"What say you, Juan? Oh, it was terrible! He said, if I became not his wife, that he would plunge the country into war. I did not believe that he could do so or would dare to do so. I refused. Then he spoke of my love for you, and swore to kill you." "He'll have to catch me first, Dolores." "'There will be war,' said this terrible one, 'and I will tear down the walls of Tlatonac to seize you. This Americano will I slay and give his body to the dogs.'" "All idle talk, mi cara," said Duval, scornfully; "I can protect myself and you. What more did he say?" "Little more; but it was the same kind of talk. When he departed, I spoke to my uncle; but Don Hypolito had by that time gone to Acauhtzin." "Was Don Miguel angry?" "Very angry! But he could do nothing. Don Hypolito was far away on the waters." "And will return with fire and blood," said Jack, gloomily; "but never fear, Dolores. My friends and myself will protect you from this insolent one. If we are conquered, we shall fly to my own land in the vessel of Don Felipe!" "But what of Eulalia?" "Ah!" replied her lover, waggishly; "I think you can trust Don Felipe to look after Eulalia." "Do you think there will be a war, Juan?" "It looks like it. However, we shall know for certain when the messenger comes back from Acauhtzin." "Yes; my uncle told me the boat had gone up to-day to bid the fleet return." "A wild-goose chase only," thought Jack, but held his peace, lest he should alarm Dolores. Fearful of attracting her uncle's attention by speaking too much to Jack, the Spanish beauty crossed over to where Philip and Eulalia were sitting. "Señor Felipe!" said Dolores, gaily, "wherefore do you laugh?" "It is at Don Pedro and my good aunt," replied Eulalia, before Philip could speak. "Behold them, Dolores, making signs like wooden puppets." Dolores turned her eyes towards the couple leaning over the azotea railing, and began to laugh also. Then Jack came over and demanded to be informed of the joke. He was speedily informed of the performance going on above; so that the two actors had quite an audience, although they knew it not. Indeed the affair was sufficiently grotesque. It was like a game of dumb crambo, as Peter acted a word, and the old lady tried to guess his meaning. For instance, wishing to tell her how he captured butterflies, Peter wagged his hands in the air to indicate the flight of insects, then struck at a phantom beetle with an imaginary net. "Pajaros!" guessed Doña Serafina, wrongly. Peter did not know this was the Spanish for 'birds,' and thought she had caught his meaning. The lady thought so too, and was delighted with her own perspicuity. "Bueno, Señor! You catch birds! To eat?" She imitated eating, whereon Peter shook his head though he was not quite sure if the Cholacacans did not eat beetles. Foreigners had so many queer customs.