“It was at San Juan Capistrano that I first met discourtesy,” the caballero went on. “They knew of this Fly-by-Night’s insult to the _señorita_, assumed I was the man come to win her, and gave me to understand how they regarded me. Sorry trouble I faced by pretending to be another man. “Then the real Fly-by-Night came, and because Rojerio Rocha was due, he was hailed as such. It amused him, no doubt, to be called Rocha and introduced to the _señorita_, placed in a position to win her. Moreover, it gave him a chance to continue plotting in security--for who would suspect Rojerio Rocha? You understand? And I could say nothing then, being known as Fly-by-Night. Oh, it was a pretty mess! Things were happening with such rapidity that he was not asked to show credentials, of course----” “And you faced death,” said the Governor, “became fugitive, allowed people to call you despicable in order to be of service to the state? A worthy caballero!” “That was not all the object,” the caballero replied, laughing lightly and looking at Anita again. “I had heard of Fly-by-Night’s boast, you see; and when they took me for him I thought it would be a lark to approach the _señorita_ in that guise. I was coming to wed her at her father’s request, you see. We were as good as wed, you might say, yet never had seen each other. How much better--I am sure you will understand, excellency--to win her true love under another name, to be sure she was wedding the man, not the distant relative her father had commanded her to wed. “You see my point? And, if I could win her love as Captain Fly-by-Night, the man she despised--if I could turn her hatred and repugnance to affection, would I not be sure it was real love?” “Hah!” the Governor cried, and looked at the blushing girl. “It was done,” the caballero said. “And--thank the saints, it has been proved the love is real!” And then he crossed before them, and Anita, seeing him coming, got upon her feet, and he took her into his arms and kissed her there before them all. A padre lifted hand in blessing; Señora Vallejo smiled; the Governor nodded in approval; Gonzales, good pirate, swore softly under his breath at this display of young affection; and Sergeant Cassara slapped his thigh and cried unto the sky. “_Dios!_ So I cannot slay him after all? He is a friend of the Governor, eh? Not Fly-by-Night, but Rojerio Rocha, a proper fellow! I shall go mad! Better, I shall go to sleep for the saints know I need it!” He threw himself on the ground against the wall; and presently he snored. And so the tale ends as it began, with Sergeant Carlos Cassara. THE END Transcriber’s Notes 1. Spelling, punctuation, and hyphenation were corrected for consistency. Archaic spelling was retained. 2. Quotation marks were added for clarity when the placement was obvious. 3. Simple typographical errors were corrected. 4. Duplicate title removed from p. 9.