"Her father was a Mexican of Andalusian
descent. But her mother was descended
from the race of Azatlan: there are records
and relics indicating that her ancestors were
princes in Tenochtitlan before Cortez made
trouble there."

"And I've been losing my heart to a
princess, and never realized my audacity!"
exclaimed the professor, laying his hand on
his waistcoat and making an obeisance to
Miriam.

She tossed her free foot, and played with
the fringe of her reboso.

"I will tell my maid to look for it," she
said; "but I think you must have left it in
papa's curiosity-room."

"No: I'm an Aztec sacrifice!" cried the
professor; and they all laughed. "One
would hardly have anticipated," he resumed
after a pause, addressing Trednoke, "that
you would have made a double conquest,--
first of the men, and then of the woman!"

"The woman conquered me, without
trying or wishing to, and then, because she