"If the only accusers this gentleman has are Escalantes, or associates of the Escalantes, you'd better beg his pardon and have done with it," said he, "and thereby put the matter in its most luckless way." Angrily the General turned to the aide-de-camp fidgeting on his left. "Do you know whether the Escalantes are the sole accusers, captain?" said he deliberately. "I regret to say that they are not," was the answer. "And Mr. Loring has shown strange reluctance, to put it mildly, to meet the--others." "I have answered, once and for all, every charge brought to my ears," said Loring, turning on the speaker, with eyes that blazed, and Moreland, who had seen him cool and composed in the face of panic, marveled now to note the intensity of his emotion, for Loring was white and trembling, though his gaze was steady as the hand that held back the terror-stricken crew that wild night on the waters. "Perhaps you are unaware of the more recent developments--and the source of information," said the aide uneasily. "I am; and I demand the right to know or to meet both without delay. Captain Moreland," and here he turned on the wondering sailor, "can you be here to-morrow?" "Certainly I can, and will," was the prompt answer. "That wouldn't help," said the aide-de-camp, on whom all eyes were fixed again. "My informant couldn't be here." "Very good. We'll go to your informant, then," answered Loring. Another silence. It was not Loring now who seemed hesitant or reluctant. It was the aide. There came a knock at the door. An orderly appeared with several telegraphic dispatches. Colonel Strain stepped forward, took them, shut the door in the orderly's face, handed them to the General, and resumed his seat. Glad of a diversion, the commander glanced at the superscription. "Here is one for you, sir," said he to the Engineer, who received it, but did not open it. He was again facing the embarrassed aide, who finally found words. "Mr. Loring, my informant was here a whole month and said you refused to appear. Now--they are beyond recall, unless--it should come to trial." The answer came like a flash: "Your informant, sir--and there was but one--would never appear in the event of trial. That informant sailed three days ago on the Sonora, and you know it." Then, as a sudden thought struck him, he tore open his dispatch and read, then turned again to his faltering opponent: "So long as that informant could be confronted you kept me ignorant of any new allegations, if there were any. Now come out with your story, and by the next steamer I'll run it down." CHAPTER XVI.