“Of course I’m wholly wrong, and my training and traditions are absurdly old-fashioned, but I’ve been brought up to believe that the American who will run from a fight, or who will not stand up at home or abroad for American rights, American womanhood, and the American flag, isn’t a man.” “Oh, keep it for the Fourth of July,” returned Perkins wearily. “You can’t get me into a fight.” “Fight?” Carroll laughed shortly. “If you had the traditions of a gentleman, you would not require any more provocation.” “If I had the traditions of a deranged doodle bug, I’d go around hunting trouble in a country that is full of it for foreigners—even those who behave themselves like sane human beings.” “Meaning, perhaps, that I’m not a sane human being?” inquired the Southerner. “Do you think you act like it? To satisfy your own petty vanity of courage, you’d involve all of us in difficulties of which you know nothing. We’re living over a powder magazine here, and you want to light matches to show what a hero you are. Traditions! Don’t you talk to me about traditions! If you can serve your country or a woman better by running away than by fighting, the sensible thing to do is to run away. The best thing you can do is to keep quiet and let Von Plaanden drop. Otherwise, you’ll have Miss Brewster the center of—” “Keep your tongue from that lady’s name!” warned Carroll. “You’re giving a good many orders,” said the other slowly. “But I’ll do almost anything just now to keep you peaceable, and to convince you that you must let Von Plaanden strictly alone.” “Just as surely as I meet him,” said the Southerner ominously, “on my word of honor—” “Wait a moment,” broke in the other sharply. “Don’t commit yourself until you’ve heard me. Just around the corner from here is a _cuartel_. It isn’t a nice clean jail like ours at home. Fleas are the pleasantest companions in the place. When a man—particularly an obnoxious foreigner—lands there, they are rather more than likely to forget little incidentals like food and water. And if he should happen to be of a nation without diplomatic representation here, as is the case with the United States at present, he might well lie there _incomunicado_ until his hearing, which might be in two days or might not be for a month. Is that correct, Mr. Raimonda?” “Essentially,” confirmed the Caracuñan. “When you are through trying to frighten me—” began Carroll contemptuously. “Frighten you? I’m not so foolish as to waste time that way. I’m trying to warn you.” “Are you quite done?” “I am not. On _my_ honor—” He broke off as Carroll smiled. “Smile if you like, but believe what I’m telling you. Unless you agree to keep your hands and tongue off Von Plaanden I’ll lay an information which will land you in the _cuartel_ within an hour.” The smile froze on the Southerner’s lips. “Could he do that?” he asked Raimonda.