Bertram Lebhar

“ He merely looked straight into the tyrant’s beady eyes, his muscles tense, his mouth set in a straight line.
“I am always glad to gaze upon genius,” Portiforo continued, without a vestige of irony in his tone, “and I am informed, Señor Hawley, that you are such a great man in your line that even the President of the United States has honored you by providing work for your camera.” ”

“ Hawley asked quickly.
Cipriani seemed discomfited by the question. He winced, and his ruddy face changed color; but his confusion quickly passed. “Of course, I do not know it,” he said suavely. “I only assume it. Is it not logical to suppose that the government of Baracoa would keep the wife of an absconding president under close surveillance? If you had ever lived in South America you would not have asked that question. There are more spies down there than there are people to spy on.” ”

“ I am always open to conviction. Of course, if you could bring me a photograph of Felix in a dungeon cell, I might be ready to believe that Portiforo has him in captivity. But even at that,” he added, a twinkle in his eyes, “I would have to be convinced that the snapshot was genuine.”
The attorney general smiled deprecatingly. “Then I’m afraid it will never be possible to convince you, Mr. President. I don’t imagine that there’s a photographer in all the world who could break into a South American dungeon, snapshot a prisoner, and get out again.” ”

“ THE SEÑORA OR THE PRESIDENT.
“To-day’s tragedy has made the situation a hundred times worse than it was before,” moaned Señora Felix despairingly, looking appealingly at Hawley and the old physician. “Replife was a bad man, but, at least, there was a spark of humanity in him which made him unwilling to countenance the murder of his former benefactor. He was our only hope. Now that he is gone, it will take only the slightest provocation to make Portiforo do away with my poor Francisco.” ”

“ Why had the woman taken him into her confidence to the extent of telling him that she knew the whereabouts of her husband? Why was she so keen to dissuade him from persisting in his undertaking? He took no stock in her assertion that solicitude for his welfare had caused her to take this step. Surely, he told himself, she would not have jeopardized her husband’s safety and confessed herself an accessory to a crime merely to save a stranger from getting into trouble. ”

“ Virginia turned pale. “They wouldn’t dare do that!” she gasped. “Even Portiforo would be afraid to go so far with a citizen of the United States.”
“I don’t know about that,” Gale rejoined. “It’s been done before, you know. When a man’s convicted of being a spy, they can do as they please with him, and his government is powerless to interfere. That’s international law. Surely you, the daughter of a diplomat, ought to know that.” ”

“ Of course, if we had to go up against a well-organized, highly disciplined garrison, I’d have to admit that our chances of success were scant. But Portiforo’s army is a joke. Those soldiers at the fortress remind me of a lot of supes in a comic-opera chorus. With a crowd like that to deal with, it would be possible to get away with almost anything. If Felix is still in the same cell—if they haven’t moved him—it’s going to be mere child’s play to get the snapshot and make my escape—much easier than our other attempt, Miss Throgmorton. ”

“ Virginia frowned. “Serves him right,” she said. “I don’t like to be vindictive, but I hope his editor discharges him.” She sighed. “I can’t understand why my father should have taken such a fancy to that contemptible fellow. But then,” she added, with a rueful smile, “poor dad has shown himself to be a very poor judge of men.”
Hawley nodded.
“I am sorry for your father, Virginia. I presume it will be a great blow to him—the way things have turned out.”
“I am afraid it will,” the girl said wistfully. “He had such great faith in that tyrant Portiforo. ”

“ We have, now, new reason to hope that the life of our beloved president will be spared for some days. Portiforo will not take any desperate step unless he is spurred on to do so by the fear that his secret has leaked out. We can truly say that our fate lies in your hands, and we throw ourselves upon your generosity.”
“And upon your sense of honor as well,” the señora supplemented quickly. “You gave us your promise, Mr. Hawley, that if we could assure you that we had a plan more promising than yours, you would leave Baracoa immediately.” ”

“ It was his old acquaintance, Señor Lopez, the mysterious individual who had been his fellow passenger on board the steamship Colombia, and who had displayed such a keen interest in his movements. The Camera Chap had not seen the fellow since the day of their arrival at Puerto Cabero. He was not at all glad to see him, now. He had an uneasy suspicion that Lopez’s presence at the wharf was no mere coincidence—that already the tidings of what had happened at the fortress had been flashed to the capital, and that the spy had been sent to await his landing. ”

