t you weren't mistaken when you mistook her for a
queen."

"That--that's it!" ejaculated Daniel. "Of coh'se," he added soothingly,
"the other one is a--a mighty nice girl, but----"

"Oh, _is_ she? But Miss Burt is _the_ one you want to take to
Missouri? Well Dan, why don't you?"

"Because," was the doleful reply, "those two are just like orphan
sisters together, and--well, she won't desert. She _is_ a queen, by
God, sir! Miss Jacqueline might make her, but I haven't got the heart to
ask it. Now, uh, if--if you would just bring along the other one?"

So, here was the goal of all of Daniel's manoeuvering!

Driscoll cast a leg over the pommel of his saddle, and faced Boone
squarely. "Shanks," he demanded with tense vehemence, "do you suppose I
need your woes for a prod? Don't you know how much--Lord A'mighty, how
much!--I'd like to oblige you? But--she won't let me--even speak.
There's, there's something the matter."

Boone's lank jaw fell. "What, I wonder?"

"And don't I wonder too?" Driscoll muttered savagely. "But it's
_something_."

From which moment until the end of the journey, and afterward, there
were two men who pondered on what could be the trouble with Jacqueline.
But while one pondered gloomily and fiercely and with a semi-comic grin
under the lash, the other let perplexity delve and ferret into the
mystery. For Mr. Boone had grown aware that an enormous heap of
happiness for four depended on himself alone.

CHAPTER XXIV

THE JOURNALISTIC SAGACITY OF A DANIEL

"Ah, my Beloved, fill the cup that clears
To-day of past Regret and future Fears."
_--Omar._

At last Jacqueline stabbed a dot after the word "Finis," and so rounded
out her chapter on "Failure." Beyond doubt that tiny punctuation point
saved many lives. The besiegers were waxing impatient to assault, and
within the City famine mobs ran the streets, crying, "Corn and wood!
Corn and wood!" Those who could fled to the Republican camp. The
Austrians practically mutinied. Starving and dying thousands clamored
for surrender. Yet the ugly, revolting pigmy who was lieutenant of the
Empire held them back in the terror of his heartless cruelty.

Then the angel of mercy came. From her Marquez the tyrant learned that
his speculation in treachery had collapsed. Louis Napoleon wanted no
more of that stock. Besides, every French bayonet was needed in France.
The rabid Leopard heard, and that night mea