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Page 33
Half an hour afterwards, Ridge, addressed as Se�or Remelios, stood in
the presence of General Pando, the Spanish commander of the eastern
diocese of the island, and second only to the Captain-General, who was
carefully reading a despatch just handed him by the young trooper.
"You say, se�or, that you have just come from Gibara, where you were
secretly landed last night?"
"Yes, General."
"Also from this note, signed by Lieutenant Carranza, I learn that the
Americans are about to land in force at Cienfuegos."
"Such are Se�or Carranza's latest advices."
"Um! They conflict, however, with news just brought from the south
that a landing has already been effected at Guantanamo."
Here the old soldier peered keenly at our hero, who experienced a
thrill of uneasiness.
At this moment there came a challenge from the sentry stationed at the
door. It was satisfactorily answered, and another individual hurriedly
entered the room.
"Your Excellency," said this person, making a profound salute, "pardon
my intrusion; but I am come to denounce the man now standing before you
as a Yankee spy. His despatch is a forgery and utterly false, since
the American army is not to land at Cienfuegos, but at Santiago."
Just here Ridge obtained his first view of the speaker's face, and was
overwhelmed with dismay to recognize in it the features of the man who
had ridden with him all that day under the guise of a Cuban patriot.
It was that of Enrico del Concha.
CHAPTER XIII
TO BE SHOT AT SUNRISE
Never in his life had our hero experienced a feeling of such utter
helplessness as he did upon recognizing del Concha. The treachery
unfolded by the man's words was beyond his comprehension, and he knew
not how to combat it. For a moment he stared speechless at the
traitor, then he turned to the General, who was gazing at him with
stern inquiry.
"Your Excellency," said Ridge, "the man who thus seeks to gain your
favor, and, as I suppose, a reward, by denouncing me, is doubly a
traitor. He kills Spaniards at every opportunity, and now seeks my
life at your hands because he knows that I am one. It is true that I
was captured by him and his band of Cuban ruffians. To save my life, I
told him the story that he now brings to you. After thus allaying his
suspicions, I seized a favorable opportunity to escape. By the
superior swiftness of my horse I finally reached this place in safety,
though pursued by him to your very lines and hotly fired upon, as can
be proved by many witnesses. Now, therefore, I, Jos� Remelios, bearer
of despatches from the Se�or Carranza, denounce this man as a doubly
dyed traitor, and demand that he be arrested on a charge of being a
Cuban spy."
"Have you ever seen him kill a Spaniard?" asked General Pando.
Ridge was obliged to admit that he had not.
"Then how do you know that he has done so?"
"From his own boastful confession. He claims to have taken the life of
a Spanish soldier for every day of the last year."
The General smiled. "That is certainly a very boastful claim," he
said, "but one not to be believed for a moment. Think you, sir, that
such a number of Spaniards could be killed without my knowledge? or
that, in any case, one man could thus overcome the brave, experienced,
and well-armed soldiers of Spain? Your credulity, se�or, is
refreshing. Also I have no hesitation in telling you that ever since I
took command of the eastern diocese, this man, recommended to me by my
predecessor in office, has been the most faithful and valuable of my
secret agents among the Cubans. Time and again he has furnished early
information of important events which has subsequently proved correct
in every detail. With such a record in his favor, am I now to doubt
him upon the mere word of a stranger? No, se�or, the honor of a
Spaniard forbids. I am obliged, therefore--"
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