"For reasons, Excellency, that will soon appear." "How did you pass the guard unchallenged?" "Do not mind that for the present, Excellency." "But I do mind it very seriously." "It can be explained by and by." "Very well," said the Governor, "speak quickly then. What is your business here?" "Excellency, you have publicly offered a handsome reward for any information concerning the contrabandists," continued the stranger. "Is it not so?" "Ha!" said the Governor, "is that your errand here? What have you to say about those outlaws? Speak, speak quickly." "Excellency, I must do so with caution," said the stranger, "otherwise I may condemn myself by what I have to communicate." "Not so," interrupted Tacon, "the offer"-- "I know, Excellency, a free pardon is promised to him who shall turn state's evidence, but there may be circumstances"-- "The offer is unconditional, as it regards pardon." "True, but"-- "I say you have naught to fear," continued Tacon; "the offered reward involves unconditional pardon to the informant." "You offer an additional reward, Excellency, for the discovery of the leader of the contrabandists, Captain Marti." "Ay." "It is a full revelation I have come hither to make." "Speak, then." "First, Excellency, will you give me your knightly word that you will grant a free pardon to me, a personal pardon, if I reveal all that you require?" "I pledge you my word of honor," replied the Governor. "No matter how heinous in the eyes of the law my offenses may have been, still you will pardon me under the King's seal?" "Why all this reiteration?" asked Tacon impatiently. "Excellency, it is necessary," was the reply. "I will do so, if you reveal truly and to any good purpose," answered the Governor, weighing carefully in his mind the purpose of all this precaution. "Even if I were a leader among these men?" The Governor hesitated but for a single moment, while he gave the man before him a searching glance, then said:-- "Even then, be you whom you may, if you are able and willing to pilot our ships and reveal the rendezvous of Marti and his followers, you shall be rewarded and pardoned according to the published card." "Excellency, I think that I know your character well enough to fully trust these words, else I should not have ventured here." "Speak, then, and without further delay. My time is precious," continued the Governor with manifest impatience, and half rising from his seat. "It is well. I will speak without further parley. The man for whom you have offered the largest reward--ay, dead or alive--is before you!" "And you are"-- "Captain Marti!"