Page:Amalia. A romance of the Argentine.djvu/85

Rh After a bow, profound but without affectation, he seated himself at Rosas' invitation in the chair in which Cuitino had been sitting.

"Do you come direct from your office?" said Rosas.

"Direct."

"Is there anything new?"

"They have brought in the bodies of the men who were going to cross the river to-night ; that is to say, three bodies and a dying man."

"And he?"

"Is dead. I thought he ought to share the fate of his companions."

"Who was he?"

"Lynch."

"Have you the names of the others?"

"Yes, senor."

"And they are "

"Besides Lynch, the bodies have been identified as those of one OHden, of Juan Riglos, and of young Maisson."

"Papers?"

"None."

"Did you make Merlo sign the denunciation?"

"Yes, senor, the denunciations are ahvays signed, as your Excellency has ordered."

"Have you brought it with you?"

"Here it is," answered the chief of police, taking from the outer pocket of his waistcoat a Russia-leather pocket- book containing a number of papers, from which he selected one which he spread out on the table.

"Read it," said Rosas.

"Victorica read as follows:

" 'Juan Merlo, a native of Buenos Ayres, by occupation a butcher, a member of the Sociedad Popular Restauradora,