Page:Under three flags; a story of mystery (IA underthreeflagss00tayliala).pdf/277

 "Indeed?" This is news to Isabel. "Ashley's warning," she thinks. "When did you learn this, general?"

"To-day. He has taken refuge on board the United States cruiser. I have strongly suspected Quesada, but have not particularly feared him. Quesada is a figure-*head. What I want is proof of conspiracy on the part of men any one of whom is more troublesome than a dozen Quesadas—men I suspect to be conspiring against the government even while pretending to serve it."

"Would certain dispatches from Don Quesada addressed to Capt. Francisco Guerra furnish the necessary evidence?" asks Mrs. Harding.

"Ah! You have intercepted such?"

"Better. I am the bearer of them."

Truenos regards his spy admiringly. "Bueno! The papers at once!" he cries.

"And my reward?" suggests Isabel, as she takes from her bosom the precious envelope.

"Anything that you may ask—in reason," replies the captain-general, reaching impatiently for the documents. "Why, how is this? This letter is addressed to me.

"To you?" exclaims Isabel in astonishment. "Surely—why—there must be some mistake."

"Evidently," rejoins Truenos, as he breaks the seal.

Isabel watches him anxiously as he scans the document. A pale sickly light is beginning to break upon her bewilderment.

Ashley! The papers have been tampered with! It was for that he led her to the garden. How did he know, before they spoke, who were the two men whose meeting had interrupted their conversation in the summer house? And, oh, how weak she had been! She sees it all now and she swears she will be revenged. Aha! She knows where to wound him, to repay him in awful torture for the trick he has played upon her.

While these dark thoughts are flitting through her mind the captain-general has finished his brief examination of the letter, which he tosses over to her. She picks it up mechanically and reads: