in. The soldiers, picking up from the floor the rifles

they had dropped to grapple with the prisoner, filed out of the room. The officers remained leaning on their swords and looking on. " The watch! The watch!" raved the colonel, pacing to and fro like a tiger in a cage. " Give me that man's watch." It was true that when searched for arms in the hall down -stairs, before being taken into Sotillo's presence, Captain Mitchell had been relieved of his watch and chain; but at the colonel's clamor it was prc duced quickly enough, a corporal bringing it up, carrit carefully in the palms of his joined hands. Sotilk snatched it and pushed the clinched fist from which it dangled close to Captain Mitchell's face. "Now, then; you arrogant Englishman! You dai to call the soldiers of the army thieves! Behold yoi watch." He flourished his fist as if aiming blows at th prisoner's nose. Captain Mitchell, helpless as a swathe infant, looked anxiously at the sixty -guinea golc half - chronometer presented to him years ago by committee of underwriters for saving a ship from tote loss by fire. Sotillo, too, seemed to perceive its val- uable appearance. He became silent suddenly, st ped aside to the table and began a careful examim tion in the light of the candles. He had never anything so fine. His officers closed in and cranec their necks behind his back. He became so interested that for an instant he for got his precious prisoner. There is always something

childish in the rapacity of the passionate, clear-mindi