Part 31 (1/2)

Alcando was picked for the work He did not want to undertake it, but he was proainst hiinator of the plot had a certain hold over him

”But I was to throw the blame on innocent parties if I could,” the Spaniard went on, in his confession ”Also I was to select athe explosion that would not easily be detected I selectedpictures as the simplest means I knew that some were to be ot in with the ood excuse, for approaching the da suspected After I had accoht, let suspicion rest on the camera men

”So I laid my plans I learned that Mr Hadley's firm had received the contract to h spies, I learned who their principal operators were It was then I came to you boys,” he said ”Ashamed as I am to confess it, it was asped

”But when you saved e that time, of course I would not dream of such a dastardly trick,” the Spaniard resuet out of it altogether, but that man would not let me So I decided to sacrifice myself I would myself blow up the dam, or, rather, make a little explosion that would scare prospective shi+ppers I did not care what beca as I did not ied ot this clock-work, in the brass-bound box, to set it off by means of electrical wires I planned to be far ahen it happened, but I would have left a written confession that would have put the blaed

”I kept the battery box connections and clockwork inside the sht all was in readiness The dyna rong with it There was too e the tiht by the caht Well, perhaps it is better so,” and he shrugged his shoulders with see indifference

”But please believe me when I say that no harm would have come to you boys,” he went on earnestly, ”nor would the daed

”It was all a terrible plot in which I becah my own fault,” went on the Spaniard, dramatically ”As soon as I met you boys, after you had saved my life, I repented of my part, but I could not withdraw The plans of this scoundrel --yes, I reat--his plans called for finding out souns that protect the Canal Only I was not able to do that, though he ordered me to in a letter I think you saw”

Blake nodded He and Joe were beginning to understand htthe mechanism that was to set off the dynaht hiar sed with me in the plot,” the conspirator confessed ”At ti the dam, in order to throw off the suspicions I saw you entertained regardingThe collision, in which the tug was sunk, had nothing to do with the plot That was a sih I did know the captain of that unlucky steamer

”Finally, after I had absented myself from here several tied, I received a letter telling me the dynamite had been placed, and that, after I had set it off, I had better flee to Europe”

Blake had accidentally seen that letter

”I received instructions, the ti,” went on Alcando, ”that the original plot was to be changed, and that a big charge of dynamite was to be used instead of a sree to it,” he declared ”I felt that, in spite of what I ht do to implicate myself, you boys would be blamed, and I could not have that if the Canal were to suffer great da to protect you, after what you did in saving ree to all the plans of that scoundrel, though he urged me most hotly

”But it is all over, now!” he exclaiht Only I can be blaood friends, you will not be,” and he slad all the suspense is at an end I deserve my punishment I did not know the plot had been discovered, and that the stage was set to lad you boys had the honor

”But please believepictures, though it was to be a blind as to my real purpose And, as I say, the railroad company did not want to really destroy the dah for us to have amassed a fortune ould have been content to see it operated We simply wanted to destroy public confidence in it for a time”

”The worst kind of destruction,” uard him well,” he ordered the soldiers ”We will look further into this plot to-morrow”

But when to-ed to escape in the night froone no one knew

But that he had spoken the truth was evident A further investigation showed that it would have been ied the dam by the amount of dynamite hidden But, as Captain Wiltsey said, the destruction of public confidence would have been a serious ,” observed Blake, a few days later, following an unsuccessful search for the Spaniard

”Yes, our suspicions of hi for us that we did save his life, mean as he was It wouldn't have been any joke to be suspected of trying to blow up the daht easily have fallen on us It was a clever trick Once we had the Governo all over with our cao with us, he could have done al he wanted But the plot failed”