back of the house, and the noise of a guitar falling down a
flight of steps. ``I have probably killed a very good cook,''
said Clay, ``as I should as certainly kill you, if I were to
meet you. Langham,'' he continued, ``go tell that cook to come
back.''

The General sprang into his saddle, and the altitude it gave him
seemed to bring back some of the jauntiness he had lost.

``That was very pretty,'' he said; ``you have been a cowboy, so
they tell me. It is quite evident by your manners. No matter,
if we do not meet to-morrow it will be because I have more
serious work to do. Two months from to-day there will be a new
Government in Olancho and a new President, and the mines will
have a new director. I have tried to be your friend, Mr. Clay.
See how you like me for an enemy. Goodnight, gentlemen.''

``Good-night,'' said MacWilliams, unmoved. ``Please ask your man
to close the gate after you.''

When the sound of the hoofs had died away the men still stood in
an uncomfortable silence, with Clay twirling the revolver around
his middle finger. ``I'm sorry I had to make a gallery play of
that sort,'' he said. ``But it was the only way to make that
sort of man understand.''

Langham sighed and shook his head ruefully.

``Well,'' he said, ``I thought all the trouble was over, but it
looks to me as though it had just begun. So far as I can see