Page:Under three flags; a story of mystery (IA underthreeflagss00tayliala).pdf/301

 enemy. Do you know, Mr. Felton, I rather fancied that you had relatives in Cuba."

"Relatives in Cuba?" The little color suddenly recedes from Mr. Felton's face.

"Yes," says Van Zandt. "The day before I had the pleasure of meeting you and Miss Hathaway I was reading in a New York paper an interview with a member of the Cuban revolutionary society. In speaking of the diversified character of the Spanish officers in Cuba, the gentleman mentioned that attached to the staff of General Truenos was a young American, a former sugar planter. His name was Felton, but he changed it to Alvarez. When I first discovered your name and learned that you were en route to Cuba I unconsciously associated you with this young sugar planter so friendly to the Spanish cause."

During Van Zandt's speech, delivered in apparently careless tones, Mr. Felton succeeds in mastering a strong emotion. Louise is regarding him somewhat nervously, but Van Zandt quickly refills Miss Hathaway's glass with jerez and passes it to her with a smiling comment on the quality of the wine.

The rather awkward silence is broken by Mr. Felton.

"Mr. Van Zandt, and to you, Louise, I may say that I believe I have a son in Cuba, and that he is the young man alluded to in that newspaper. One reason why I have come to Cuba is to find that son. I supposed he was operating the sugar plantation that we visited last week. I did not know that he had joined the Spanish service."

"I regret," remarks Van Zandt, "that my idle remark should have stirred you to speak of a matter on which you might have preferred to have remained silent."

"The subject is a painful one, it is true, but once started I may as well go on to the end. It is nearly a year ago—the 1st of June—that Ralph left home, and since then I have heard from him but twice, and vaguely each time."

Both Mr. Felton and Louise are gazing seaward, else they would note the swift look of surprise that passes across Van Zandt's face.