ind
time to drop him so much as two or three lines to say that they had
arrived safely, and were hoping to see him soon. Of course, as he told
himself, there was no very particular reason why anyone should have
written so very vapid and commonplace a piece of intelligence as that
they had arrived home safely, for it might be taken for granted that
they had done so: the trains in Cuba travelled too slowly, and the
traffic was too meagre, to admit of the possibility of an accident--and,
moreover, there had been no news of any such thing; and, apart from an
accident, there was absolutely no reason that Jack could think of why
his friends should not reach their destination in safety. Yet this
young man, usually so reasonable and level-headed, was now fast worrying
himself into a fever because certain people had not done something which
he constantly assured himself there was not the slightest need for them
to have done. And when at length the train drew up at the platform of
Pinar del Rio station, and he saw Senor Eugenio Calderon, Don Hermoso's
manager, waiting thereon, his heart sank, a momentary feeling of
sickness and giddiness seized him, and as he reeled out of the carriage
on to the platform he muttered to himself: "I knew it; I was certain
that something was wrong!" Then he pulled himself together and turned
to greet Senor Calderon as unconcernedly as might be.

"Well, Senor Calderon, how are you, and how are all at the hacienda?" he
exclaimed. "Don Hermoso received my note, I suppose, and--?"

"Let us walk to the end of the platform, Senor," replied Calderon,
drawing him away out of earshot of the little crowd of alighting and
embarking passengers. "I received your letter, Senor Singleton, and, in
the absence of Don Hermoso, opened it, as I have opened all letters
arriving for him since he left the hacienda. And when I had read it I
came to the conclusion that it was my duty to meet you here upon your
arrival; for, Senor, I can no longer hide from myself the fear that
something untoward has befallen Don Hermoso and his family. I duly
received the telegram which he dispatched to me from Havana, apprising
me of his arrival there and his intention to return home that same day,
and, as requested by the message, I dispatched the carriage here to meet
the train by which he said he intended to travel; but on the following
day the carriage returned to the house with the intelligence that
neither Don Hermoso nor an