“N-no, General, unless he was led to believe that I was under guard here. He might express his sentiments more freely if he thought I would never get back across the border alive.”
“Good enough! This offer from Perez is to go into the keeping of Doña Jocasta. You’ve the duty of taking it to her. We have not yet found that ammunition.”
“Well, it did cross the border, and somebody got it.”
“He says it was moved to Hermosillo before Juan Gonsalvo, the overseer, died.”
“Was shot, you mean, after it was cached.”
“Maybe so, but he offers to trade part of it for his liberty, and deliver the goods north of Querobabi.”
“Yes, General,––into the bodies of your men if you trust him.”
Rotil chuckled. “You are not so young as you look, Don Pajarito, and need no warning. It is the room next the sala where I will have Perez and Conrad brought. The señora can easily overhear what is said. It may be she will have the mind to help when she sees that offer he made.”
“It would seem so, yet––women are strange! They go like the padre, to prayers when a life is at stake.”
“Some women, and some priests, boy,” said the dark priest. “It may be that you do not know Doña Jocasta well.”