And the Mexican grinned for he could see by the expression on Mr. Ryder’s face that he was not to be executed.
CHAPTER XXI
“YES, YES, I DID IT!”
Nedham’s pulque drinking had completely shattered his nerves and the effects of the liquor combined with the revelation of José Cerro had well nigh made a physical wreck of the assistant engineer. Indeed, as he stood in the center of the room in Mr. Ryder’s cottage, where he had been brought by Lyman and Captain Alvarez, he swayed backward and forward, and if Jack had not brought him a chair in all probability he would have collapsed completely.
He looked at his inquisitors with staring bloodshot eyes, and his fingers worked nervously at the buttons on the front of his shirt. His condition was pitiable and Jack and Mr. Ryder both felt sincerely sorry for him.
“Nedham, where are those plans you stole from my desk! You are the thief, aren’t you?” demanded Mr. Ryder.
“Plans?” said Nedham, trying his best to feign ignorance. “What plans? I—I—know—”
“Stop,” roared the engineer, “don’t lie, we know you are the guilty man.”
“I tell you—I—I—Oh, God, yes, yes, I did it! It’s true.” Nedham could control his shattered nerves no longer. He broke down completely. “I stole the plans! I stole them! They are under the mattress of my bed! They’ve been haunting me ever since I took them! Curse the things! If I had had the courage I’d have burned them long ago! I did the rest too! I crippled the generators! I smashed the searchlight! I offered the three thousand pesos for your capture! I did it all—all—and now, thank goodness, I’ve confessed! It’s all over! The strain! The strain! It was horrible! I had to get drunk—beastly drunk.”