“ The soft-footed man with the wolflike smile, known as Señor Lopez, was elated over the arrest of that adventurous man, the Camera Chap, and warmly congratulated himself upon the stroke of luck which had enabled him to bring it about so speedily, for it had been a mere coincidence that he happened to be standing near the dock, earlier that evening, when Hawley, accompanied by a young woman whom the spy immediately recognized as the daughter of the American minister, approached the water’s edge and furtively embarked in a motor boat. ”

“ Now, fortunately for the Camera Chap and Virginia, and the righteous cause for which they strove, there was not in the whole army of Baracoa a more chivalrous man than this particular sentry. Naturally a man cast in such a sentimental mold was not the sort to turn a deaf ear to the call of beauty in distress. From where he stood he could not as yet see that the woman in the motor boat was beautiful, but he took that for granted. ”

“ In her zeal to save her plucky friend, she had been about to take her father into her confidence concerning the worthy mission which had brought the snapshot wizard to Baracoa, but just in time she recalled that she had made a promise to Hawley that, no matter what happened, she would not give away his secret.
Observing her hesitancy, Throgmorton looked at her keenly. “You happen to know that he is—what?” he demanded sharply.
“I happen to know that he is a newspaper man,” the girl replied evasively.
“A Sentinel man, you mean,” the diplomat rejoined tartly. ”

“ The snapshot adventurer had reasoned that a ruse which was clever enough to fool a New York policeman ought to work equally as well on an El Torro sentry. For his study of the garrison of the fortress had convinced him that its members were not an overintelligent lot, and, as for discipline, it was a matter of common knowledge that the army of Baracoa was one of the worst-disciplined military bodies in the world. ”

“ Doctor Bonsal turned with a sad smile to Señora Felix: “You see! To attempt flight would be useless. Besides, even if it were possible for me to get away, it would be most unwise. It is necessary that I go to those men at the door before they come in here. It is our only chance of preventing them from discovering the presence here of you and Mr. Hawley—and that, of course, must be prevented.” ”

“ The Camera Chap laughed. “Not as bad as that, I guess. A dungeon cell and a ball and chain would be about the limit.”
“I’m not so sure,” Paxton muttered. “What protection does the president promise you in case you are caught?”
“He didn’t promise me any protection,” the Camera Chap replied cheerfully. “On the contrary, he gave me clearly to understand that I am going into this thing at my own risk. He explained that if I am apprehended in the act of violating any of the laws of a friendly nation, the United States government wouldn’t have any right to intervene.” ”

“ As the señora says, our only hope lies in our ability to continue to make them believe that nobody—not even she—is aware of the truth regarding our martyr president.”
Hawley looked at him in surprise. “Do you mean to say that Portiforo doesn’t know, now, that the señora suspects the truth?” he demanded incredulously.
“We have strong hopes that such is the case,” the venerable physician answered. “Señora Felix has been very clever. I believe, sir, that there are few women who could have conducted themselves with such rare tact and courage as she has displayed.” ”

“ Hawley stole those letters from my desk, when they appeared in your own paper!” she exclaimed.
“That’s easily explained,” he rejoined coolly. “He sold the letters to my paper. He didn’t dare sell them to his own, for fear that if he did the crime would be traced straight to him. A fellow with as little conscience as he has wouldn’t hesitate to scoop his own sheet in order to make a few dollars. If you don’t think he was the thief,” he added audaciously, “who do you suppose was?”
“If I wished to name the thief, I feel confident that I could do so,” Virginia returned disdainfully. ”

“ Anyway, Miss Throgmorton, you’ve got an exaggerated idea of the situation. I’m not thinking of swimming the whole width of the bay. All I’ll have to do is to strike out for the battleship.”
“The battleship?” the girl echoed, her eyebrows arching.
Hawley laughed. “By Jove! If I haven’t forgotten to mention the most important detail of all. Evidently you do not know that the United States battleship Kearsarge steamed into the harbor this afternoon, and is now anchored a quarter of a mile off El Torro. That’s another reason why I feel confident that our little venture is going to be a success.” ”

