The sight of a man running and a soldier following, quickly attracted attention and pedestrians began to stop and see what the matter might be. In less than a minute a crowd had collected, among them several soldiers, who quickly brought Adrian to a halt.
"What's the matter?" asked one. Then as the soldier came up: "What are you chasing him for?"
"I'm not chasing him," laughed the seeming pursuer. "He and I are after another chap."
The delay occasioned by this interference was not great, but it was sufficient to allow Strong to escape, had it not been for Donald. He had seen the crowd gathering and, realizing what would happen, ran around the other way, just in time to see Strong disappearing around the corner of the street on which the bank was located.
Madly he dashed down the street and turned the corner in time to see Strong enter the big gate leading into the patio of Don Esteban's residence.
Putting on more steam, a couple of minutes later Donald also dashed into the patio; but Strong was nowhere to be seen.
"He must be in the bank," muttered the boy, and he quickly entered the door.
But Strong had disappeared as completely as though the earth had opened and swallowed him up.