“That’s true,” Dick agreed shortly. His chin was thrust forward and his head slightly tilted back. He looked very English and aggressive as he resumed: “But I want to know what your interest in the matter is.”
“Then I must tell you. To begin with, I am employed by the Government and am in the President’s confidence. The country is poor and depends for its development on foreign capital, while it is important that we should have the support and friendship of Great Britain and the United States. Perhaps you know the latter’s jealousy about European interference in American affairs?”
Dick nodded. “You feel you have to be careful. But how far can a country go in harboring a belligerent’s agents and supplying her fighting ships, without losing its neutrality?”
“That is a difficult question,” Don Sebastian replied. “I imagine the answer depends upon the temper of the interested country’s diplomatic representatives; but the President means to run no risks. We cannot, for example, have it claimed that we allowed a foreign power to buy a coaling station and use it as a base for raids on merchant ships.”
“Have the Germans bought the Adexe wharf?”
Don Sebastian shrugged. “Quién sabe? The principal has not a German name.”
“Isn’t Richter German?”
“Richter has gone. It is possible that he has done his work. His friend, however, is the head of the coaling company.”
“Do you think Kenwardine was his partner? If so, it’s hard to understand why he let you come to his house. He’s not a fool.”
The Spaniard’s dark eyes twinkled. “Señor Kenwardine is a clever man, and it is not always safer to keep your antagonist in the dark when you play an intricate game. Señor Kenwardine knew it would have been a mistake to show he thought I suspected him and that he had something to conceal. We were both very frank, to a point, and now and then talked about the complications that might spring from the coaling business. Because we value our trade with England and wish to attract British capital, he knew we would not interfere with him unless we had urgent grounds, and wished to learn how far we would let him go. It must be owned that in this country official suspicion can often be disarmed.”