The count smiled.
"It was clever, and for the moment even I was deceived," he confessed.
He walked forward until he was opposite the curtain where the assassin waited.
"He is in Jerez, messieurs—with an assistant. I saw them upon the street this morning. Mr. Smith," he concluded, smiling, "wore his arm in a sling."
"It's a lie!" shouted Baggin. "Strike, Carlos!"
He wrenched the curtain aside, revealing the sinister figure behind.
Poltavo fell back with an ashen face, but the convict made no move.
Baggin sprang at him in a fury, and struck madly, blindly, but Poltavo's arm caught his, and wrenched him backward.
In the count's other hand was a revolver, and the muzzle covered the convict.
"Gentlemen," he said, and his eyes blazed with triumph, "I have told you that T. B. Smith was here with an assistant—behold the assistant!"