Hawley smiled. “I think I can. The government believes that Rodriguez’s revolution had nothing whatever to do with your cause. Isn’t that the idea?”
The señora nodded. “We took every care to convey that impression,” she said sadly. “As Doctor Bonsal has said, if Portiforo had any suspicion of our noble friend’s real motive, the consequences would be fatal—as fatal as if you were to persist in your efforts to get into El Torro to photograph my husband.”
“And that reminds me,” said Doctor Bonsal, with a smile, “we have wandered away from the subject we were discussing. I trust, Mr. Hawley, that you will find it convenient to sail on the Panama to-morrow?”
A look of distress came to the Camera Chap’s face. “I am sorry, but I’m afraid I cannot do that,” he said regretfully. “I would like to oblige you, señora, but you must appreciate my position. Even if I were willing to quit, I would not be free to consult my own wishes in the matter, or even yours. I am here under orders—orders that must be carried out before I can think of leaving Baracoa.”
Señora Felix’s face became very stern. “Surely you and your president would not sacrifice a human life in order to gratify your selfish ambitions!” she exclaimed indignantly.
“Selfish ambitions!” Hawley protested. “Oh, come now, señora; that’s scarcely a fair way of putting it.”
“It is fair!” she rejoined passionately. “For you this adventure, if successful, simply means one more feather in your cap—one more triumph to be added to your roll of journalistic achievements. For your president it means a diplomatic victory scored—a chance to replace the present administration of Baracoa with one more favorable to the policies of the United States government. And for these reasons you are determined to go ahead now, regardless of the inevitable consequences which have been so clearly pointed out to you. What other term can I use to characterize your motive than selfish ambition?”
“But, my dear señora,” argued the Camera Chap, with an uneasy feeling that there might be some justice in her viewpoint, “we can’t let President Felix remain in El Torro. Wouldn’t that be almost as bad as death itself? There may be a certain amount of risk to my plan, but I feel confident that if the matter could be put up to your husband he would be willing to run the chance of having me go ahead. You see, there isn’t any other way of getting him out. If there were, I might be willing to give up my attempt. If a better plan——”
He was interrupted by an exclamation from the woman, and again he detected an interchange of swift glances between her and Doctor Bonsal.
“Do you mean that, sir?” the latter demanded eagerly. “Have we your word for it that if you knew that another plan was under way, you would abandon this undertaking and sail for New York on the Panama to-morrow?”