Why this attack upon me? Was Spawn in on it? Why were they so anxious to get rid of me? Because of Jetta? Or because I was dangerous, prying into their smuggling activities. Or both? De Boer: "... Get up with my men through the streets to Spawn's house? You have it fixed?" "Yes. Over the route from here as I told you, there are no police to-night. I have ordered them off. In the garden. _Dios!_ You offer so many objections! I tell you all is fixed. In an hour, half an hour; even now, perhaps, the Americano is in the garden. The girl has promised to meet him there. He will be there, fear not. Will you go?" "Yes." "Hah! That is the De Boer I have always admired!" I could see them in the moonlight across the pit. Perona now standing up, the giant figure of the bandit towering over him. * * * * * Hanley's microscopic voice cut in: "Getting it, Phil? To seize you for ransom!" "Yes. I hear it." "This girl. Who--?" "Wait, Chief. Off--" De Boer: "I will do it! Fifty thousand." Perona: "An hour now. Spawn will be at his home asleep." "And you will go to the mine?" "Yes. Now, from here. You seize this fellow Grant, and then attack the mine. Our regular plan, De Boer. This does not change it." Attack Spawn's mine! Half a million of treasure was there to-night! Perona was chuckling: "You give Spawn's guards the signal. They are all my men--in my pay. They will run away when you appear." Hanley cut in again. "By the gods, they're after that treasure! Phil, listen to me! you must...." His voice faded. "Chief, I can't hear you!" Hanley came again: "... And I will notify Porto Rico. The local patrol will be about ready to leave." "Or notify Nareda headquarters," I suggested. "If you can get President Markes, he can send some police to the mine--" "And find all Nareda's police bribed by Perona? I'll get Porto Rico. We have an hour or two; the patrol can reach you in an hour." The bandits were preparing to leave here. Two or three of them had gone to the flyer. Perona and De Boer were parting. "... Well, that is all, De Boer." "Right, Senor Perona. I will start shortly." "On foot, by the street route to Spawn's--" Hanley's hurried voice came back: "I've sent the call to Porto Rico." * * * * * The guard had moved again. He was no more than forty feet away from me now--standing up gazing directly toward where I was crouching over my tiny instruments in the shadows of the rocky arch. A footstep sounded behind me, on the path outside the arch. Someone approaching! A tiny light bobbing! Then a voice calling, "Perona! De Boer!" The guard took a step forward; stopped, with levelled weapon. Then the voice again: it was so loud it went through my opened relay, flashed up to New York, and blew out half a dozen of Hanley's attuned vacuums. "Perona!" Spawn's voice! He was coming toward me! I lay prone, my little grids switched off. I held my breath.