Part 32 (1/2)

”Then let us start as soon as possible,” she said

Goivethe _hacienda_, they rode by rough, steep tracks that wound through belts of forest and crossed sun-scorched slopes Although it was hot, the air was clear, and Evelyn was pleased to see that Gomez kept the mules at a steady pace At noon they reached a cluster of poverty-stricken ed, half-breed peons They talked for some time in a low voice, and then Gomez turned to Evelyn

”I am afraid we shall have to wait here for two or three hours,” he said ”It et on!” Evelyn answered sharply

”Your wishes would be a command, only that I e, and while you rest I will explain e cannot go forward”

Evelyn found the small _fonda_ indescribably dirty, but it offered shelter fros in its bare walls let in puffs of breeze, and decaying lattices kept out the glare, but the roo sounds showed that other insects lurked in the crevices The place reeked with the smell of _cana_ and kerosene, and Evelyn had to force herself to eat a little of the greasy mess that was set before her in rude, sun-baked crockery When the an his explanation

”You have heard that the country is disturbed There are turbulent people ant a revolution, and I am not popular with the about the country's politics and she thought he had expressed the feeling of its discontented citizens very mildly She distrusted him, but, so far, his conduct had been irreproachable

”I see you understand,” he resumed ”The worst is that you too are an object of suspicion; it is known that your father is a friend of the President and has business with him Well, I have been warned that soht rouse the peons to attack us They will knoe left the _hacienda_ and watch for us, but we can outwit the another road”

This was plausible, and Evelyn agreed to the delay, although she did not feel quite satisfied when Gomez left her The dirty room was very hot and its atmosphere unspeakably foul, but she could not sit outside in the sun, and, taking up a soiled newspaper, she tried to read Her knowledge of Castilian did not carry her far, but she ed to deal severely with athat she ought to know the name

Sarmiento had some connection with Grahame and his friends; perhaps they had spoken of him This led her to think of them It looked as if Graha the promise she had made, she wondered whether the _Enchantress_ was then on the coast As he see the revolutionaries, while her father had business with the President This was puzzling, and she sat thinking about it for some time; and then looked up with a start as Go the _diario_!” he remarked

”I don't understand very erous person who goes abouttrouble”

”It's curious, but I think I have lance and then s, but you did meet him at Havana”

”Ah!” said Evelyn sharply

Gohed

”Must I remind you, senorita, of a little affair at the Hotel International?”

Evelyn reuessed that it was Sar when she stopped hi She could now understand his look of baffled rage, and she recalled her shrinking froines that you did not know Don Martin,” Goh there was a keen look in his narrowed eyes

”No,” Evelyn answered; ”I only saw him at dinner”

”Then perhaps you have heard your father speak of him?”

”I am not sure; I have heard his name somewhere; but I don't think my father ever met him”