ue momentarily, he would be a legitimate
belligerent and not a trespasser, because since he had stumbled amuck of
Maximilian's authority, another joust was needed to correct the first.
It all depended on whether Miss--Miss--if the senorita--still wished to
go by land.

"If monsieur will have the condescension," returned Jacqueline.

Then out came the brace of navies once more, as naturally as the order
book of the grocer's clerk on your back porch. Involuntarily Ney reached
for his cap.

"Now captain," said Driscoll.

Fra Diavolo took the cue instantly. "A-i, mis muchachos!" he called, and
the little demons came hurrying back, like a damned host with a new hope
of heaven.

If there were any police about, or had been, they were mysteriously
indifferent. But Jacqueline did just as well. No one had thought to put
her back in the cafe, and she promptly took a hand in the man's game.

"Michel Ney," she commanded, "do you hear me; lower that pistol!"

"You, you wish me to surrender, mademoiselle?"

"You know I don't! If anyone even asks it, I will go back to the ship
with you, at once."

"But I, I don't understand."

"You understand that I want your escort overland. Is it gallant, then,
to disappoint me by getting yourself killed?"

"But all your trunks are on the ship."

Jacqueline turned to her Fra Diavolo. He could answer that? To be sure
he could, and he was honored. He suggested, with her permission, that
she spend the night on shore, she and her maid, since the cafe was also
a hotel. Meantime, the sailors could bring what she needed from the
boat.

As he listened, Ney's slow thoughts came to a focus. And when Jacqueline
turned to him again, he gave way graciously, which brought on him a
sharp scrutiny from the ranchero. However, the truce between the two
antagonists was patched up with a readiness on both sides. Ney restored
to Fra Diavolo his pistol, and had his own weapons back in exchange.
Next he took the ship's steward aside, apparently to instruct him about
bringing the trunk. "And steward," he whispered, "don't forget to make
it urgent. The skipper must land all the troops on board at once." He
decided that meantime he would stroll up to the fort on his own account,
and bring down more aid from there.

"Now then," reflected the beaming young Gaul, "our _spirituelle_
little marquise will find that one may have wits, and not read her dense
old poets, either."

He opened the cafe door for her and