“Two hundred would be more useful, but we come begging and not making a demand,” he said. “The treasurer is, however, at Havana, and it would be a convenience if you gave the silver to me.”
“Well,” said Appleby, “I will give you one hundred dollars.”
Morales expressed his thanks, but he did not go away. Indeed, Appleby felt that he was watching him covertly as he took out a cigar.
“There is another affair in which you could be of service to me,” he said. “We have all our little shortcomings, and I have been unfortunate at the Casino. What would you? One has to ingratiate himself with these Cubans, and I have lost a good deal of money. Holding command as I do, I cannot ask one of them for a loan.”
“Would that be a great disadvantage?” said Appleby.
Morales smiled again, not altogether pleasantly. “They might lend under fear of reprisal, which would be distasteful to me. Men’s tongues, my friend, are very censorious in this country; but one could confide in your discretion, and I should be grateful if you could show me how to negotiate a small loan until the Administration remembers that our pay is due.”
Appleby sat silent a space, for he appreciated the delicacy of the officer’s hint. Morales had, however, made his horseleech nature tolerably plain already, and Appleby decided to stand firm.
“I will mention it to Mr. Harding when he comes back,” he said.
“To wait would be especially inconvenient to me.”
“Still, that is the most I can do,” said Appleby.