He laid down
the watch on the table, then, negligently, pushed his hat over it.

"Ha!" he began, going up very close to the chair. "You dare call my
valiant soldiers of the Esmeralda regiment, thieves. You dare! What
impudence! You foreigners come here to rob our country of its wealth.
You never have enough! Your audacity knows no bounds."

He looked towards the officers, amongst whom there was an approving
murmur. The older major was moved to declare--

"Si, mi colonel. They are all traitors."

"I shall say nothing," continued Sotillo, fixing the motionless and
powerless Mitchell with an angry but uneasy stare. "I shall say nothing
of your treacherous attempt to get possession of my revolver to shoot me
while I was trying to treat you with consideration you did not deserve.
You have forfeited your life. Your only hope is in my clemency."

He watched for the effect of his words, but there was no obvious sign of
fear on Captain Mitchell's face. His white hair was full of dust,
which covered also the rest of his helpless person. As if he had heard
nothing, he twitched an eyebrow to get rid of a bit of straw which hung
amongst the hairs.

Sotillo advanced one leg and put his arms akimbo. "It is you, Mitchell,"
he said, emphatically, "who are the thief, not my soldiers!" He pointed
at his prisoner a forefinger with a long, almond-shaped nail. "Where
is the silver of the San Tome mine? I ask you, Mitchell, where is the
silver that was deposited in this Custom House? Answer me that! You
stole it. You were a party to stealing it. It was stolen from the
Government. Aha! you think I do not know what I say; but I am up to your
foreign tricks. It is gone, the silver! No? Gone in one of your lanchas,
you miserable man! How dared you?"

This time he produced his effect. "How on earth could Sotillo know
that?" thought Mitchell. His head, the only part of his body that could
move, betrayed his surprise by a sudden jerk.

"Ha! you tremble," Sotillo shouted, suddenly. "It is a conspiracy. It is
a crime against the State. Did you not know that the silver belongs
to the Republic till the Government claims are satisfied? Where is it?
Where have you hidden it, you miserable thief?"

At this question Captain Mitchell's sinking spirits revived. In whatever
incomprehensible manner Sotillo had already got his information about
the lighter, he had not captured it. That was clear. In his outraged
heart, Captain Mitchell had resolved tha