"It is the map, you mean? It is true I find it after the Señor Dane leave, and I sell it to el perro Rideau. Señor, we women must use what weapons we can, and the price he pay me—I have no secrets from you—was my father's safety."
"I do not venture to blame you," said Maxwell. "I had partly guessed it, and your confidence is safe with me, but suppose el perro had proved too strong for me? After this, can I believe that you would prove a good friend to me?"
Miss Castro positively blushed as she drew her hand away, but her laughter indicated a mingling of pride with scorn.
"You are modest, señor. It is not possible that the cur dog should prove too strong for—you. To Dom Pedro I say these Englishmen will kill this Rideau. So señor, because I hate him, you will tell me."
Maxwell did not speak for a while. Again an impulse which appeared wholly illogical in face of the girl's confession prompted him to tell her all; but very much lay at stake, and he did not usually act on impulse. Meanwhile his companion watched him from under the dark lashes which half covered her eyes; while, unobserved, the sleepy aunt watched them both. Bonita Castro looked bewitchingly pretty in her filmy draperies, perhaps the more so because of her curiously heightened color; but though Maxwell knew that she was a woman who would do much when prompted by passion, she did not look like a traitress.
"So you fear to trust me, señor?"
"On the contrary," Maxwell answered, "I have decided to trust you fully. In doing so, I know that I place my life and my comrade's equally in your hands."
"It is well; I would hold them safe if I risked salvation," said the girl. "So tell me everything. I shall be able to help you."
Maxwell did so, and Miss Castro asked him many questions which betokened a keenness of judgment that surprised the man. He spent some time in answering them, and Bonita appeared to find pleasure in listening to him. So while the palm-tufts tossed behind the factory and the spray whirled above the beach, the minutes slipped by, until, when the sun dipped, the señora woke up and ordered the black major-domo to hurry forward comida.
Bonita, reappearing attired in filmy robes of black, was more fascinating than ever during the drawn-out meal.