Part 16 (1/2)

”We shall see,” nodded Montez. ”But the sunlight is growing too strong for my eyes. Suppose, _caballeros_, that we move into the office?”

The others now rose and followed Don Luis.

”What on earth is Tom driving at?” Harry wondered. ”He's stringing Don Luis, of course, but to what end?”

Montez stood at the door of his office, indicating that the young engineers pa.s.s in ahead of him. The instant they had done so Montez turned to his secretary, whispering:

”Send my daughter here.”

Dr. Tisco vanished, though he soon reappeared and entered the office.

Don Luis, after indicating seats to the young Americans, crossed to a ponderous safe, toyed with the combination lock, threw open the door and then brought out a ledger that he deposited on one of the flat-top desks. Five minutes later his daughter Francesca entered the room.

”Now, what part is the girl to play here?” wondered Tom, instantly.

”If I know anything of human nature she's a sweet and honest girl. She is no rascal, like her father. Yet he has sent for her to play some part!”

CHAPTER IX

DON LUIS SHOWS HIS CLAWS

Senorita Francesca greeted her guests with extreme courtesy.

”She's a fine young woman,” thought Harry, with a guilty feeling.

”Blazes, but it's going to come hard to show her father up as a scoundrel.”

”_Chiquita_,” (pet) called her father, ”it has not been the custom of this country to train our women in the ways of business. But you are my only child. Every _peso_ (dollar) that I earn and save is for you one of these days. I have much money, but I crave more, and it is all for you, _chiquita_. It is my wish to see you, one of these days, a very queen of wealth, as you are already a queen of goodness and tenderness. Since you must handle the great fortune that I am building for you I have concluded to override the customs of our people for generations. In other words, I am going to begin to train you, _chiquita_, in business.”

”Business?” murmured the girl. ”Ah! That word frightens me--I am so ignorant.”

”Your first lesson shall not tire or dismay you,” promised Don Luis, gently. ”Now, place your chair close beside mine, and look over this ledger with me. I shall not attempt to make you comprehend too much at first.”

With pencil and paper beside the ledger, Don Luis read off many items. Occasionally he did some figuring on the sheet of paper, as though to make the matters more clear to his daughter. She made a very pretty picture, trying to follow her father's explanations, but the perplexed wrinkling of her brow showed how hard it was for her to do so.

The figures that Don Luis took from his ledger all tended to show the immensity of the wealth already produced from _El Sombrero_.

Tom and Harry listened courteously, for they had been invited to join the group.

”You are tired, _chiquita_,” said her father, at last. ”I have taken you too far on our first excursion into the realm of finance.

This morning we will have no more figures. But here is something that cannot fail to interest you in parts at least.”

Shoving aside the ledger, Don Luis drew from a drawer a bulky doc.u.ment.

”This is the report which Senor Reade prepared for me yesterday,”

Montez explained, looking at the young engineers for an instant.

”The report is written in English, as I desired it written so.

But I will read the most interesting parts in Spanish to you, _chiquita_. You will observe that this report is a masterpiece of business composition.”

”I am sure that it must be,” murmured Francesca, and Tom bowed his thanks.