Jones was a modest man, and being thus made aware of the havoc the draught was playing with his airy covering, he hastily closed the door, and said to me appealingly: "It's all right, sir, I suppose?" "Perfectly right," said I. "But highly confidential," added the President. "And you will put me under a personal obligation, Mr. Jones, and at the same time fulfill your duty to your employers, if you preserve silence till the transaction is officially announced. A man who serves me does not regret it." Here he was making the most of another opportunity--Jones this time. "Enough of this," I said. "I will go over the matter in the morning, and meanwhile hadn't you better go back to--" "Mrs. Jones," interjected his Excellency. "And mind, silence, Mr. Jones!" He walked up to Jones as he said this, and looked hard at him. "Silent men prosper best, and live longest, Mr. Jones." Jones looked into his steely eyes, and suddenly fell all of a tremble. The President was satisfied. He abruptly pushed him out of the room, and we heard his shambling steps going up the staircase. His Excellency turned to me, and said with apparent annoyance: "You leave a great deal to me, Mr. Martin." He had certainly done more than tell Jones it was a fine morning. But I was too much troubled to thank him; I was thinking of the cable. The President divined my thoughts, and said: "You must prepare that cable." "Yes," I replied; "that would reassure him. But I haven't had much practice in that sort of thing, and I don't quite know--" The President scribbled a few words on a bit of paper, and said: "Take that to the post office and they'll give you the proper form; you can fill it up." Certainly some things go easily if the head of the state is your fellow-criminal. "And now, Mr. Martin, it grows late. I have my securities; you have your bonds. We have won over Jones. All goes well. Aureataland is saved. You have made your fortune, for there lie your sixty-five thousand dollars. And, in fine, I am much obliged to you. I will not trouble you to attend me on my return. Good-night, Mr. Martin." He went out, and I threw myself down in my office chair, and sat gazing at the bonds he had left me. I wondered whether he had merely made a tool of me; whether I could trust him; whether I had done well to sacrifice my honesty, relying on his promises. And yet there lay my reward; and, as purely moral considerations did not trouble me, I soon arose, put the Government bonds and the sixty-five thousand dollars in securities in the safe, locked up everything, and went home to my lodgings. As I went in it was broad daylight, for the clock had gone five, and I met Father Jacques sallying forth. He had already breakfasted, and was on his way to administer early consolation to the flower-women in the Piazza. He stopped me with a grieved look, and said: "Ah, my friend, these are untimely hours." I saw I was laboring under an unjust suspicion--a most revolting thing.