“But once，” answered Esteban. “He is tall； and he hadweeskers， verree black and sufficient.”
“Was any one else present when you shaved him？”
“An old Indian woman， Senor， that belonged with thecasa， and one senorita—a ladee of so much beautee！ —ah，Dios！”
“All right， Esteban，” said Goodwin. “It’s very lucky thatyou happened along with your tonsorial information. Thenew administration will be likely to remember you forthis.”
Then in a few words he made the barber acquaintedwith the crisis into which the affairs of the nation hadculminated， and instructed him to remain outside， keepingwatch upon the two sides of the hotel that looked uponthe street， and observing whether any one should attemptto leave the house by any door or window. Goodwinhimself went to the door through which the guests hadentered， opened it and stepped inside.
Madama had returned downstairs from her journeyabove to see after the comfort of her lodgers. Her candlestood upon the bar. She was about to take a thimbleful ofrum as a solace for having her rest disturbed. She lookedup without surprise or alarm as her third caller entered.
“Ah！ it is the Senor Goodwin. Not often does he honormy poor house with his presence.”
“I must come oftener，” said Goodwin， with a Goodwinsmile. “I hear that your cognac is the best between Belize tothe north and Rio to the south. Set out the bottle， Madama，and let us have the proof in un vasito for each of us.”
“My aguardiente，” said Madama， with pride， “is thebest. It grows， in beautiful bottles， in the dark placesamong the banana-trees. Si， Senor. Only at midnightcan they be picked by sailor-men who bring them， beforedaylight comes， to your back door. Good aguardiente is averree difficult fruit to handle， Senor Goodwin.”
Smuggling， in Coralio， was much nearer than competitionto being the life of trade. One spoke of it slyly， yet with acertain conceit， when it had been well accomplished.
“You have guests in the house tonight，” said Goodwin，laying a silver dollar upon the counter.
“Why not？” said Madama， counting the change. “Two；but the smallest while finished to arrive. One senor， notquite old， and one senorita of sufficient hadsomeness. Totheir rooms they have ascended， not desiring the to-eatnor the to-drink. Two rooms—Numero 9 and Numero 10.”
“I was expecting that gentleman and that lady，” saidGoodwin. “I have important negocios that must betransacted. Will you allow me to see them？”
“Why not？” sighed Madama， placidly. “Why should notSenor Goodwin ascend and speak to his friends？ Estabueno. Romm Numero 9 and romm Numero 10.”
Goodwin loosened in his coat pocket the Americanrevolver that he carried， and ascended the steep， darkstairway.
In the hallway above， the saffron light from a hanginglamp allowed him to select the gaudy numbers on thedoors. He turned the knob on Number 9， entered andclosed the door behind him.
If that was Isabel Guilbert seated by the table in thatpoorly furnished room， report had failed to do her charmsjustice. She rested her head upon one hand. Extremefatigue was signified in every line of her figure； and uponher countenance a deep perplexity was written. Her eyeswere gray-irised， and of that mold that seems to havebelonged to the orbs of all the famous queens of hearts.
Their whites were singularly clear and brilliant， concealedabove the irises by heavy horizontal lids， and showing asnowy line between them. Such eyes denote great nobility，vigor， and， if you can conceive of it， a most generousselfishness. She looked up when the American entered，with an expression of surprised inquiry， but without alarm.
Goodwin took off his hat and seated himself， with hischaracteristic deliberate ease， upon a corner of the table.
He held a lighted cigar between his fingers. He took thisfamiliar course because he was sure that preliminarieswould be wasted upon Miss Guilbert. He knew her history，and the small part that the conventions had played in it.
“Good evening，” he said. “Now， madame， let us cometo business at once. You will observe that I mention nonames， but I know who is in the next room， and what hecarries in that valise. That is the point which brings mehere. I have come to dictate terms of surrender.”
The lady neither moved nor replied， but steadily regardedthe cigar in Goodwin’s hand.
“We，” continued the dictator， thoughtfully regarding theneat buckskin shoe on his gently swinging foot— “I speakfor a considerable majority of the people—demand thereturn of the stolen funds belonging to them. Our termsgo very little further than that. They are very simple. Asan accredited spokesman， I promise that our interferencewill cease if they are accepted. Give up the money， andyou and your companion will be permitted to proceedwherever you will. In fact， assistance will be given you inthe matter of securing a passage by any outgoing vesselyou may choose. It is on my personal responsibility that Iadd congratulations to the gentleman in Number 10 uponhis taste in feminine charms.”
Returning his cigar to his mouth， Goodwin observedher， and saw that her eyes followed it and rested upon itwith icy and significant concentration. Apparently she hadnot heard a word he had said. He understood， tossed thecigar out the window， and， with an amused laugh， slid fromthe table to his feet.
“That is better，” said the lady. “It makes it possible forme to listen to you. For a second lesson in good manners，you might now tell me by whom I am being insulted.”
“I am sorry，” said Goodwin， leaning one hand on thetable， “that my time is too brief for devoting much ofit to a course of etiquette. Come， now； I appeal to yougood sense. You have shown yourself， in more than oneinstance， to be well aware of what is to your advantage.
