The invalid2 looked taller, thinner, more bloodless than ever, and his air of settled gloom admirably became the situation.
"Hello, Earl. What luck?" Johnnie flashed at him.
"Good!"
An officer sharply commanded them to be silent.
There ensued a long delay, introduced, perhaps, for its effect upon the prisoners; then they were led into a large room where, it seemed, the entire staff of the Spanish garrison3 was waiting. It was an imposing4 collection of uniforms, a row of grim faces and hostile eyes, which the two Americans beheld5. Spread out upon a table in front of the officers were the personal belongings6 of both men.
The prisoners were ordered to stand side by side, facing their accusers. Then each in turn was subjected to a rigorous examination. Owing to his acquaintance with Spanish, O'Reilly was able to defend himself without the aid of an interpreter. He began by asserting that he had come to Cuba for his health, and declared that he had endeavored at all times since his arrival to conduct himself in strict conformity7 with local regulations. If in any way he had offended, he had not done so intentionally8, He denied having the remotest connection with the rebels, and demanded an explanation of his arrest.
But his plausible9 words did not in the least affect his hearers. General Antuna, the comandante, a square-faced man with the airs of a courtier, but with the bold, hard eyes of a fighter, leaned forward, saying:
"So you suffer from ill health, senor?"
"I do, severely10. Rheumatism11."
The general nodded. "Three days ago you were overtaken by a rain-storm while walking through the city."
"Yes, sir."
"When the rain had passed, you returned to your hotel. At the junction12 of San Rafael and Estrella streets a pool of water had gathered and you leaped it. Am I right?"
"No doubt."
General Antuna consulted a report before him. "That pool measured six feet four inches in width. Do you ask me to believe that a person suffering from rheumatism could do that?"
Leslie Branch shifted his weight and wet his lips, but O'Reilly only shrugged13 impatiently. "My dear General," said he, "did you never experience a neuralgia? Well then, was the pain continuous? In this climate my affliction troubles me very little. That is why I remain here."
From among the articles in front of him the general selected a solitary14 44-caliber revolver cartridge15 and, holding it up, said:
"What do you say to this?"
"I don't know what to say. Where did it come from?"
"It was found in the cloth pocket of your valise."
O'Reilly frowned; then a light of understanding irradiated his frank countenance16. "It must have lain there ever since I left Matanzas, three months ago."
"Ha! Matanzas!" fiercely ejaculated a colonel. "What were you doing in
Matanzas?"
It was unnecessary to prevaricate17 now. Johnnie told of his earlier connection with the Carter Importing Company, gave names, dates, and facts to bear out his statements, and challenged his accusers to verify them.
Undoubtedly18 some of his hearers were impressed, but they were by no means convinced of the innocence19 of his present purpose, and, in fact, the ferocious20 colonel seemed to regard past residence in Cuba as proof conclusive21 of a present connection with the rebels. Johnnie gathered that he was suspected of being one of those American engineers who were reported to have been engaged to instruct the enemy in the use of explosives: his inquisitors did their best to wring22 such an admission from him or to entrap23 him into the use of some technical phrase, some slip of the tongue which would verify their suspicions. They even examined his hands with minutest care, as if to find some telltale callous24 or chemical discoloration which would convict him. Then finally, to give him the lie absolute, the aggressive colonel seized a nickel-plated atomizer from the table and brandished25 it triumphantly26 before the young men's eyes.
"Enough of this pretense27!" he cried. "What is this instrument, eh?"
"It is evidently an atomizer, a nasal syringe. I never saw it before."
"It's mine," said Leslie Branch; but the colonel did not heed28 the interruption.
"Ha! And pray explain its use."
Johnnie undertook to do so, but it was plain that his words carried no conviction, for his mocking inquisitor gave a loud snort and gestured eloquently29 to his commander. "There you have it!" he declared, proudly. "This impostor betrays himself."
The other officers were eying the unfamiliar31 article curiously32; one of them ventured gingerly to handle it; they exchanged whispers.
"What do you call it?" the general inquired, leaning forward.
This was the colonel's moment. "I will tell you!" he said, with a sneer33 at O'Reilly. "I am something of a genius at mechanical inventions, and therefore I am not for a moment deceived by this fellow's common lies. This"—he paused dramatically and held his brother officers with a burning glance—"this instrument, in my opinion, was devised for the purpose of injecting fulminate of mercury into dynamite34."
There was a breathless hush35. The Spaniards stared at the little syringe with amazement36.
"And how does it operate?" queried37 one.
