"Heard your voice, my friend, and couldn't stand on ceremony. Have you received the news? Most interesting it is. Well, the governor has resigned and I am made acting-governor of the province pending the new appointment. The former governor is still in Mexico City. Fussy old curmudgeon he is. Should have resigned years ago. What I want to know, Señor Mendoza, is, are you laying plans to capture the office? If you are not, I am sure of getting it, as sure of it as if it was in my pocket here," tapping his breast-pocket vigorously. "What say you, Mendoza?" slapping the señor's shoulder with heavy palm. "I have pledged myself to remain administrator while the need lasts," replied Mendoza, glancing at the friar. "The need yet exists, and I cannot hold two offices." "Splendid! Splendid!" exulted Barcelo. "I'll take my chances against the other aspirants, and you may be assured there will be enough of them." The Padre Lusciano Osuna had arisen. The exuberant Colonel now noticed him for the first time. "Reverend sir, my obeisance! Kindly do not repeat what I have said of my political hopes." Osuna bowed and smiled. "As you wish, sir." At that moment Señora Barcelo and his sister entered. "My husband is irrepressible. He actually bubbles over like a mineral spring. He requests a private interview, then shouts his secrets from the housetops. Reverend padre, I'm delighted to see you well again. Delighted! How pleasant to meet you on such an occasion as this! Reverend Padre Osuna, my sister, Señora Valentino, very lately from Spain. She was with us the night you led those men to us in the rain. No time for introductions then, of course. Ugh! what an experience!" The friar and Señora Valentino acknowledged the introduction. "Yes, yes, Señor Padre," exclaimed Barcelo, "what rag-and-bobtail followed you that night! But it's the way with Indians. They run as children after anything that promises excitement. How like wet-dogs-on-horseback they looked. Poor Mendoza here quite lost his head when his daughter's carreta turned up missing. Lucky I was there. Why, just send your Indians back-trail in such a case and they can find anything." The Colonel looked around in a self-satisfied way. "Why, husband," said Señora Barcelo, "how you so talk! As I say, you are so irrepressible! It always seems you are nowhere but just in the front of everything." "Quite the place for a soldier, señora, quite the place." Here Mendoza interposed. "Señoras and señors, will you not be seated?" "Certainly," replied Barcelo. "Certainly." "Colonel Barcelo, may I ask you if anything has been heard of the Englishman who two days ago disappeared in Monterey City?" said Señor Mendoza. "Ha! ha! ha!" laughed the stentorian Colonel. "Why, ha! ha! ha! I should say something has been heard of the fellow. He walked into my house half an hour before I left with some cock-and-bull story of having been kidnaped. Kidnaped! Ha! ha! ha! Good!"