d him anything of the sort," she flamed.

"I didn't quite ask what you had told him. The question is whether you
love him."

"But no; I love you," she blushed.

"I hope so," smiled her father. "But do you love him? An honest answer,
if you please."

"Could I love a rebel?"

"No Yankee answers, muchacha. Do you love Juan Valdez?"

It was Valdez that broke triumphantly the moment's silence that
followed. "She does. She does. I claim the consent of silence."

But victory spoke too prematurely in his voice. Cried the proud Spanish
girl passionately: "I hate him!"

Megales understood the quality of her hate, and beckoned to his future
son-in-law. "I have some arrangements to make for our journey to-night.
Would it distress you, senor, if I were to leave you for a while?"

He slipped out and left them alone.

"Well?" asked O'Halloran, who had remained in the corridor.

"I think, Senor Dictator, I shall have to make the trip with only
General Carlo for a companion," answered the Spaniard.

The Irishman swung his hat. "Hip, hip, hurrah! You're a gentleman I
could find it in me heart to both love and hate, governor."

"And you're a gentleman," returned the governor, with a bow, "I could
find it in my heart to hang high as Haman without love or hate."

Michael linked his arm in that of his excellency.

"Sure, you're a broth of a lad, Senor Megales," he said irreverently,
in good, broad Irish brogue. "Here, me bye, where are you hurrying?"
he added, catching at the sleeve of Frances Mackenzie, who was slipping
quietly past.

"Please, Mr. O'Halloran, I've been up to the office after water. I'm
taking it to Senorita Carmencita."

"She doesn't want water just now. You go back to the office, son,
and stay there thirty minutes. Then you take her that water," ordered
O'Halloran.

"But she wanted it as soon as I could get it, sir."

"Forget it, kid, just as she has. Water! Why, she's drinking nectar of
the gods. Just you do as I tell ye."

Frances was puzzled, but she obeyed, even though she could not
understand his meaning. She understood better when she slid back the
panel at the expiration of the allotted time and caught a glimpse of
Carmencita Megales in the arms of Juan Valdez.

CHAPTER 17. HIDDEN VALLEY

Across the desert into the hills, where the sun was setting in a great
splash of crimson in the saddle between two distant peaks, a bunch of
cows trailed heavily. Their tongues hung out and they pant