The Kidnapped President

say of Equinata, were assembled there. When the dancing had been in progress for some time, the President and the Se?orita Dolores put in an appearance and were received by the committe

z, excellently played. Afterwards I escorted her from the ball-room into the balcony. It was a lovely night, and so still, that in the pauses of the music the sound of the waves upon the beach could be distinctly heard, though more than a mile away. I procured my companion's mantilla for her, with which she draped her head and neck, with characteristic grace. Ne

the infinite you hold my attention for minutes that never can be recalled. Later we shall separate, and then you will go your way, and I shall go mine. In all probability we shall nev

A moment before she had been all gaiety, a few seconds later she was gravity pers

" I stammered, "but I cannot say th

ery absurd, but people say I have a strange way of looking at things. I was thinking of our life. Consider for a moment how much we are governed by Chance. We meet some one we like, some one

ver be effaced. The scent of the orange blossoms, the glorious moonlight, the music of the ball-room yonder, and you leaning upon the balustrading looking down upon the sleeping city. The picture will still be with me even though I have the misfortune to be many thousand miles from La Gloria. In fifty years' time I may be in an English villa

she gave a little s

shall cut in them, if through all time I continue to talk as I have been doing to-night

plied. "I only wish it were

r you to leave?" she inquired, as if the q

ny more days. I have received information concerning some rather important bus

ely. "We had looked forward to enjoying the p

ould doubtless have been charmed, and perhaps more than charmed, by the interest she displayed in my doings. She was a vastly pretty woman, dangerously pretty in fact, but even her tender interest in my affairs was not sufficient to shake my equilibrium. Ten minutes o

he said, dropping into English, as was his wont when we were a

uch of a dancing man. The hard sort of life I have been compelled to lead

o all intents and purposes, a rich young Englishman, and should be without a care in the world. It would therefo

oking-room, "that after I left school, I was for some time abroad, and-well, th

r passion for the sea I can quite appreciate, but I think, were I in your place, I should prefer a somewhat larger craft

e meant to have a definite value placed upon them. It was not the first time I had had the impression forced upon me, and it was not a pleasant one, I can assure you, that he had become aware of the real reason for my presence in Equinata. I

olitan or a French mob to violence. Such speeches are delivered in your parks on Sundays as would prove in these latitudes as intoxicating as brandy. I have known a Revolution sta

suspicions

such a question? Do I look like the sort of person

hich he had taken from his mouth and was holding between

hould try the experiment. Believe me, there is a very fair amount of excitement to be got out of it, particular

asked, as if I had no

come across him in your travels. He knocks about the Continent a good deal, and

Don Guzman de Silvestre, and now he was speaking of the ports at which the South American mail-boats call, and implying that I was familiar with them. What did it all mean? Was it only a matter of chan

ow. Though he thought I was not aware of it, I happened to know that he was at that time hatching a plot that he hoped would upset my calculations,

the r

his life would have paid the forfeit. In spite of the advice I gave you just now, inter

e called upon to try i

unprofitable speculation unless you are certain of your cards. The s

rstood to what w

t he hoped would be the future of his country. It was evident that he firmly believed in it and its capabili

, I returned to the ball-room in time to meet

The Little Sisters are indebted to you for your mos

or the pleasure I have been permitte

dropping down and down until they reached zero. Never since I had consented to Don Guzman's plan had my business in Equinata seemed so hazardous or indeed so despicable to me. I felt that I would have given

the boat. I had perhaps been seated there ten minutes, when, suddenly, and before I could do anything to protect myself, a bag or cloth, I could not tell which, was thrown over my head, and my arms were pinioned from behind. Then a voice said in Spanish, "Lift him up, and bring him along. There's not a moment to lose." Thereupon a man took hold of my shoulders and another my legs, and I felt myself being carried along, though in what direction I could not of course tell. A few seconds later, however, I was dumped down on the wooden floor of what was evidently a cart. The crack of a whip foll

ck and wretched as

d ordered my arrest? Not one of the questions could I answer. In the hope of being able to solve the problem of my whereabouts, however, I got on to my feet and endeavoured to look out of the window, only to discover that it was out o

I was a prisoner, with the pleasing possibility ahead of me of either having my throat cut by a common murderer before the night was past, or, what was more probable, of being propped against a wall and shot by President Fernandez' soldiers at daybreak. The mere kno

y to find it locked. They had got me fast enough. So much was certain. The next time, I told myself, I crossed the threshold, it would in all probability be to be haled to a place of execution. For upwards of an hour I paced the room, calling myself a fool and idiot, and every other name I could think of, for having allowed myself to be drawn i

rd outside, followed by a prolonged scuffling noise. Then there was a he

e a struggle of some sort. Can they by any chance have capture

carrying a lantern, entered quickly, closing the door behind him. The upper half of his face was hidden by a black mask. My

ng! While you were talking to him to-night at the ball, he knew why you were in Equinata, and, what is more, had already laid his plans to effect your arrest. The reason why he did it so secretly, and why you were not taken to the regular c

" I asked, in th

leaving so early-drove out to consult with General Mopaxus, who is lying ill at his house six miles distant on the road to Sarbassa. The road in question is hilly, and it will take him at least an hour to get there. We will say that he remains with the General an hour. In that case, he should not reach the Capital u

en have you

," he

y be rel

some time past. They would prefer to shoot him, and so make sure of him, but as there are definite orders against that, they f

bout the Gu

o time must be lost, for it is more than likely that

to communicate

n his pocket

hen you have written it, one of my men shall take it aboard. If he has to get steam up, t

ave a boat ashore in Horejos Bay at three o'clock, and stand by to leave Equinata at latest by f

placed in an adjoining cell. On hearing our steps, six figures appeared from the shadow of the wall. They did not speak, but at a sign from Herma?os, one went on ahead and opened the gates, whereupon tw

ll proceed to the rendezvous by different routes through the city. Fernandez has spies everywhere, and we must be c

hat had disappeared, goodness only knows where. So placing the sombrero on my head

outskirts of the city, and the locality thr

end of our ad