"Yes. That was Robin," said Don Manuel with a sour glance at the little man whom he had not yet forgiven for his cowardly confession. "Well Señor, the two tried to make money and could not. Then they heard of the treasures buried by the Indians when Pizarro conquered Peru. They went off to Cuzco; afterwards up into the mountains. For some months they were gone. One day they came back to Lima to see me, ragged and poor. They had caught an Indian who knew of a large treasure in gold and jewels. He told them where it was hidden, and gave them a plan."
"But I thought the Indians would not tell," said Herrick, who knew something of the country of which Santiago was speaking.
"This one did," said the Mexican with a smile, "they tortured him with a red-hot gun barrel. Don't look so astonished Señor. Indians are not much above the beasts, and I told you Carr was a devil. They tortured him till he gave them the plan. Carr was afraid of losing it, so he made Frisco tattoo it on his breast, and then burnt the original plan."
"Ah!" Herrick started to his feet, "I see now why Carr wanted his body watched for a year! At the end of that time the plan--'
"Would not be recognisable," finished Santiago quietly. "Exactly so, Señor. Carr knew from the ciphers I sent him that I was in the country and would in some way try to get a sight of that plan. For that, he shut himself up in the tower, and"----
"Wait a bit," said Herrick, "he built that tower when he came home ten years ago. Your coming did not make him build it."
"He knew that someone would come and try to kill him," said Don Manuel coolly, "but I am telling the end before the beginning. Let me go on. Well, Dr. Herrick, as I said, Colonel Carr had that plan tattooed on his breast. He would not show it to me, but wanted me to join in an expedition to get the treasure. I got the money and fitted out the expedition. We started off to Cuzco, then up the Apurimac and on the mountains. I told you something of this before Señor. On the way they betrayed me into the hands of some Indians, and went on themselves. I cursed my fate when I learned their treachery. I was held captive for two, three years. To revenge myself on Carr I told the Indians how he had found the treasure. They were furious, and sent out men to protect it. But Carr fought them and got away to the coast with a quantity of jewels, and gold. He went to the States, and afterwards came on to England where he settled down at 'The Pines.' But at Lima he was twice nearly assassinated, and knew that the Indians had appointed some of their more civilised countrymen to follow and kill him and to cut the plan of the hiding-place out of his flesh. He knew also that these appointed would follow him across the water to the ends of the earth. But he managed to give them the slip, and never thought that in an obscure country village he would be in danger. All the same he built the tower that he might keep himself safe while asleep."
"And are you one of these emissaries?" asked Herrick. Santiago shook his head. "I might have been had I so chosen," said he, "but I wanted a share of the money myself, or at all events a plan of the hiding-place, that I might search for it."
"How did you hear all this, when you were a captive?"
"I did not--then. It was when I got back to Lima that I heard. I could not learn where Carr had gone. I did not know even if Carr was his real name. I hunted for him both in North and South America, but he had so cleverly concealed his trail that I could not trace him. Then I was ill for a long time after the privations I had suffered amongst the Indians. It was only within the last year that I discovered the whereabouts of Carr. I then came to England to frighten him. So I sent those cipher warnings. I wanted a share of the money' or the plan. Carr refused to give me either."