She was now able to speak with a much greater appearance of sincerity and earnestness; and as she finished this last appeal she whispered in English: “Don’t do it.”
“You say I can help you better by freeing these men. Prove that to me, or let others prove it. Do you know that Dr. Barosa has told me that even if I yield to him I am to be taken from here on board a vessel sailing straight for England? How is that to help you?” and I laughed incredulously.
Under cover of the sound of my laugh she whispered “Brazil, not England,” and then added, with a well-acted note of concern in her voice: “You are placing me in danger from some of these desperate men who believe that I am in league with you to betray them.”
“But that cannot be so. No one knows that I told you anything about the position of things on the Rampallo,” and I questioned her with my eyes.
“I tell you you will ruin me if you persist in refusing, Mr. Donnington,” and added under her breath: “We were overheard.”
“I can’t believe that. These people are merely seeking to frighten you. Of course if I thought you were really in danger the thing would be altogether different,” and again my eyes questioned her.
She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. “How can I prove it to you? I am. I know that. Even Dr. Barosa is alarmed, lest he may not be able to protect me from their violence.”
“But he has already arranged for your escape and your mother’s.”
She shook her head again meaningly. “These men have made that impossible to-day. We were prevented when everything was ready.”
Once more the silent question from me, answered by the significant shake of her head, told me the real truth beneath her words.