Roger looked up, and could scarcely credit his senses.
Where—where had he seen that sinister and evil countenance before? As he looked, so did the man who had just entered look at Roger, a new light dawning in his evil eyes.
Then Roger recognised the man; he had seen him before. It was Alvarez!
The new-comer spoke in Spanish: “Has the man yet confessed?”
And one of the masked men replied: “No, your excellency; he has not as yet. But we hope that during the next torture he will speak; he is but now only just recovering from the last.”
“Continue, then,” commanded Alvarez. “But first remove those two boys to their cell, and I charge you, on your lives, to see that they escape not; for of all those whom I have ever wished to have in my power I wanted that one most”—pointing to Roger. “Therefore, keep him safe; keep both of them safe; for I shall require them soon.”