Chapter I: Part I: The Thorn in the Land of Roses

I. A Wilful Maid Arrives 3
II. A Fra Diavolo in the Land of Roses 11
III. The Violent End of a Terrible Bandit 18
IV. _La Luz_, Blockade Runner 27
V. The Storm Centre 34
VI. A Bruising of Arms for Jacqueline 45
VII. Swordsmanship in the Dark 55
VIII. The Thoughts of Youth May Be
Prodigiously Long Thoughts 64
IX. Toll-Taking in the Huasteca 69
X. The Brigand Chief 80
XI. The Cossacks and Their Tiger Colonel 89
XII. Pastime Passing Excellent 98
XIII. Unregistered in Any Studbook 108
XIV. The Herald of the Fair God 114
XV. The Ritual 122
XVI. He of the Debonair Sceptre 131
XVII. Rather a Small Man 140
XVIII. Little Monarchs, Big Mistakes 149
XIX. A Tartar, _and_ a Tartar 156
XX. In the Wake of Princely Cavalcades 164
XXI. The Red Mongrel 173
XXII. "Equidad en la Justicia" 182
XXIII. A Curious Pagan Rite 188
XXIV. The Man Who Did Not Want to be Shot 193
XXV. The Person on the Other Horse 200
XXVI. The Strangest Avowal of Love 209
XXVII. Berthe 219
XXVIII. "Mike" 228
XXIX. The Whisper of the Sphinx 238
XXX. The Ambassador 242
XXXI. Carlota 253
XXXII. The Woman Who Did Not Hesitate 258
XXXIII. A Sponsor to the Fat Padre 266