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〃Fear nothing； Excellencia！ We are yourswe will die for you； no
matter what Don Ramon； or the Comandante； or the Ayuntamiento；
shall decide。 Trust us； little one！pardonExcellencia； we
mean。〃
〃What IS the matter？〃 said Miss Keene； now thoroughly alarmed； and
releasing herself from the twining arms about her。 〃For Heaven's
sake let me go！ I must see somebody！ Where iswhere is Mrs。
Markham？〃
〃The Markham？ Is it the severe one？as thus；〃said Dona Isabel；
striking an attitude of infantine portentousness。
〃Yes；〃 said Miss Keene； smiling in spite of her alarm。
〃She is arrested。〃
〃Arrested！〃 said Eleanor Keene； her cheeks aflame with indignation。
〃For what？ Who dare do this thing？〃
〃The Comandante。 She has a missivea despatch from the
insurrectionaries。〃
Without another word； and feeling that she could stand the suspense
no longer； Miss Keene forced her way past the young girls；
unheeding their cries of consternation and apology； and quickly
reached the patio。 A single glance showed her that Mrs。 Brimmer
was gone。 With eyes and cheeks still burning； she swept past the
astounded peons； through the gateway； into the open plaza。 Only
one idea filled her mindto see the Commander； and demand the
release of her friend。 How she should do it； with what arguments
she should enforce her demand； never occurred to her。 She did not
even think of asking the assistance of Mr。 Brace； Mr。 Crosby； or
any of her fellow…passengers。 The consciousness of some vague
crisis that she alone could meet possessed her completely。
The plaza was swarming with a strange rabble of peons and soldiery；
of dark； lowering faces； odd…looking weapons and costumes； mules；
mustangs； and cattlea heterogeneous mass； swayed by some fierce
excitement。 That she saw none of the Excelsior party among them
did not surprise her； an instinct of some catastrophe more serious
than Mrs。 Brimmer's vague imaginings frightened but exalted her。
With head erect； leveled brows； and bright； determined eyes she
walked deliberately into the square。 The crowd parted and gave way
before this beautiful girl； with her bared head and its invincible
crest of chestnut curls。 Presently they began to follow her； with
a compressed murmur of admiration； until； before she was halfway
across the plaza； the sentries beside the gateway of the Presidio
were astonished at the vision of a fair…haired and triumphant
Pallas； who appeared to be leading the entire population of Todos
Santos to victorious attack。 In vain a solitary bugle blew； in
vain the rolling drum beat an alarm； the sympathetic guard only
presented arms as Miss Keene； flushed and excited； her eyes darkly
humid with gratified pride； swept past them into the actual
presence of the bewildered and indignant Comandante。
The only feminine consciousness she retained was that she was more
relieved at her deliverance from the wild cattle and unbroken
horses of her progress than from the Indians and soldiers。
〃I want to see Mrs。 Markham； and to know by what authority she is
arrested；〃 said Miss Keene boldly。
〃The Senor Comandante can hold no conference with you until you
disperse your party；〃 interpreted the secretary。
She was about to hurriedly reply that she knew nothing of the crowd
that had accompanied her； but she was withheld by a newly…born
instinct of tact。
〃How do I know that I shall not be arrested； like my friend？〃 she
said quickly。 〃She is as innocent as myself。〃
〃The Comandante pledges himself； as a hidalgo； that you shall not
be harmed。〃
Her first impulse was to advance to the nearest intruders at the
gate and say； 〃Do go away； please；〃 but she was doubtful of its
efficiency； and was already too exalted by the situation to be
satisfied with its prosaic weakness。 But her newly developed
diplomacy again came to her aid。 〃You may tell them so； if you
choose； I cannot answer for them；〃 she said； with apparent dark
significance。
The secretary advanced on the corridor and exchanged a few words
with her more impulsive followers。 Miss Keene； goddess…like and
beautiful； remained erect behind him； and sent them a dazzling
smile and ravishing wave of her little hand。 The crowd roared with
an effusive and bovine delight that half frightened her； and with a
dozen 〃Viva la Reyna Americanas！〃 she was hurried by the Comandante
into the guard…room。
〃You ask to know of what the Senora Markham is accused；〃 said the
Commander； more gently。 〃She has received correspondence from the
piratePerkins！〃
〃The piratePerkins？〃 said Miss Keene； with indignant incredulity。
〃The buccaneer who wrote that letter。 Read it to her； Manuel。〃
The secretary took his eyes from the young girl's glowing face；
coughed slightly； and then read as follows：
〃ON BOARD THE EXCELSIOR； of the Quinquinambo
Independent States Navy； August 8； 1854。
〃To Captain Bunker。Sir；〃 。 。 。
〃But this is not addressed to YOU！〃 interrupted Miss Keene
indignantly。
〃The Captain Bunker is a raving madman；〃 said the Commander
gravely。 〃Read on！〃
The color gradually faded from the young girl's cheek as the
secretary continued； in a monotonous voice：
〃I have the honor to inform you that the barque Excelsior was； on
the 8th of July； 1854； and the first year of the Quinquinambo
Independence； formally condemned by the Federal Council of
Quinquinambo； for having aided and assisted the enemy with
munitions of war and supplies； against the law of nations； and the
tacit and implied good…will between the Republic of the United
States and the struggling Confederacies of South America； and that；
in pursuance thereof； and under the law of reprisals and letters of
marque； was taken possession of by me yesterday。 The goods and
personal effects belonging to the passengers and yourself have been
safely landed at the Embarcadero of Todos Santosa neutral port
by my directions； my interpretation of the orders of the Federal
Council excepting innocent non…combatants and their official
protector from confiscation or amercement。
〃I take the liberty of requesting you to hand the inclosed order on
the Treasury of the Quinquinambo Confederate States to Don Miguel
Briones； in payment of certain stores and provisions； and of a
piece of ordnance known as the saluting cannon of the Presidio of
Todos Santos。 Vigilancia！
〃Your obedient servant；
〃LEONIDAS BOLIVAR PERKINS；
〃Generalissimo Commanding Land and Sea Forces；
Quinquinambo Independent States。〃
In her consternation at this fuller realization of the vague
catastrophe； Miss Keene still clung to the idea that had brought
her there。
〃But Mrs。 Markham has nothing to do with all this？〃
〃Then why does she refuse to give up her secret correspondence with
the pirate Perkins？〃 returned the secretary。
Miss Keene hesitated。 Had Mrs。 Markham any previous knowledge of
the Senor's