“I was anxious to see you. This meeting has given me great pleasure.”
Then, lowering his voice, he added:
“Senor Maynard, your employer owes me, as you know, two thousand dollars. I must have that money at once.”
“If Mr. Richardson owes you anything,” replied Hal, “he will pay it.”
“Bah! Do you think I am so simple? Senor Richardson left yesterday for Key West.”
“I repeat,” came firmly from Hal, “that, if he owes you anything he will pay it.”
“And I, my dear young friend,” rejoined the Spaniard, “assure you that I mean to collect from you. You have the money. I know it.”
Hal tried not to start at this cool piece of assurance.
“I know,” continued Senor Vasquez, in the same low tone, “where you collected the money. I know just how much you collected, and can tell you, to a peseta, just how much you carry in a certain bag. Ha! my friend, you do not seem happy over my knowledge. But a trustworthy man of mine has followed you. You see that there is no use denying what my faithful agent told me.”
“But did he tell you,” smiled Hal, coolly, “where I took that bag?”