"yes, it
was for France, all, all of which you haf done. Therefore is it that you
haf come to this country, and here to Queretaro, whatever is to the
contrary said."

"De grace," she laughed, rising abruptly, "there's enough to do to-day
without discussing----"

But he intercepted her even as she opened the door.

"Will Your Highness kindly let me pass?"

"And I know, I alone, that nefer haf you toward myself once felt, once
shown, that which----"

A sharp, indignant cry escaped her. Following her gaze he saw the
American pass on down the corridor and out of hearing.

"Now who," exclaimed the chagrined prince, "would ever have imagined
such delicacy of breeding!"

"And don't ever again," cried Jacqueline furiously, "imagine that
_I_ stand in need of being righted!" Wherewith she too was gone,
leaving her clumsy knight staring blankly after her.

A few moments later Driscoll knocked.

It was the first meeting of these two men since the memorable afternoon
at Cuernavaca, when Driscoll had surprised Jacqueline listening to
royalty's shameless suit. Now he beheld Fatality's retribution for that
day's bitterness. Retribution, yes. But it was not restitution. The girl
he loved had just passed him in the corridor with a slight casual nod,
and he would not, could not, stretch forth a hand to stop her. Instead,
the smile so ironical of Fate had touched his lips.

"I was sent by Senor Juarez, sir," he addressed the archduke in the tone
of military business. "The President is afraid your three days of
reprieve will be misunderstood. He sent for me as I was leaving San Luis
yesterday, and I--I was to tell you----"

"You need not hesitate, colonel."

"Well, that you must not hope for pardon, for the sentence will
positively be carried out day after to-morrow. That--I believe that is
all."

"But--" Maximilian called, staying him. "Dios mio, such news merits a
longer telling. It seems to me too, Senor Americano, that you should
enjoy it the more, since it was partly you who brought me to this."

"I don't know as I'd thought of that. How?"

"You ask how? Do you forget how you took the traitor Lopez to Escobedo,
the night I was betrayed?"

Driscoll swung bluntly round on his questioner. "No I don't," he
replied. "But you see, there was such a lot of bloodshed scheduled for
the next day?"

"Isn't that rather a curious reproof from a soldier? Loyal hearts would
have bled, yes, and gladly. Noble fellows, they would