“Si,” answered the girl, whose name was Luisa, searching my face with her eyes.
By this time Don José was through the door, which the draught pushed to behind him. I watched it close, then a thought struck me, for I remembered that among our Order there are women, associates of the outer circle, and I whispered some words into Luisa’s ear and made a sign with my hand. She started and gave the ancient answer, which is taught even to children, whereto I replied with another sign, that of the Presence of the Heart. “Where?” she asked glancing at each of us in turn.
“Here,” I answered, and, drawing out the symbol, I held it before her eyes.
She saw and made obeisance, and at that moment we heard Don José calling her from the further side of the door.
“I come,” she cried in answer, then added in a whisper: “Lord, you are in danger in this house. I cannot tell you now, but if possible I will return. The wine is safe, but drink no coffee, and do not sleep when you lie down. Search the floor and you will understand the reason. I come, señor! I come!” and she fled from the room.
So soon as the girl was gone, the Señor James went to the door and locked it, then he returned and said:
“What does all this mean, Ignatio?”
I did not answer, but, pushing aside one of the beds, I searched the floor beneath it. It was discoloured in several places. Next I pulled the blankets off the beds and examined the webbing that formed the mattresses, to discover that this also was stained, though slightly, for it had been washed. Then I said:
“Men have died in these beds, señor, and yonder stains were made by their blood. It would seem that the guests of Don Pedro sleep well; first they are drugged, then they are murdered; and it is for this purpose that we have been lured to the house. Well, we expected nothing else.”
“That is a pleasing prospect,” he answered, “we are this man’s guests, surely therefore he will not——” and he drew his hand across his throat.