BRITISH MYSTERIES - Fergus Hume Collection: 21 Thriller Novels in One Volume. Fergus Hume

a better chance of Dolores. As for Tim he discoursed blandly, quite unaware of the honours being showered on him, and when his Spanish failed, took refuge in French; when that gave out, he supplied his wants with Italian, so that his conversation savoured of the Tower of Babel and the confusion of tongues. However, with Jack’s assistance, he managed to get along capitally, and gained a good deal of useful information from the Jefe Politico. Don Miguel himself was most eloquent on the subject, and particularly rabid against Xuarez, whom he seemed to hate as only a Spaniard can hate. Dr. Johnson liked a good hater. He should have met Don Miguel.

      “Don Hypolito is a dangerous man, gentlemen,” he said, with cold malignity; “he wishes to become President of the Republic.”

      “And why should he not become President?” asked Tim, calmly.

      “Because he would use his position to destroy the Constitution of Cholacaca. We have not forgotten Iturbide and Dr. Francia. Cholacaca shall never lie at the mercy of a tyrant, as did Mexico and Paraguay. No, gentlemen. It was not for such an end that we threw off the yoke of Spain. Republicans we are, Republicans we remain. If Don Hypolito succeeds, he will find Tlatonac in ruins.”

      “I don’t think that will stop him, Señor,” said Jack, lightly. “If he ruins the old Tlatonac, he can build up a new one.”

      “Not with peons and Indians,” retorted Maraquando, fiercely. “We, Señor, are Spaniards, and will submit to the tyranny of no man, much less this Mestizo of a Xuarez.”

      “What do you propose to do, Don Miguel?”

      “The Junta has already decided that. Don Hypolito is to be arrested, brought here for trial, and banished from the country.”

      “I don’t see how you are going to capture him at Acauhtzin. It is the headquarters of his party.”

      Maraquando smiled grimly, and waved his hand contemptuously.

      “Xuarez has no party. A few unimportant estancieros believe in him, certainly; but the whole population of Tlatonac is in favour of the Government.”

      “But not the whole population of Cholacaca,” said Duval, significantly.

      “That is no matter. The Government hold Tlatonac, and, therefore, has all the power in its own hands. Acauhtzin! a mere village, whose adherence can do Xuarez no good.”

      “But if it comes to war?”

      “It will not come to war, Señor Corresponsal. The fleet have gone to Acauhtzin to arrest Xuarez, and bring him here for trial.”

      “They won’t do that easily.”

      Don Miguel laughed in a saturnine sort of manner, and pulled his moustache savagely.

      “And why not, Señor?” said he slowly. “I think three war-ships, manned by brave men, are more than sufficient to arrest one traitor.”

      “That’s so,” replied Jack, dropping into Americanese, “if you can trust their crews.”

      “My son, Don Rafael, commands The Pizarro,” he said, gravely. “The Government can trust him and his crew, if no others.”

      “‘One swallow doesn’t make a summer,’ Don Miguel. That’s an English proverb.”

      “And a very true one. Where did you hear that our navy was not to be trusted, Don Juan?”

      “Here, and yonder!” said Jack, waving his hand all round the compass. “I hear this and that, Señor, and think over things. The general opinion, I find, is that there will be a civil war.”

      “It needs no prophet to tell that. And afterwards?”

      “Señor, it is said the army will support the Junta, but the navy will strike for Xuarez.”

      “If I thought so!” growled Maraquando, savagely, under his breath. “If I—but no, Señor, you are mistaken. My son, Don Rafael, is in the navy, and many of the officers are his personal friends. He only consorts with men of honour, Señor. I swear that there is no fear of the navy revolting. In a few days, our three ships will come back with Don Hypolito.”

      Jack shrugged his shoulders. He was a youth of few words, and saw no reason to waste breath on such obstinacy. All the same, he held to his opinion. Don Rafael or no Don Rafael, the three war-ships and their crews were not to be trusted. In spite of his refusal to believe in such treachery, it seemed as though Don Miguel also had his doubts on the subject.

      “I will see the President about this you speak of, Señor. It is as well that all things should be guarded against.”

      “There is one other thing that should be guarded against,” said Jack, gravely. “Doña Serafina and your niece are some distance from the city, at your estancia. As there may be a war, the country will not be safe. I suggest that you, Señor, should ride out and escort them back.”

      “I am afraid I cannot leave the city at this juncture.”

      “Then let me go, Señor,” said Jack, eagerly. “In any event, I will have to see the railway works; they are near your estancia, you know. Let me ride over to-morrow, and I will bring them back with me.”

      “It is too much honour, Señor,” replied Maraquando politely. “Still, if you can spare the time——”

      “Oh, that will be all right, Señor. It is settled, then, I will go to-morrow.”

      “I am your debtor, Don Juan, and accept the offer with a thousand thanks. But your friends——”

      “Oh, we will look round Tlatonac,” said Tim, putting up his pocket-book, wherein he had been making notes; “and if you will but introduce me to the President, Señor Maraquando, I shall take it as a favour. It will be useful to me in my letters to Europe.”

      “I am at your service, Señor Corresponsal. His Excellency will have much pleasure in receiving you, I am sure. Bueno!”

      “That settles you, Tim,” said Duval, in English “Philip can go with you, unless he prefers to remain with Doña Eulalia. But Peter?”

      “Oh, send him after butterflies!”

      Duval thought this a good idea, and, turning to Don Miguel, explained how anxious Peter was in pursuit of insects. Could Don Miguel send him beyond the city in charge of some one, to hunt for beetles? Maraquando reflected for a moment, and thought that he could do so. There was an Indian named Cocom, who would attend to Don Pedro. Unfortunately, he spoke no English.

      “Never mind,” said Jack, easily, “when my friend is hunting the wily butterfly, he speaks to no one. All I desire is that he should have a guide, so that he be not lost.”

      “Bueno! I will see that Cocom goes with Don Pedro to-morrow.”

      Jack called Peter from his interesting conversation with Eulalia, and explained matters. The doctor was quite agreeable, and wanted to go at once to the yacht, in order to get his paraphernalia ashore. This ardent desire, however, was not gratified at the moment, as they could scarcely take leave of their courteous host in so cavalier a fashion.

      “By the way, Jack,” said Philip, at this moment, “are we to stay on board the yacht during our stay here?”

      “By no means. We will go to my house.”

      “What! are you a landed proprietor, Jack?”

      “I have a rough kind of diggings, but it’s big enough for the lot of us. Don Miguel,” he added, turning to their host, “I must now take my leave, with my friends, as we want to see about our house.”

      “My house is at the disposal of your friends, Señor.”

      “A thousand thanks. I kiss your hands, Señor Miguel; but for the present we will stay at my residence in the Calle Huascar.”

      It not being etiquette to press the invitation,