But Contraras was still patient. He was trying to reason with this obstinate young man, whose bold bearing moved his admiration.
"We cannot tell how the great Revolution will shape itself ultimately.
But let us deal with present facts. A charming girl is waiting for you, longing for the moment when she can be your wife."
A shadow of pain pa.s.sed over Guy"s face. To-night, he had set out to visit his beloved Isobel, and he had been snared.
Contraras watched him narrowly through the holes of his mask.
"And a big fortune will be yours very shortly. Are you prepared to give up these advantages for the sake of thwarting the brotherhood?"
"I rather think I am. But tell me what you propose. I admit you are arguing in a most temperate fashion. But you have something up your sleeve all the time."
"I have," admitted Contraras frankly. "Mr Rossett, believe me, I have no personal animosity against you, except as the tool of a decaying and effete system. Come into line with me, and your bonds shall be loosed, and you shall go forth a free man."
"Your conditions?" queried Rossett, in a hard voice.
"Take your solemn oath, no, give me your word as an English gentleman--I will accept that--that you will resign your position at the Emba.s.sy, and take no further action against the brotherhood."
He rose, and pointed at the door. "Give me that promise, Mr Rossett, and you can walk out a free man."
If Guy hesitated a moment, his hesitation must be pardoned. In that swift instant he thought of Isobel, anxiously waiting his arrival, his dear sister Mary, anxious and troubled also, even his father, whose maladroit interference in his affairs had sent him into this hotbed of disaffection.
Then he spoke slowly and deliberately. "You invite me to dishonour myself, in order to secure my own personal safety. My answer is, _No_.
Do your worst."
"You will not reconsider that decision, Mr Rossett?"
Guy shook his head. "No, a thousand times, no. Do what you like with me. I am a defenceless man. You can murder me here, and probably hush up your crime. But I shall be avenged--you can reckon on that."
Contraras rose, and paced the room in great agitation. He was a brave man himself; he admired the quality of bravery in others. Fanatical and resolute as he was, it went against the grain to condemn this young Englishman to death, because he would not accept the dishonourable terms offered to him.
"Mr Rossett, I wish to spare you. The brotherhood does not condemn in haste." He turned to Somoza. "Take this gentleman to his room, and bring him here in a quarter of an hour. Perhaps, by that time, he will take a more reasonable view of his position."
"Come, senor, if you please," said the obedient Somoza, speaking through his mask in the most polite accents. A Spaniard is always courteous, even if he is about to murder you.
The fisherman bent down to a.s.sist his prisoner to rise, but before Rossett was firmly on his legs, the short, squat figure of Moreno got up from his chair. He laid his finger to his lips and looked round at the a.s.sembly.
"Silence, gentlemen, for a moment! I am sure I heard the sound of a whistle. Yes, there is another one. Did you catch it?"
No, n.o.body had caught it, except Moreno. He stole gently to the window, and pulled the blind an inch aside. He dropped it hastily, and staggered back in a state of extreme agitation. In that apparently unconscious movement he had drawn nearer to the door.
"_Dios_!" he cried, in a shrill voice. "The house is surrounded. There are dozens of men outside."
The pulling aside of the blind was a signal he had arranged with his friend, the head of the Police. The pretence of the whistle was a blind.
There was a heavy trampling on the stairs. Almost before he had ceased speaking, the locked door was burst open to admit the members of the police, with levelled revolvers covering the masked men.
Two of the unwelcome visitors seized Somoza and handcuffed him. A third cut the secure but not painful ropes that bound Rossett, and conducted him down the narrow staircase.
A cab was waiting; his guardian bundled the young man in.
Was it a dream? Isobel"s soft arms were round him, Isobel"s soft voice was whispering to him.
"My darling, you are safe. Moreno has kept his promise."
Rossett was bewildered. No wonder! He had hardly yet recovered from the effects of the drug which had been administered by Somoza. His head fell back on her shoulder.
"Isobel, my dear sweetheart! You here! What does it mean?"
"It means that you are saved through Moreno, and my cousin Maurice Farquhar." She felt it was no time to palter with the truth.
"Your cousin, Maurice Farquhar! What has he to do with it all?"
She was pleased to note that there was no suspicion in his tones, only the expression of bewilderment.
"Oh, it would take hours to explain, but I will cut it as short as I can. My cousin and Moreno are great friends. Maurice has come over here to help him. I was expecting you to-night, as you will remember.
Maurice came round to explain that you had been kidnapped. He was coming on here, as Moreno"s lieutenant, to help the police. I implored him to take me along, to welcome you when you escaped from them. He consented, and here I am."
Guy clasped her in his arms. "You darling! And where is Mr Farquhar?
I would like to thank him."
Isobel beckoned to a man standing a little way in the shadow. He advanced.
"Maurice, Guy wishes to thank you for all your share in this night"s work."
The two men exchanged a cordial handshake. Guy muttered his thanks.
"I would like to tell you to drive off straight away," said Farquhar.
"But you must wait a minute or two. There will be a third occupant of this vehicle--our friend Moreno, who is going to pa.s.s the night at the house of the Chief of Police. To-morrow he will go to England."
In the room from which Rossett had been conducted to his friendly guardian, the head of the police was taking the situation in hand.
"Masks off, if you please, gentlemen," he cried out in stentorian tones.
The men turned hesitatingly to each other. But the levelled revolvers had an eloquence that was very appealing. They tore off their masks and flung them on the floor.
The chief scrutinised them in turn, offering audible comments.
"Ah, Contraras, the dark horse of the conspiracy, connected with the Spanish n.o.bility through your wife. I think I have met you at the Court. Alvedero--ah, for some time you have been suspect. Zorrilta, I know you well. Governor of the Province of Navarre."
He pointed to Somoza. "This gentleman I do not know. We shall find something about him later on."
He turned to Moreno, who preserved an impa.s.sive demeanour.
"I have not the honour of knowing this gentleman, either," he said with a splendid disregard of the truth, for which Moreno admired him immensely. "But no doubt I shall shortly atone for my ignorance. I shall have something to say to him later on."
He turned to his subordinates. "Handcuff them and take them along."
Moreno all the time had been edging nearer to the door. Suddenly he pulled out a knife, and hurled himself at the man who was guarding it.