A romance of America’s nascent imperial power recounting the adventures of Robert Clay, a mining engineer and sometime mercenary, and Hope Langham, the daughter of a wealthy American industrialist, as they become caught up in a coup in Olancho, a fictional Latin American republic. When the coup, organized by corrupt politicians and generals, threatens the American-owned Valencia Mining Company, Clay organizes his workers and the handful of Americans visiting the mine into a counter-coup force. Written on the eve of the Spanish-American War, Soldiers of Fortune casts the young American as the dashing, hypermasculine hero of the new military and economic imperium.
'It is so good of you to come early,' said Mrs. Porter, as Alice Langham entered the drawing–room. 'I want to ask a favor of you. I’m sure you won’t mind. I would ask one of the debutantes, except that they’re always so cross if one puts them next to men they don’t know and who can’t help them, and so I thought I’d just ask you, you’re so good–natured. You don’t mind, do you?' 'I mind being called good–natured,' said Miss Langham, smiling. 'Mind what, Mrs. Porter?' she asked. 'He is a friend of George’s,' Mrs. Porter explained, vaguely. 'He’s a cowboy. It seems he was very civil to George when he was out there shooting in New Mexico, or Old Mexico, I don’t remember which. He took George to his hut and gave him things to shoot, and all that, and now he is in New York with a letter of introduction. It’s just like George. He may be a most impossible sort of man, but, as I said to Mr. Porter, the people I’ve asked can’t complain, because I don’t know anything more about him than they do. He called to–day when I was out and left his card and George’s letter of introduction, and as a man had failed me for to–night, I just thought I would kill two birds with one stone, and ask him to fill his place, and he’s here. And, oh, yes,' Mrs. Porter added, 'I’m going to put him next to you, do you mind?'
