"Everything. Listen. Don Hypolito is an ambitious man who wants to become Dictator of Cholacaca, and rule that Republic as Dr. Francia did Paraguay. Now, the easiest way in which he can obtain his desire is by marrying Dolores."
"What! Is she the heiress of the Republic?"
"No; but she is the lawful owner of the Chalchuih Tlatonac."
"What, in heaven's name, is that?"
"It means 'the shining precious stone,' in the Toltec tongue."
"The deuce!" murmured Philip, in an amused tone; "we have got past the Aztecs."
"I suppose this shining precious stone is the harlequin opal?" said Peter, inquiringly.
"Precisely. This celebrated stone is hundreds of years old. Tradition says it was the property of Quetzalcoatl."
"That's the Mexican god of the air," said Philip who knew all sorts of stray facts.
"Yes. You've read that in Prescott."