CHAPTER XXII.
AN ORDER TO HALT.
A dense belt of dark-leaved bananas separated the villa from the highway, along which they had been riding. Without bothering to find a pathway, the Americans swung their horses into the plantation and rode forward at a rattling gait among the bananas.
Owing probably to the softness of the ground, the sound of their approach was not audible within, and the cries increased as they drew nearer. Flinging their reins to the guide, whom nothing would have induced to join them, the Americans swung off their horses within a few yards of a lighted window, and ran forward.
The sight which met their eyes within the casement was one which did not make Ned’s amazed exclamation seem out of place.
“It’s Senorita Isabelle!” exclaimed Herc, as his eyes encountered the shrinking figure of a young woman in one corner of the lighted room. In front of her, with a drawn sword, was General de Guzman himself, his face convulsed with fury. In another corner of the place stood Charbonde and Hank Harkins holding back a venerable old lady, who appeared to have been on the point of precipitating herself upon the general.
“For the last time, girl, will you tell me where that will is?” demanded the infuriated general in Spanish.
“Never,” the girl bravely replied, “even though no one has heard my cries for help. I defy you to make me speak. The secret was imparted to me in confidence, and why should I tell you the whereabouts of the document? You only desire to possess yourself of it so that you may profit by wrongfully withholding our property.”
“Then I shall make you a prisoner. My troops are now at the gates of Boca del Sierras. To-morrow they will enter it in triumph. I shall make it my first business to recapture those Americans, and shoot them in front of your eyes.”