“Yes. You see, I felt that I must share my secret with some one, and I believed at first that Mr. Gale would be just the person to help get that poor man out of El Torro,” the girl said. “But after I had studied him for a few days,” she added, “I decided that he wouldn’t do at all; he isn’t trustworthy. I feel sure that if he got even a hint of the story he would publish it in his paper, regardless of the consequences.”
Hawley felt pretty sure of that, too. Inwardly he rejoiced that Miss Throgmorton had changed her mind about taking the perfidious Gale into her confidence. Aloud he said, after a cautious glance all around him: “So you suspect that President Felix is confined in El Torro?”
Her reply almost took his breath away. “Suspect!” she exclaimed tensely. “I know it. I have seen him!”
CHAPTER XII.
ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
The Camera Chap stared at the girl with as much incredulity written on his face as if she had just told him that she had been present when Columbus landed in the New World. “You have seen him!” he exclaimed. “Surely you can’t mean that you have been inside El Torro?”
“Yes, I do!” the girl declared, smiling slightly at the effect her announcement had upon him. “I mean just that. I have been inside El Torro, and I have seen President Felix.”
“When was this?” Hawley demanded.
“Several months ago. I saw him only once—and then only for one brief second. Since then I have been trying my hardest to get in there again, but I haven’t been able to manage it.”
“How did you manage it that time?” the Camera Chap inquired, his manner still slightly incredulous, although he did not intend it to be so. “I shouldn’t imagine that it was an easy thing, even once.”
Virginia hesitated. She was debating with herself as to whether this prepossessing, frank-looking young man from her own country could safely be taken into her confidence. “I feel that I can trust you, Mr. Hawley,” she said suddenly. “If I didn’t I shouldn’t tell you what I am going to tell you now. For if it were to become known to others the consequences might be serious.”