d to us,
'that I dared not risk the rolling-stock in the interior, as there had
been attempts to wreck trains all along the line several times. I did
that for your sake, Gould,' said the chief engineer. 'The answer to this
was, in the words of my subordinate, "The filthy brute on my bed said,
'Suppose I were to have you shot?'" To which my subordinate, who, it
appears, was himself operating, remarked that it would not bring the
cars up. Upon that, the other, yawning, said, "Never mind, there is
no lack of horses on the Campo." And, turning over, went to sleep on
Harris's bed.'

"This is why, my dear girl, I am a fugitive to-night. The last wire from
railhead says that Pedro Montero and his men left at daybreak, after
feeding on asado beef all night. They took all the horses; they will
find more on the road; they'll be here in less than thirty hours, and
thus Sulaco is no place either for me or the great store of silver
belonging to the Gould Concession.

"But that is not the worst. The garrison of Esmeralda has gone over to
the victorious party. We have heard this by means of the telegraphist of
the Cable Company, who came to the Casa Gould in the early morning with
the news. In fact, it was so early that the day had not yet quite broken
over Sulaco. His colleague in Esmeralda had called him up to say
that the garrison, after shooting some of their officers, had taken
possession of a Government steamer laid up in the harbour. It is really
a heavy blow for me. I thought I could depend on every man in this
province. It was a mistake. It was a Monterist Revolution in Esmeralda,
just such as was attempted in Sulaco, only that that one came off. The
telegraphist was signalling to Bernhardt all the time, and his last
transmitted words were, 'They are bursting in the door, and taking
possession of the cable office. You are cut off. Can do no more.'

"But, as a matter of fact, he managed somehow to escape the vigilance
of his captors, who had tried to stop the communication with the outer
world. He did manage it. How it was done I don't know, but a few
hours afterwards he called up Sulaco again, and what he said was, 'The
insurgent army has taken possession of the Government transport in the
bay and are filling her with troops, with the intention of going round
the coast to Sulaco. Therefore look out for yourselves. They will be
ready to start in a few hours, and may be upon you before daybreak.'

"This is all he could say.