per. Deliberately he wraps the
pearl in one of the tissue leaves, and, looking steadily at me, pushes
the new treasure far into a corner of the crested case. There is more
significance than mirth in the laugh with which he says:

"I vill show all unbeliefers dthat I know how to value and to _keep_ a
pearl vhen I find von."

Mrs. Steele succumbs to one of her old headaches on our return to the
steamer, and I pass the greater part of the day in seclusion with her.
After luncheon, as I linger to superintend the arrangements of the
invalid's tea-tray, the Baron joins me.

"I am vairy sorry about Madame Steele's headache. Tell me, please,
vhat can I do?"

"Nothing, thank you," I say; "there is no remedy. She is accustomed to
these attacks."

"If nodthing does gude dthen vhy stay you efer in dthat room; you vill
be ill, too."

"Oh, no," I say, "no fear of that."

"But," he insists, "if you do nodthing only sit in dthat room, let me
stay vidth her and you come out in dthe air. Madame Steele ees not
like you; she like me vairy vell."

"She likes me better, and I can't leave her."

"Haf you no care for your healdth? You air not fit to take care of
yourself--dthat old voman in Acapulco vas right; you should nefer be
leaf alone."

"Doesn't it ever occur to you that I might be so accustomed to
managing my own affairs that interference from an outsider might seem
strange?"

"Outsidah!" he repeats. "I know not dthat word. I know only dthat you
American vomans haf yust one fault: you air--how you zay?--spoil vidth
too great power; you raispect no von's judgment, you need zome strong
man to rule."

"To rule!" I echo, scornfully; "that may do for Peruvians, but our
women are neither slaves nor imbeciles."

"No," he retorts, "but zome zay your men air a leedle of bodth!"

"It is not to the credit of 'some'"--I set down the salt cellar hard
on the tray--"that they fail to appreciate my countrymen. They have at
least encouraged our learning to take such good care of ourselves that
no Peruvian need trouble his head about us."

I beckon to the Chinese waiter.

"Take this tray up to 49," and I follow him with some show of
disdain. Senor Noma meets me at the foot of the dining-room stairs.

"I haf sent for a jar of chili-peppers for Mrs. Steele. Will you say
your friend I raicommend chili-peppers, and I advice you put a little
cayenne in the bif-tea. It makes vairy seeck without."

"Thank you, Senor Noma," I say; "Wah-