“Deceived thee? Ah, Juanita—” Jack checks himself as he notes the flush of annoyance in her cheeks.
“Hello! There’s the chap I’ve been looking for,” suddenly remarks Ashley, as he catches a glimpse of Capt. Guerra over by the big staircase. “Will you pardon me just a moment, senorita? That will complete my evening work, and then if a lifetime of devotion will—”
“Stop! I shan’t hear another word,” breaks in Juanita, imperiously. “And you need not hurry back,” she adds irritably, provoked by Ashley’s serenity.
Meanwhile Ashley is telling himself that he must be progressing in his wooing, since Juanita has betrayed symptoms of jealousy. “Devotion? She little knows how much need she has of a clear head and strong arm,” he thinks. “Ah, Capt. Guerra,” he remarks, pausing before a distinguished-appearing gentleman who is idling by the staircase, “will you be good enough to follow me into the garden?”
Ashley passes out and Guerra follows him curiously. When they are alone and unobserved Ashley takes an envelope from his pocket and presses it into the captain’s hand.
“Read that and then destroy it,” he directs.
“Your meaning, senor?”
“No explanation is necessary. I am ignorant of the contents of the documents further than that their publicity would be deuced awkward for you and incidentally for myself.”
“Wonderful! How came you by them?”
“That is my affair, senor. Had I not rescued them they would now be in the hands of Truenos. Adios!” And Jack leaves the mystified Spaniard to his own devices.