oom, his
hand on the hilt of his sword, and poured out at me a torrent of Spanish
of which I understood nothing. All at once his eye fell upon Helene, who
was standing behind me, and he stopped in the middle of his speech and
pulled off his hat and bowed profoundly.

"Madame la Vicomtesse!" he stammered. I was no little surprised that she
should be so well known.

"You will please to speak French, Monsieur," she said; "this gentleman
does not understand Spanish. What is it you desire?"

"A thousand pardons, Madame la Vicomtesse," he said. "I am the Alcalde
de Barrio, and a wild Americano has passed the sentry at St. Charles's
gate without heeding his Excellency's authority and command. I saw the
man with my own eyes. I should know him again in a hundred. We have
traced him here to this house, Madame la Vicomtesse. Behold the horse
which he rode!" The Alcalde turned and pointed at the beast. "Behold
the horse which he rode, Madame la Vicomtesse. The animal will die."

"Probably," answered the Vicomtesse, in an even tone.

"But the man," cried the Alcalde, "the man is here, Madame la Vicomtesse,
here, in this house!"

"Yes," she said, "he is here."

"Sancta Maria! Madame," he exclaimed, "I--I who speak to you have come to
get him. He has defied his Excellency's commands. Where is he?"

"He is in that room," said the Vicomtesse, pointing at the bedroom door.

The Alcalde took a step forward. She stopped him by a quick gesture.

"He is in that room with his mother," she said, "and his mother has the
yellow fever. Come, we will go to him." And she put her hand upon the
door.

"Yellow fever!" cried the Alcalde, and his voice was thick with terror.
There was a moment's silence as he stood rooted to the floor. I did not
wonder then, but I have since thought it remarkable that the words spoken
low by both of them should have been caught up on the banquette and
passed into the street. Impassive, I heard it echoed from a score of
throats, I saw men and women stampeding like frightened sheep, I heard
their footfalls and their cries as they ran. A tawdry constable, who
held with a trembling hand the bridle of the tired horse, alone remained.

"Yellow fever!" the Alcalde repeated

The Vicomtesse inclined her head.

He was silent again for a while, uncertain, and then, without
comprehending, I saw the man's eyes grow smaller and a smile play about
his mouth. He looked at the Vicomtesse with a new admiration to which
s