ubtless," said Cabrera; "but have you the papers to prove
it? Or any letter in your uncle's handwriting authorising you to commit
the lawless acts you have committed on the person and property of this
faithful servant of the King?"

"All the papers in connection with the mission were in the care of my
friend Monsieur Rollo Blair, of Blair Castle," said Etienne. "He was
appointed chief of the expedition by my uncle, Don Baltasar, and if he
has parted temporarily with them, it is doubtless for good and
sufficient reasons."

"Search them," commanded Cabrera, suddenly, in a sharp tone of anger, in
which for the first time the latent cruelty of his nature came out.

Their captors, with no great delicacy of handling, began to overhaul the
contents of the pockets of the four. They examined their boots, the
lining of their coats, and ripped up the seams of their waist-coats.

Upon Ramon, nothing at all was found, except the fragment of a handbill
issued by the Nationalist general offering a reward for his capture; at
which more than one of the men wearing the white _boinas_ began to look
upon him with more favour, though they did not offer to ease the
sharply-cutting ropes with which they had bound him.

Upon John Mortimer was found a pocket-book full of calculations, and a
little pocket Testament with an inscription in English, which made John
Mortimer blush.

"Tell them my mother gave me that, and made me promise to carry it. I
don't want them to take it away!"

Rollo translated, and Cabrera, after turning over the pages, handed it
back with a bow.

"A _gage d'amour_?" he said, smiling.

"Yes, from my mother!" said John Mortimer, blushing yet more.

The search through the pockets of Etienne produced nothing except a
number of brief notes, daintily folded but indifferently written, and
signed by various Lolas, Felesias, and Magdalenas. Most of these were
brief, and to the point. "Meet me at the gate by the rose-tree at seven.
My father has gone to the city!" or only "I am waiting for you! Come."

But in the outer pocket of Rollo Blair was found a far more compromising
document. When the searcher drew it forth from his coat, the eyes of
Luis Fernandez gleamed with triumph.

Cabrera took the paper and glanced it over carelessly, but as soon as
his eye fell upon the signature the fashion of his countenance changed.
He leaped to his feet.

"Nogueras!" he cried; "you are in correspondence with Nogueras, the
villain