The Commodore's features were keen and powerful. Heavy eyebrows stood out across his forehead. A strong chin, cleft in the middle, balanced a well-carved nose. His lips shut like the jaws of a trap. His hair, bushy and dark, glanced grayish in the light. Withal a kindly smile seemed rarely absent from his face. A martinet on the quarterdeck, off it he was the most genial of men. "I have not inquired how your friend met his accident," from the señora. "We set out at daybreak this morning expecting to make our destination by night. In the afternoon something frightened my friend's horse. It took the bit in its teeth, and jumped over the bank of a ravine. Luckily, there was a pond of water at the bottom. My friend was disabled. The horse escaped despite our guide's efforts to lasso it. The guide set out to get another mount. Time passed, and he did not return. I tied my horse, securely, I thought, and climbed a high hill to get sight of some habitation. I could see none. I returned to find my own horse gone. Then we set out on foot to find shelter. I knew the Camino Real was somewhere to the east of us. Our progress was necessarily slow. Darkness came. After wandering aimlessly for a while we built the fire which the major-domo saw. Then," smiling, "the hospitality of California was offered." "Señor Miramonte will rejoice, I know, when he learns that Señor Jones and his friend--the name--I did not hear it----" "My friend's name is Smith." "Ah!--Smith. Señor Miramonte will rejoice that his house could give hospitality to the Señors Jones and Smith--unusual names. No?" She looked him full in the eyes, her smile inscrutable. "California's hospitality is proverbial the world over," was his evasive reply. "Ah! yes. Ah! yes. The world over, you say. I too have been much about. May it not be, Señor--ah!--Jones, that we have met before? Was it, perhaps, in London three years ago, or, even in your capital, Washington, two years past?" "Señora Valentino, let me say, once having seen you no man could forget you. It was in Washington, also in London; and, before that, in Vienna, that I had the pleasure of knowing you." "And the Señor Smith, your companion?" smilingly. "Madam, I cry a truce of this. I am Commodore Billings, of the American navy. The man with me is Captain Hamilton, of my flagship. For the present neither of us cares to be thus known." The woman arched her eyebrows. "That is entirely the affair of the Señor Commodore and the Señor Capitan. Still, why so far from the flagship?" "We were riding incognito through a peaceful and friendly land, señora." "Rumors float about, Señor Officer." The man looked into the fire for a moment. "Señora Valentino, I have told you who I am. I will tell you also that I am in command of the Pacific squadron of the American navy. Will you be as candid with me, and tell me why you are in this country?"