highlands some two days' ride from the coast. Aiken expressed the
greatest concern at this, and was for at once turning back. His
agitation was so convincing, he was apparently so frightened, that,
until he threw a quick wink at me, I confess I was completely taken
in. For some time he refused to be calmed, and it was only when the
captain assured him that his official position would protect him from
any personal danger that he consented to ride on. Before we crossed
the town limits he had made it quite evident that the officer himself
was solely responsible for his continuing on his journey, and he
denounced Laguerre and all his works with a picturesqueness of
language and a sincerity that filled me with confusion. I even began
to doubt if after all Aiken was not playing a game for both sides, and
might not end my career by leading me into a trap. After we rode on I
considered the possibility of this quite seriously, and I was not
reassured until I heard the _mozo_, with many chuckles and shrugs of
the shoulder, congratulate Aiken on the way he had made a fool of the
captain.

"That's called diplomacy, Jose," Aiken told him. "That's my
statecraft. It's because I have so much statecraft that I am a consul.
You keep your eye on this American consul, Jose, and you'll learn a
lot of statecraft."

Jose showed his teeth and grinned, and after he had dropped into a
line behind us we could hear him still chuckling.

"You would be a great success in secret service work, Aiken," I said,
"or on the stage."

We were riding in single file, and in order to see my face in the