have a good dinner to-night."

They left me, and I rode to the palace to make my daily report to the
president. I was relieved to find that both he and Webster were so
deep in affairs of state that they had heard nothing of my row in the
Plaza, nor of the duel to follow. They were happy as two children
building forts of sand on the sea-shore. They had rescinded taxes,
altered the tariffs, reorganized the law-courts, taken over the
custom-houses by telegraph, and every five minutes were receiving
addresses from delegations of prominent Honduranians. Nicaragua and
Salvador had both recognized their government, and concession hunters
were already cooling their heels in the ante-room. In every town and
seaport the adherents of Garcia had swung over to Laguerre and our
government, and our flag was now flying in every part of Honduras. It
was the flag of Walker, with the five-pointed blood-red star. We did
not explain the significance of the five points.

I reported that my scouts had located Alvarez and Garcia in the hills
some five miles distant from the capital, that they were preparing a
permanent camp there, and that they gave no evidence of any immediate
intention of attacking the city. General Laguerre was already informed
of the arrival of Mr. Fiske, and had arranged to give him an audience
the following morning. He hoped in this interview to make clear to him
how just was the people's claim for the half million due them, and to
obtain his guaranty that the money should be paid.

As I was leaving the palace I met Aiken. He was in his most cynical
mood. He said that the air was filled with plots and counter-plots,
and that treachery stalked abroad. He had been unsuccessful in trying
to persuade the president to relieve Heinze of his command on