Captain Blood had so admirably urged already on his behalf--that if the
terms he had made with the buccaneers were not confirmed there was no
harm done. M. de Rivarol bullied and browbeat him into silence.

Having exhausted abuse, the Baron proceeded to indignities. Since he
accounted that M. de Cussy had proved himself unworthy of the post he
held, M. de Rivarol took over the responsibilities of that post for as
long as he might remain in Hispaniola, and to give effect to this he
began by bringing soldiers from his ships, and setting his own guard in
M. de Cussy's castle.

Out of this, trouble followed quickly. Wolverstone coming ashore next
morning in the picturesque garb that he affected, his head swathed in a
coloured handkerchief, was jeered at by an officer of the newly landed
French troops. Not accustomed to derision, Wolverstone replied in kind
and with interest. The officer passed to insult, and Wolverstone struck
him a blow that felled him, and left him only the half of his poor
senses. Within the hour the matter was reported to M. de Rivarol, and
before noon, by M. de Rivarol's orders, Wolverstone was under arrest in
the castle.

The Baron had just sat down to dinner with M. de Cussy when the negro
who waited on them announced Captain Blood. Peevishly M. de Rivarol bade
him be admitted, and there entered now into his presence a spruce and
modish gentleman, dressed with care and sombre richness in black and
silver, his swarthy, clear-cut face scrupulously shaven, his long black
hair in ringlets that fell to a collar of fine point. In his right hand
the gentleman carried a broad black hat with a scarlet ostrich-plume,
in his left hand an ebony cane. His stockings were of silk, a bunch of
ribbons masked his garters, and the black rosettes on his shoes were
finely edged with gold.

For a moment M. de Rivarol did not recognize him. For Blood looked
younger by ten years than yesterday. But the vivid blue eyes under their
level black brows were not to be forgotten, and they proclaimed him for
the man announced even before he had spoken. His resurrected pride had
demanded that he should put himself on an equality with the baron and
advertise that equality by his exterior.

"I come inopportunely," he courteously excused himself. "My apologies.
My business could not wait. It concerns, M. de Cussy, Captain
Wolverstone of the Lachesis, whom you have placed under arrest."

"It was I who placed him under arrest," sa