now seemed quite unlike his
usual self.

"Frank, Frank, think of the suffering of this poor father!"

"Yah," murmured Hans; "shust dink how pad you vould felt uf you efer
peen py his blace," put in Hans, sobbing, chokingly.

"It is very, very sad," said Frank; but there seemed to be a singularly
sarcastic ring to the words which fell from his lips.

"Have you seen your son since he fell into the hands of Pacheco, sir?"
asked the professor.

"Yes, I saw him; but I could scarcely recognize him, he was so
changed--so wan and ghastly. The skin is drawn tightly over his bones,
and he looks as if he were nearly starved to death."

"Did he recognize you?"

"Yes."

"What did he do?"

The man wrung his hands with a gesture of unutterable anguish.

"Oh, his appeal--I can hear it now! He begged me to save him, or to
give him poison that he might kill himself!"

"Where is he now?"

"In a cave."

"Where is the cave?"

"That I cannot tell, for I was blindfolded all the time, except while in
the cave where my boy is kept."

"It is near Mendoza?"

"It must be within fifty miles of here."

"Perhaps it is nearer?"

"Possibly."

"But you have no means of knowing in which direction it lies?"

"No."

"Your only hope is to raise the five hundred dollars?"

"That is my only hope, and that can scarcely be called a hope, for I
must have the money within a day or two, or my boy will be dead."

"Hum! hum!" coughed the professor. "This is a very unfortunate
affair--very unfortunate. I am not a wealthy man, but I----"

"You will aid me?" shouted the old man, joyously. "Heaven will bless
you, sir--Heaven will bless you!"

"I have not said so--I have not said I would aid you," Scotch hastily
said. "I am going to consider the matter--I'll think it over."

"Then I have no hope."

"Why not?"

"If your heart is not opened now, it will never open. My poor boy is
lost, and I am ready for death!"

The old man seemed to break down and sob like a child, burying his face
in his hands, his body shaking convulsively.

Frank made a quick gesture to the others, pressing a finger to his lips
as a warning for silence.

In a moment the old man lifted his face, which seemed wet with tears.

"My last hope is gone!" he sighed. "And you are travelers--you are
rich!"

He turned to Frank, to whom, with an appealing gesture, he extended a
hand that was shaking as if with the palsy.

"You--surely you will have sympathy with me