Part 15 (1/2)

”Get out!” he said. He pushed the man, searching his brain for the Spanish equivalent. ”What the mischief--oh,” he glared at the trembling prisoner. ”_Vayase Vd! Largo de aqui!_”

The poor wretch needed no more. With a quick, smiling gleam of white teeth he bowed, and the next instant was loping through the garden.

Dan sauntered slowly toward the hotel. Soldiers acting upon information given by Miss Howland were beating the grounds, and there was much shouting and occasionally a pistol shot.

But the hotel was deserted of the brilliant guests who had filled it but a quarter of an hour before. The spell of darkness lay upon the banquet hall. A few men and women were loitering in the court, awaiting developments. Oddington was there, and another man of the party, but the rest, including the Howlands, had evidently gone to their rooms.

”Miss Howland told us you made rather an interesting tackle, Merrithew,” said Oddington as Dan nodded to him. ”I am sorry I missed it. Where is your prisoner?”

Dan smiled. ”The tackle was so artistic,” he said, ”that I jarred most of my senses out of me. He got away. Here's his gun,” and Dan held up an old-fas.h.i.+oned carbine.

Oddington glanced at the weapon.

”Howland will be sorry you let your man escape, if only because he prevented the carefully prepared speech he had been laboring over. It was pretty nervy of you, although Howland tells me they are all the time potting at Rodriguez and missing him. Still, I should think they would give you the Order of San Blanco.”

”I think I can struggle along without it,” said Dan. ”Good-night.”

He turned toward the harbor and the _Tampico_. The moon had now broken from the clouds which had partially hidden it all evening, and the hotel grounds and the slope leading to the water front were bathed in light. Dan's mood was rather bitter. They might have waited for him, he thought. At least, Miss Howland and her father might have, in view of what had happened. But still, why should they? The old feeling of aloofness filled him, and all the self-a.s.surance which had characterized his att.i.tude with Miss Howland a half-hour before vanished. He was angry with himself for having dared to maintain such an att.i.tude.

He turned to look at the hotel and bowed gravely.

”It seems that one Daniel Merrithew has been forgetting he is a mere steams.h.i.+p captain. He will remember it in future--at all times.”

And then he walked slowly to his s.h.i.+p.

CHAPTER X

THE WRAITH IN THE MOONLIGHT

Twenty-four hours later the _Tampico_ was at sea. The itinerary proposed by Mr. Howland had been altered for the reason that cable despatches from New York had contained financial tidings that made it inc.u.mbent upon him to return to the United States without more delay than was necessary; and Ralph Oddington's firm had been retained by a corporation seeking protection against a.s.saults of the Attorney-General's office, and he was wanted in the city at his ”earliest convenience,” which he had interpreted as meaning ”right away.”

And so there was to be no stopping at various ports, but a quick run to the States. Mr. Howland imparted this information to Dan as the two sat at table in the saloon over cigars and coffee the evening after the departure from San Blanco. The other members of the party had gone on deck.

”They can do their sightseeing at Galveston and Savannah, where you can call for your cotton and naval stores as usual.” As Dan raised his eyebrows, Mr. Howland shook his head emphatically. ”Can't help it,” he said. ”You see by this despatch,” pointing to a pile of papers on the table, ”that the _Tybee's_ out of commission for a month; and business is business, party or no party. And now, Merrithew,” stuffing the papers into his pocket as though all matters concerning them were finally settled, ”I want to ask you about something else. Of course you're in this Central American service here and will be for a time. I've been thinking what you said about the fighting the other morning.” He lit a cigar and pushed his case toward Dan. ”I gathered you did not exactly approve of it. Didn't you?”

”Mr. Howland,” replied Dan, ”it was not the fighting that bothered me, it was the idea I had landed guns which your men were using to shoot down other men like sheep. It was a new sensation, and it got into me, I'll say that. Still it was none of my business; I was carrying out your instructions. I am sorry I was so unwise as to give you the impression I did.”

”Not at all.” Mr. Howland gazed at his cigar a moment, flicking the ashes off with his little finger. ”Is that why you let the a.s.sa.s.sin go?”

Dan rose to the situation without hesitating.

”Mr. Howland, you were fis.h.i.+ng when you asked that question. You don't have to do that. I did let that chap go. I believed he had attempted a good job. I saved Rodriguez's worthless life and took a risk in doing it. I would not have done so, but I thought the man was aiming at you; but since I did, the only reward I was ent.i.tled to, or wanted, was to do as I pleased with the man.”

”Undoubtedly,” said Mr. Howland. ”Of course it occurred to you that Rodriguez's life, however worthless you hold it in other ways, might be extremely valuable to the San Blanco Trading and Investment Company, which is myself?”

”Yes, I did think of that,” replied Dan, ”although I am employed by the Coastwise Company, I know you practically own both. I realize, too, your kindness to me in the past; but I did look on the fellow as a man honestly trying to serve his country; and when it came to deliver him up to be hanged--why I simply could not do it.” Dan rose slowly. ”I showed myself ungrateful to your interests. As I say, I appreciate what you have done. I am going to show that I do by asking you to consider my resignation in your hands to act upon as soon--whenever you please.”

”Sit down, Captain Merrithew,” said Mr. Howland, as though he had not heard the last words. ”In the first place, you recognize that where there is no law and order legitimate business cannot be carried on.

Where a country is governed in a haphazard manner, while it may be easy to secure contracts, it is impossible to collect on them. Business interests having connections with such countries find conditions intolerable, and where we can we rectify them. If you have studied San Blancan affairs you know that under Rodriguez (who, despite his cruelty, is honest) business here, whether controlled by myself or any one else, may for the first time in history be conducted on an honest and reliable basis. That is all I ask or have asked. I have no benefit of discriminating duties. I am largely interested in the business affairs of this country; but I obtained those interests fairly, and it is my duty to myself and my daughter and my business a.s.sociates to maintain and develop them.