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beautiful enough what need has she of modesty. This modesty is only a kind of beauty patch which is put on when there are visitors—an enthralling gesture. I should like to see her ride. And do you know nothing more of her?”

“Only what they say in the taverns, sir—that she has stolen worship from the Blessed Saints.”

Captain Morgan dreamed long in his chair while the runner waited silently. At last Henry shook his head, as though to disengage it of cloying thoughts. He drew a pistol from his belt and gave it to the messenger.

“Take this to Don Juan Perez de Guzman, and say that this is a sample of the weapons we have used in laying Puerto Bello in the dust. But my other weapons are the strong hearts of my followers. I will not send him one of these, but I will bring him a great number. And tell him to keep the pistol for a year, when I myself will come to Panama to receive it from his own hands. Do you understand?”

“I do, sir.”

And in a few days the runner came again, bringing the pistol back, and a large square emerald set in a ring.

“My master begs that you accept this stone as a token of his regard. He begs that you do not give yourself the trouble to come to Panama, for then his duty would overwhelm his admiration and force him to hang you to a tree.”

“It is a good message,” said the captain; “a good, brave message. I should like to meet with Don