He divested the rose of its thorns and many
tight little buds, and thrust the stem underneath the
star of St. Ann. She lifted her chin again and
tossed her head.

"You do not trust me, but you will. I fancy it
will be before long--for it is quite true that the
Californians are not so easily outwitted. And--
even did I not help you, I would not--I vow, senor!
--betray you. Is it true that Russia is at war with
Spain?"

"What?"

"Have you not heard? It was for that we were
all so excited this morning. We thought your ship
might be the first of a fleet."

"I have heard no such rumor, and you may dis-
miss it. Russia is too much occupied with Napo-
leon Bonaparte, who has had himself crowned Em-
peror, and by this time is probably at war with
half Europe--"

She interrupted him with flashing eye. The pink
in her cheeks had turned red. The thin nostrils of
her pretty Roman nose fluttered like paper. "Ah!"
she exclaimed, again with that note of hoarseness
in her voice. "There is a great man, not a mere
king on a throne his ancestors made for him. Papa