"It is one of those ingenious Yankee contrivances. I have never seen one quite like it, but my intelligence makes its principle plain. Evidently one inserts the tube into the dynamite, so, and presses the bulb—-"
There came a loud cry from General Antuna, who had bent38 closer; he clapped his hands to his face and staggered from his chair, for in suiting his action to his words the colonel had squeezed the bulb, with the result that a spray of salt water had squirted fairly into his superior officer's interested and attentive39 countenance.
"My eyes! Dios mio! I am blinded for life!" shouted the unhappy general, and his subordinates looked on, frozen with consternation40.
The author of this calamity41 blanched42; he was stricken dumb with horror.
Some one cried: "A doctor, quickly. Jesus Cristo! Such carelessness!"
"This is terrible!" another stammered43. "It will explode next."
There was a concerted scramble44 away from the table.
Leslie Branch laughed—it was the first time that O'Reilly had ever heard him give audible evidence of amusement. His reedy frame was shaken as by a painful spasm45; his colorless face was distorted, and from his lips issued queer, hysterical46 barks and chortles. "Tell 'em it's nothing but brine," he said, chokingly.
When this welcome intelligence had been translated, and when the general had proved it to be true, there was a great sigh of relief, followed by a subdued47 titter at the colonel's expense. The latter was chagrined48. Having made himself and the comandante ridiculous, he took refuge behind an assumption of somber49 and offended dignity. But it was plain that he still considered these Americans dangerous people, and that his suspicions were as keen as ever.
The interruption served to end O'Reilly's ordeal50, for the moment at least, and attention was now turned to his companion. It was evident from the first that Branch's case was hopeless. He readily acknowledged himself to be a newspaper writer, and admitted having sent articles for publication through the mails. This was quite enough; from the attitude of the military men it promised to go hard with him. But he sprung a surprise by boldly proclaiming himself an English citizen and warning his captors not to treat him with the contempt or with the severity they reserved for Americans. Curiously his words had an effect. Judgment51 for the moment was suspended, and the two prisoners were led away, after which another delay ensued.
At last O'Reilly was recalled; but when he re-entered the big room he found General Antuna awaiting him, alone.
"Permit me to apologize for the inconvenience we have put you to," the comandante began.
"Then am I free?"
"You are."
"I thank you."
The general's hard eyes gleamed. "Personally I at no time put faith in the idea that you are a powder expert," said he. "No. I had my own suspicions and I regret to say this inquiry52 has not in the least served to lessen53 them."
"Indeed? May I ask of what you suspect me?" Johnnie was genuinely interested.
The general spoke54 with force and gravity: "Mr. O'Reilly, I believe you to be a far greater menace to the interests of my country than—well, than a score of dynamite experts. I believe you are a writer."
The American smiled. "Are writers such dangerous people?"
"That altogether depends upon circumstances. The United States is inclined to recognize the belligerency of these Cuban rebels, and her relations with Spain are becoming daily more strained; ill-feeling grows, and all because of the exaggerations, the mendacities, that have gone forth55 from here to your newspapers. We are determined56 to put down this uprising in our own way; we will tolerate no foreign interference. War is never a pleasant thing, but you journalists have magnified its horrors and misrepresented the cause of Spain until you, threaten to bring on another and a more horrible combat. Now then, you understand what I mean when I say that you are more dangerous than a powder expert; that your pen can do more injury, can cause the death of more Spanish troops than could a regiment57 of Americans with dynamite. Your English friend makes no secret of his business, so we shall escort him to Neuvitas and see him safely out of the country, once for all."
"And yet you permit me to remain?" Johnnie was surprised.
"For the present, yes! That is my official message to you. Privately58, however"—the speaker eyed O'Reilly with a disconcerting expression—"I would like to warn you. You are a bright fellow, and you have a way with you—there's no denying it. Under other conditions it would be a pleasure to know you better. It grieves me, therefore, to warn you that your further stay in Cuba will not be—pleasant. I almost regret that there is no conclusive evidence against you; it would so simplify matters. Come now, hadn't you better acknowledge that I have guessed your secret?"
O'Reilly's perplexity was, changing to dismay, for it seemed to him he was being played with; nevertheless, he shook his head. "I would only be deceiving you, sir," he said.
General Antuna sighed. "Then I see embarrassments59 ahead for both of us."
"More arrests?"
"Not necessarily. Understand me, I speak as one gentleman to another, but—you must have noticed that Americans are unpopular with our troops. Eh? They are
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