"I do not understand you, Señor Duval," said Xuarez, who knew the young engineer quite well. "Explain!"
"Doña Dolores, the niece of Don Miguel Maraquando, has been kidnapped from Tlatonac! I accuse you of carrying her off."
"I deny it, Señor! It is false," cried the rebel leader, a flush reddening the marble whiteness of his face. "Doña Dolores is not in Acauhtzin."
"She may not be here, Señor, but you know where she is!"
"I do not, Señor! You have no proof of what you say."
"Pepe, the zambo, a spy in your pay, carried off a woman from Tlatonac," cried Rafael, stepping forward. "That woman was my cousin, Dolores."
Xuarez started, and spoke rapidly to one of his officers, who thereupon left the room.
"Ah! you know much, Señor," he resumed, scornfully; "but you are wrong; the zambo was my spy——"
"Carambo!"
"I repeat he was my spy in Tlatonac," said Xuarez, coolly; "and he left the city with a plan of your fortifications."