"Isabella...." He seemed to find it difficult to speak. "She has told me a little, but there has been no time for more than a little: I do not wish to have her tell me too much. She does not understand. She was educated in North America, where customs are different. She demands that I assist you and the senorita--it is the senorita?" Bell stiffened. In all Spanish America the conventions are strict. For a man and woman to travel together, even perforce and for a short distance, automatically damns the woman. "Go on," said Bell grimly. His host was very pale indeed. "She demands that I assist you and the senorita to escape the police and the government. Provided that you do not tell me who you are, I will attempt it. But--" "I wonder," said Bell quietly, "if you have ever seen red spots dancing before your eyes." His host went utterly livid. * * * * * Zuloaga looked down at his hands, as if expecting unguessable things of them. And then he shrugged, and said harshly: "I have, Senor. So you see that Isabella, who does not know, is asking me to risk, not only my life, but her honor." Bell said nothing for a moment. He was a little pale. "And your honor?" he asked quietly. The pallor on the face of the Senor Jaime Zuloaga was horrible. He tried to speak, and could not. He stood up, and managed to say: "So much I will risk, because you have been my guest. Until to-morrow morning you are safe, unless the Senor Francia has his spies within my own house. I--I will attempt, even to procure a boat. But--" Something made Bell turn. The major-domo was moving quickly out of sight. Like a flash Bell was upon him, and like a flash a knife came out. Bell's host gasped. The fact that his servant had spied was more than obvious, and he had spoke treason against The Master. He leaned against the table, sick and trembling and mumbling of despair, while there were crashes in the room into which Bell had plunged, while bodies thrashed about on the floor, and while stertorous breathing grew less, and stopped.... Bell came back, breathing hard. The front of his coat was slashed open. "He's dead," he said harshly. "He'd have reported what you said, so I killed him.... And now we've got to do something with his body." He helped in the horrible task, while his host grew more and more shaken. No other servants came near. And Bell could almost read the thoughts that went through Zuloaga's brain. One servant had spied, to report his treason. And that meant assassination for himself, as the least of punishments, and for his wife.... But there would be no punishment if he went first to the deputy and said that Bell had killed the major-domo. Bell left the house before dusk, desperately determined to steal a craft of some sort, return for Paula, and get away from Asuncion before dawn.