“ From these things I got the impression that Cipriani was working for you—that his revolution was started with the object of getting President Felix out of El Torro.”
Doctor Bonsal glanced nervously toward the window, the shades of which were drawn. “Not so loud, señor, I beg of you,” he whispered. “If a mere hint of what you have just said should reach our enemies, we are done for. Tell me, have you expressed this theory of yours to anybody else?”
“Certainly not,” the Camera Chap replied indignantly. “Pardon me, doctor, but your question is almost a reflection on my intelligence.” ”

“ Paxton asked, looking searchingly in the other’s face.
“It now appears,” said the Camera Chap, “that instead of being a fugitive and an absconder, Felix may really have been the victim of a daring conspiracy; that instead of being free in some part of Europe at this moment, living in luxury on his loot, the unhappy man is in reality eating out his heart in a South American dungeon—where he has been ever since that fatal night that he is supposed to have skipped from Baracoa in his private yacht. ”

“ A force of men on horseback, fifty strong, had galloped up to the group of soldiers gathered around the packing cases. The newcomers were wild-looking fellows, raggedly dressed, and all of them armed. They uttered loud cries as they surrounded the handful of soldiers, who promptly threw up their hands in surrender.
Astonished as the Camera Chap was by this spectacle, he presently witnessed something which amazed him still more. A man rushed from the ship to the pier, and as he went down the gangplank he was greeted by cheers from the wild-looking horsemen. ”

“ They spoke mostly in such low tones that what they said did not reach him, but once Doctor Bonsal unconsciously raised his voice, and the Camera Chap heard him say. “I am old, my child, and what happens to me does not matter. We must accept the situation with philosophy.”
“If only I could do something,” the woman sobbed. “I have been to Portiforo and pleaded with him, but it was no use. He would not listen. That tyrant——”
She stopped short at a remonstrance from the physician, spoken in a voice so low that Hawley could not catch the words. ”

“ Then, with startling abruptness: “I want you to leave Baracoa immediately, Mr. Hawley. I want you to give up this mad attempt to help my unfortunate husband. No good can come of it—nothing but a great deal of harm. The steamship Panama, bound for New York, is due to arrive at Puerto Cabero to-morrow. If you are sincere in your desire to be of service to us, you will prove it by engaging passage on her.”
The Camera Chap smiled regretfully. “I am afraid I cannot promise to do that, señora—not unless there is a very good reason. May I inquire why you have so suddenly lost faith in me? ”

“ The only other person present was a dark-skinned young man who sat at a big writing table in the center of the room, chewing the end of a pencil, with a stenographer’s notebook before him.
“So this is Señor Hawley,” Portiforo began quizzically, when the Camera Chap’s two guides had conducted him to a position in front of the massive, thronelike chair in which the first gentleman of Baracoa lolled. “So this is the adventurous young man whose discretion, I fear, is not always as great as his valor.” ”

“ Gale’s expression was one of injured innocence. “From your tone, I almost think that you suspect me,” he said. “That’s pretty tough, Virginia—giving that crook the benefit of the doubt in preference to me. Since you persist in being so cruel,” he went on plaintively, “I am almost glad to go back to New York. Without your friendship, San Cristobal is a dull burg.” His eyes gleamed spitefully. “My only regret at having to leave Baracoa at this time is that I shan’t be here to see that rascally Camera Chap stood up in front of a firing squad.” ”

“ The man was the tall, handsome passenger whom Hawley had known at Señor Juan Cipriani, of Buenos Aires. He was clad now in a gorgeous uniform of blue and gold, and he brandished a sword which flashed in the sunlight. As he joined the group on the pier they gathered around him, and welcomed him with shouts of “Viva Rodriguez! Viva el general!” He acknowledged this ovation with a graceful sweep of his sombrero, and as he happened to turn toward the ship, Hawley saw that his face was aglow with enthusiasm.
Something caused the Camera Chap to glance, just then, at Señora Felix. ”

“ If we can get photographic evidence that President Felix is locked up in El Torro they won’t dare touch him. Portiforo is too smart a man to try anything of that sort. Once he knows that we’ve got the evidence, he’ll realize that the game is up, and that he’d only be making matters worse for himself if he were to attempt to assassinate your husband. ”