s _galere_. Let us question him?"

* * * * *

I could not quite see that a man enveloped in the embrace of a
boa-constrictor, even though the reptile might be tame and harmless,
would be a person likely to give either correct or coherent answers to
questions, but I acquiesced in Don Juan d'Alta's suggestion that we
should try and get some information out of him.

He commenced at once; speaking in English for my benefit.

"What induced you and your band to attack the train yesterday?" was his
first question.

"I don't know," was the answer.

"That is a lie," responded Don Juan, speaking quite coolly. "If you
wish to get out of the coils of that snake, you must speak the truth.

"Now come, I know of course who you are, I know everybody in Valoro,
and especially the members of the Carlotta Society, which is avowedly
Royalist and opposed to the present Government like myself. You are a
member of that Society; you are one of its leaders. I suggest to you
that the so-called band of robbers who attacked the train last night
were simply members of the Carlotta Society?"

"I admit," gasped the man, trying with all his force to keep the
boa-constrictor's head away from his face, "that I am a leader of the
Carlotta Society, but I cannot disclose its secrets even to you."

"You must speak, Lopes," Don Juan said, "or you will not get free.
Remember that I am a member of the Carlotta Society myself, though an
honorary one on account of my age. You will never get back to your
desk in the bank of Valoro if you don't speak."

"It is inhuman!" cried the man desperately, "it is vile torture!"

"It is also inhuman," added Don Juan sententiously, "to raid trains,
and to threaten murder as you have done in this room. Your band too
was none too scrupulous in hanging Jimenez the half-breed, though he
was an informer. Tell me now, why did you hold up the train? why did
you try to rob this English gentleman?"

"It was done," answered the man stertorously, for he was becoming weak,
"it was done on urgent orders from Europe from our head."

Don Juan started, and going close whispered a name in his ear.

"Yes," replied Lopes faintly, but I heard the words, "from the Duke
himself."

As Don Juan turned from him with a perplexed look, his eye caught the
casket which I still held in my hand; he lost colour and became very
agitated as he saw it.

"Where did you get that from?" he asked abruptly, seizin