame. For while Maximilian recuperated,
he reconsidered. Clerical generals assured him of armies, the ministers
talked eloquently of treasure from the Church coffers. The fat padre
manipulated generals and ministers and Emperor, He was supreme. None
might come near the royal ear except at his pleasure.

It was at this time, about the first of the year, some six months after
Charlotte had sailed to Europe, and only a few weeks before the French
would do the same, that one evening Jacqueline's footman brought her a
plainly sealed envelope, without crest, without writing. She tore it
open, and started as she looked at a simple autograph on the card
inside.

"His--this gentleman, Tobie, you admitted him?"

The well-trained servant stood impassive. "What would madame have?" he
replied. "The man walked in like a lord, keeping his face hid in a
cloak. But if madame----"

"Was there a carriage?"

"No, madame, but I noticed a saddle horse at a little distance, held by
a mounted soldier with a carbine. But if madame----"

"He is in the drawing-room, then?"

"Oui, madame, and without removing his Mexican sombrero. But if madame
desires that this citizen find himself--h'm--pressed to go----"

"Tobie! No, on the contrary, you will permit him to wait undisturbed,
until I come."

A few minutes later Jacqueline beheld a tall figure in elegant charro
garb striding the length of her salon. As she entered, her guest threw
off sombrero and Spanish cloak, and