e San Tome mine, but I would rather he didn't know anything as yet of
my--my hopes."

A puzzled look came upon Mrs. Gould's face, and Decoud, approaching,
explained confidentially--

"Don't you see, he's such an idealist."

Mrs. Gould flushed pink, and her eyes grew darker at the same time.

"Charley an idealist!" she said, as if to herself, wonderingly. "What on
earth do you mean?"

"Yes," conceded Decoud, "it's a wonderful thing to say with the sight
of the San Tome mine, the greatest fact in the whole of South America,
perhaps, before our very eyes. But look even at that, he has idealized
this fact to a point--" He paused. "Mrs. Gould, are you aware to what
point he has idealized the existence, the worth, the meaning of the San
Tome mine? Are you aware of it?"

He must have known what he was talking about.

The effect he expected was produced. Mrs. Gould, ready to take fire,
gave it up suddenly with a low little sound that resembled a moan.

"What do you know?" she asked in a feeble voice.

"Nothing," answered Decoud, firmly. "But, then, don't you see, he's an
Englishman?"

"Well, what of that?" asked Mrs. Gould.

"Simply that he cannot act or exist without idealizing every simple
feeling, desire, or achievement. He could not believe his own motives if
he did not make them first a part of some fairy tale. The earth is not
quite good enough for him, I fear. Do you excuse my frankness? Besides,
whether you excuse it or not, it is part of the truth of things which
hurts the--what do you call them?--the Anglo-Saxon's susceptibilities,
and at the present moment I don't feel as if I could treat seriously
either his conception of things or--if you allow me to say so--or yet
yours."

Mrs. Gould gave no sign of being offended. "I suppose Antonia
understands you thoroughly?"

"Understands? Well, yes. But I am not sure that she approves. That,
however, makes no difference. I am honest enough to tell you that, Mrs.
Gould."

"Your idea, of course, is separation," she said.

"Separation, of course," declared Martin. "Yes; separation of the whole
Occidental Province from the rest of the unquiet body. But my true idea,
the only one I care for, is not to be separated from Antonia."

"And that is all?" asked Mrs. Gould, without severity.

"Absolutely. I am not deceiving myself about my motives. She won't leave
Sulaco for my sake, therefore Sulaco must leave the rest of the Republic
to its fate. Nothing could be c