“Who are you and how do you know?”
“I know because I fixed it to open. I will leave you to guess who I am.”
In an instant it flashed into Billie’s mind who it was that was speaking to him, and he replied with a good deal more assurance:
“There is but one person who could have made and used it! You are Pancho Villa.”
“Bueno!” was the reply.
“Well then,” asked Billie, “will you kindly show me how to get out?”
“Yes, if you will tell no one I am here.”
“It’s a bargain,” said Billie.
A moment later there was a sound of a match being lighted and the cellar was illumined by a faint gleam of light, which grew larger as the light was applied to the wick of a candle. By this light Billie saw he was in a cellar the same size as the room above and that his companion was lying on a bed in one corner of the cellar.
“What’s the matter?” asked Billie. “Are you sick?”