"It is enough," he said, "Francisco Alvarez, you are guilty of attempting
to usurp to yourself the powers that belong only to his Majesty, the King
of Spain. I can conceive of a man of your knowledge and craft writing such
a letter as this upon only one possibility, and that possibility has
passed. The galleon, Doña Isabel, from Spain came this morning up the
Mississippi and she brings letters from Madrid. Your friends at the court,
powerful as they are, have failed. You are not to be the Governor General
of Louisiana. I am confirmed in my appointment and you remain under my
authority."

"What do you intend to do?" asked Alvarez.

The words came from a dry throat, and they had a harsh, rasping sound.

"The galleon, Doña Isabel, returns to Spain next week. You will remain a
prisoner in one of the forts until then, when you are to go to Spain on
the galleon to answer there for your acts here. The man, Wyatt, is not a
Spanish subject, but he must leave New Orleans within an hour. The five
who have been held in the fort are released from this moment. Lieutenant
Bernal, take away the prisoner."

It was the cause of intense gratification to Lieutenant Diégo Bernal that
he had been permitted to see the last and most striking part of this
drama. Francisco Alvarez had treated him with scorn more than once, and it
was not his part or that of Bernardo Galvez to insult a fallen enemy. He
merely put his hand lightly on the sleeve of Alvarez, and the prisoner,
without a word, followed him.