Dr. Tisco shrugged his shoulders.
"Of course, we can put them out of the way, at any time, with secrecy and dispatch, Don Luis. But what will be the use--provided they help you to get the American money into your hands? To be sure, the new buyers will soon find that they have a worthless mine on their hands, but that may happen with the finest mine.
The new buyers will never be able to prove that you brought all of your pretty-looking ore from another mine. You can depend upon the secrecy of the people from whom you have been buying the baiting ore for _El Sombrero_."
"Ah, but there is another side to that, Carlos. If Senores Reade and Hazelton serve us, and then go safely back to the United States, they can swear that they found and knew _El Sombrero_ to be worthless.
Then their evidence, flanked by the sudden running-out of _El Sombrero_, will make a case that the new American buyers could take into court."
"Let them take it into court," proposed the secretary, contemptuously.
"The governor of Bonista rules the judges of the courts of the state of Bonista with an iron hand. Rest a.s.sured that, if the Americans were to take their claims into the courts of this state, the judges would decide for you, and that would be the end of the matter. And do you believe, Don Luis, that, after Senores Reade and Hazelton once get alive out of Bonista, any consideration would tempt them to come back here to testify? They have sampled your power,"
"Yet why do you object, Carlos, to having the Gringo pair put out of the way?"
"I do not care anything about their lives," Tisco declared, coolly.
"It is only on general business principles that it seems to me unwise to have human lives taken when it is not necessary. He who resorts too often to the taking of life is sure to meet his own doom."
"Not in Bonista," jeered Montez, "and not where Don Luis is concerned in business matters."
"As you will, then," sighed the secretary. "You will please your own self, anyway, Don Luis."
"Truly, Carlos. And so I have decided that these Gringo engineers shall perish, anyway, as soon as they have served my purpose."
This talk had taken place in a cupola. Down the stair, with stealthy steps, crept a young, horrified, trembling girl.
Francesca, knowing that her father had gone to the cupola, had followed him to talk with him. She had halted on hearing voices.
Now, with despair in her eyes, the terrified girl stole away like one haunted and hunted by evil spirits.
"My father--an intending murderer! He, of a proud hidalgo family, a vile a.s.sa.s.sin, in thought at least?" moaned the girl, wringing her hands as soon as she had stolen to the privacy of her own rooms.
"My father"s hands--to be covered with human blood!" sobbed Francesca, sinking down before a crucifix to pray.
For hours the girl remained in terror-stricken solitude. Then she rose, somewhat comforted at last, and with the aid of cold water removed the traces of her tears from her dark, beautiful face.
Her plan was to seek her father, throw herself at his feet, and beg him not to disgrace the blood of the hidalgos nor to destroy his own soul with a hideous crime.
"I must seek him in private. There must be no others near when I make my appeal!" thought the girl.
Just then a servant entered.
"Your father is in the garden, Senorita Francesca," reported the woman, "and wonders why you do not join him. It is his wish that you join him now."
"Say to my father that his wish is my law," quavered the terrified girl.
Five minutes later Francesca went timidly up to her father in the gardens before the house.
Don Luis turned to her. He was thinking, at the moment, of his dark plans regarding the young engineers. In his eyes, despite his effort to smile on his daughter, was a deadly glitter that dried up hope in the heart of the daughter.
"You have been secluding yourself more than usual to-day, _chiquita_,"
chided Montez.
That word _chiquita_, meaning "pet," caused the girl to recoil inwardly. Could it be that this hard, cruel man had the right to address her in endearing terms?
"I am not well to-day, my father," she answered, in a low voice.
"Then take my arm, _chiquita_, and walk with me," urged Montez.
"My father," she cried, shrinking back, "if you will indulge me, I will walk alone. Perhaps, in that way, I shall gain more strength from the exercise."
"As you will," smiled Don Luis, coldly. "For myself, I have much to think of. I have American guests coming soon. I expect that they will buy _El Sombrero_ for money enough to make you one of the richest heiresses in all Mexico, _chiquita_."
"For me? And I do not know how to care for money!" answered the girl, unsteadily. Then she turned away, swiftly, unable to stand longer looking into Don Luis"s eyes.
Through the day Tom and Harry had tramped about almost feverishly, stopping at intervals as though for rest. Now, in the late afternoon, they were on their way back to camp by a route that took them not far from Don Luis"s grounds.
As they came within sight of the place, Tom espied Montez and Dr. Tisco walking slowly at one end of the garden, seemingly engaged in earnest conversation. At the farther end of the garden from them, Francesca walked by herself, seeming outwardly composed.
"It seems strange, doesn"t it," asked Harry, "that such a fine girl can possibly be Don Luis"s daughter?"
"She inherits her mother"s purity and goodness, doubtless," Tom replied.
"Ouch!" grunted Hazelton, stumbling over a stone with which his foot had collided. At Harry"s exclamation Tom glanced up, then his eyes met a strange sight.
Lying in a cleft in the rocks, with his head behind a bush, and well concealed, lay the stranger whom the young engineers had nursed through an illness.
That stranger was intently gazing at the garden of Don Luis.
So absorbed was he that he had either not heard or did not heed the pa.s.sing of the two Americans.
For a brief instant Tom Reade halted, regarding the face of the absorbed stranger.
"I didn"t have an idea about you, Mr. Stranger," muttered Tom to himself, as he plodded forward once more. "But now--now, I"ll wager that I"ve guessed who and what you are. Mr. Stranger, I believe that this one glance at your face has told me your story and your purpose in being in these mountains of Bonista!"
CHAPTER XX
TWO REAL SIGNATURES
Though they were in Mexico the young engineers found it chilly that evening, after sundown.
"Nicolas, can you spare wood enough to start a little campfire?"
Tom asked, as he put on his blouse after supper.
"Yes," replied the little Mexican. "For what is the use of being strong if I could not tramp after more wood to-morrow?"
"We"ll pay you well for all your trouble for us, _mi muchacho_"
(my boy) Tom promised.
"I am rewarded enough in being allowed to serve you, _caballeros_,"