nose with a penholder.

"You can say that we shall send a special commissioner to the M'fusi
country to report, and that he will remain permanently established in
the M'fusi to suppress lawless acts."

The doctor looked up wonderingly.

"Pinto won't like that," said he, "besides which, the M'fusi are quite
unmanageable. The last time we tried to bring them to reason it
cost--Santa Maria!... and the lives!... phew!"

Colhemos nodded.

"The duc de Sagosta," he said slowly, "is an enthusiastic young man. He
is also a royalist and allied by family ties to Dr. Ceillo of the Left.
He is, moreover, an Anglomaniac--though why he should be so when his
mother was an American woman I do not know. He shall be our
commissioner, my dear Baptisa."

His dear Baptisa sat bolt upright, every hair in his bristling head
erect.

"A royalist!" he gasped, "do you want to set Portugal ablaze?"

"There are moments when I could answer 'Yes' to that question," said the
truthful Colhemos "but for the moment I am satisfied that there will be
no fireworks. It will do no harm to send the boy. It will placate the
Left and please the Clerics--it will also consolidate our reputation for
liberality and largeness of mind. Also the young man will either be
killed or fall a victim to the sinister influences of that corruption
which, alas, has so entered into the vitals of our Colonial service."

So Manuel duc de Sagosta was summoned, and prepared for the subject of
his visit by telephone, came racing up from Cintra in his big American
juggernaut, leapt up the stairs of the Colonial Office two at a time,
and came to Colhemos' presence in a state of mind which may be described
as a big mental whoop.

"You will understand, Senhor," said Colhemos, "that I am doing that
which may make me unpopular. For that I care nothing! My country is my
first thought, and the glory and honour of our flag! Some day you may
hold my portfolio in the Cabinet, and it will be well if you bring to
your high and noble office the experience...."

Then they all talked together, and the dark room flickered with
gesticulating palms.

Colhemos came to see the boy off by the M.N.P. boat which carried him to
the African Coast.

"I suppose, Senhor," said the duc, "there would be no objection on the
part of the Government to my calling on my way at a certain British
port. I have a friend in the English army--we were at Clifton
together----"

"My friend," said Colhemos, pres