Nevertheless, I began to see that I must face the possibility of a continual drain on resources that I had fondly hoped would be available for my own purposes for a considerable time at least.

Thus one thing and another contributed to open a breach between his Excellency and myself, and, although I never ceased to feel his charm as a private companion, my distrust of him as a ruler, and, I may add, as a fellow-conspirator, steadily deepened.
Other influences were at this time--for we have now reached the beginning of 1883--at work in the same direction.

Rich in the possession of my "bonus," I had plunged even more freely than before into the gayeties of Whittingham, and where I was welcome before, I was now a doubly honored guest.

I had also taken to play on a somewhat high scale, and it was my reputation as a daring gambler that procured me the honor of an acquaintance with the signorina, the lady to whom the President had referred during his interview with me; and my acquaintance with the signorina was very rich in results.
This lady was, after the President, perhaps the best-known person in Aureataland--best known, that is, by name and face and fame--for her antecedents and circumstances were wrapped in impenetrable mystery.
When I arrived in the country the Signorina Christina Nugent had been settled there about a year.

She had appeared originally as a member of an operatic company, which had paid a visit to our National Theater from the United States.