e wondered more
than once if he lived or died; if he beat out his brains as he strove to
do; if, thinking better o't, he merely held his tongue and nursed his
broken body; or if he cried aloud that which the old serpent De
Guardiola made him believe, and henceforth travelled life's highway a
lazar!... And that's a curious thought: leper to himself--leper to his
world--leper's cry--leper's mantle, with the cloth across his face--and
beneath it, all cleanliness, with not a soul but God to know it!" He
gave his small, chuckling laugh. "Oh, I, too, have thoughts; I, too,
watch the play,--Pedro Mexia, senors, is not so gross of wit as he is
thought to be!"

Nevil leaned across the table. "Leper to himself, and to his world! But
to God all cleanly beneath that mantle which he drew over his forehead
and his eyes! What do you mean? Sir Mortimer Ferne declared himself a
coward and a traitor!"

"So!" said Mexia. "Well! 'Twas falsely sworn. Desmond was the man."

Sir John turned with rapid speech to his host. Alonzo Brava addressed
Mexia, who roused himself to a fair appearance of sobriety. "Worthy Don
Pedro, all here, on both sides, have heard somewhat of this story. I
understand that the English hidalgo concerned is dead. Don Luiz de
Guardiola is in Spain. We all know that a simple vengeance never
sufficed for him who was of those who by their cruelties have brought
such defamation upon our name in the Indies. I see not that you do
injury to Spanish honor by giving to our friends of one night as much as
you know of this history."

"Your relation will make us so greatly your debtor, Don Pedro," said
Drake, "that to-morrow, ere we sail, we will think of some such token as
may justly show our appreciation of the trouble we now give you. Wilt
drink with me?"

The tankards clinked, the wine went down, and the flattered Mexia turned
his round, empurpled countenance to Nevil. "Why, see you," he said,
"'twas easy for Desmond to find the secret door in the upper room in
the Friar's house, and, stealing down by the stair between the walls to
listen at the hidden grating until he had by heart your every plan--but
'twas not so easy to escape to us! It lacked half an hour of sunset when
be brought that news which since noon Don Luiz had sought with fury to
wring from the other."

"From the other?"

"From Sir Mortimer Ferne."

An Englishman cried out, "Then were there two traitors?" but Mexia, who
by now was somewhat in love with h