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Page 30
Seeing that Ridge noticed these, the host said, carelessly:
"Ah yes, se�or, we have seen better days!" Then, lighting a cigarette,
he continued, more sternly, "Now, sir, can you give any reason why I
should not have you led out and shot as a spy?"
"You would not dare do such a thing!" replied Ridge, indignantly.
"Oh! wouldn't I? My friend, you do not realize into whose hands you
have fallen. Now, merely to prove that I have both the inclination and
power to carry out my threat, I will have you shot. Lope! Garzo!"
Two of the ragged bandits immediately appeared.
"Bind me the arms of this man and blindfold him."
The order was deftly obeyed.
"Now take him from my sight and shoot him."
Seizing Ridge by the shoulders, the men began to drag him away.
Until this moment he had not known whether to acknowledge himself an
American or claim to be a Spaniard, nor had he believed that the
extremely courteous leader of bandits with whom he had just
breakfasted, and who might be either a Cuban patriot or a Spanish
guerilla, would do him serious injury. Now, moved by an agony of
terror, he shouted out the word whispered to him a few hours before by
the commander of the _Speedy_, the secret countersign of the Cuban
Junta.
Its effect was magical. The men who were dragging him to a summary
execution loosed their hold and stared at him in amazement, while the
young leader sprang to where Ridge stood, tore the bandages from his
eyes, severed his bonds, and embraced him.
"Why, my brother, did you not disclose your identity long ago?" he said.
"Because," replied Ridge, in a voice that still trembled from his
recent fright, "I knew not to which side you belonged."
"What! Did you for a moment think that I might be a vile Spaniard? I,
Enrico del Concha, a Cuban of the Cubans? Alas! that such a suspicion
should fall upon one of my name."
"And what," inquired Ridge, "did you take me for?"
"A Spanish spy, of course. Do you not speak the language without even
a Cuban accent? Did you not decline to tell me how or what you were?
Above all, did you not carry on your person despatches addressed to
certain Spanish generals?"
Ridge clapped a hand to his breast pocket.
"Yes, se�or, they are gone," laughed the other.
"My rogues are clever thieves, and took them from you when we first
met, together with your money, for which they were searching.
Hereafter you must provide for your private papers a place of greater
safety. Now let us have one more cup of that delicious coffee while
you confide to me who you are and why you are here."
CHAPTER XII
DENOUNCED BY A FRIEND
Under the circumstances, Ridge felt that a frank avowal of his
personality and present plans would be wiser than any attempt at
deception, and this he proceeded to make. To all that he had to tell
the bandit leader paid closest attention, and listened without a word
of interruption until the narrative was finished. Then he said:
"It is indeed great news that the Americans are about to invade Cuba.
Until now they have promised much and done worse than nothing, since,
by their blockade of Cuban ports, they have only starved to death
thousands of miserable reconcentrados. Now if they will proceed with
judgment and are not swept off by fevers, something may be
accomplished. At the same time, from the ignorance displayed in
sending on so important a mission as yours one so ill equipped for it,
I cannot hope for much from them."
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