The assurance with which he said this was not wholly feigned. While he realized that in the event of his guilt being proven his government would be powerless to protect him, he felt sure that Washington would demand the strongest kind of proof before they would permit the sentence to be carried out. And he had a shrewd suspicion that the enemy had only a circumstantial case against him. He felt positive that in the gloom it had been impossible for Captain Reyes or the sentry to recognize him, so that unless Virginia Throgmorton had been compelled to reveal his identity there was no direct evidence that it was actually he who was the mysterious photographer who had visited El Torro.
“Señor Hawley can rest assured that we shall be able to produce sufficient proof of his guilt,” Lopez boasted. “To begin with, we can show that he stands high in the confidence of the insurrectos.”
“Indeed!” the prisoner exclaimed, carefully weighing this statement. “Might I inquire how you expect to prove that?”
“By the fact that he was in conference with one of their most active leaders, the other day. I refer to the infamous Doctor Gaspard Bonsal. I presume, señor, that you will not attempt to deny that you visited him when I tell you that you were seen surreptitiously leaving his house on the night of his arrest.”
In spite of himself the Camera Chap was unable to avoid a start of astonishment, for until that moment the fact that his visit to the venerable physician was known to the enemy had not entered his mind.
“If I was seen, how is it that I, too, was not arrested?” he demanded.
Once more there was a display of gestures and shrugs. “I believe there is a saying in the señor’s own beautiful language to the effect that it is sometimes advisable to give a rogue plenty of rope in order that he may bring about his own hanging.”
“Who claims to have seen me?”
“I myself had that honor,” Lopez answered, with a bow.
“By Jove!” exclaimed the prisoner, with an ironical laugh, “you certainly are the busy little man. Nothing seems to escape those eagle eyes of yours. But, after all, the fact that you saw me leaving a physician’s house doesn’t strike me as being very incriminating. How do you know I didn’t go there to consult him professionally?”