“I know that she came here last night. I have seen her mother this morning; but, as you suggest, I do find out things. You were under the impression last night that she did not reach your house; but”----and I paused as I made a shot, speaking very meaningly--“I know how she came to the house.” A single swift up-lift of the deeply fringed lids told me that the unexpected shot had pierced the armour-plate of her defence; and when she looked up after a pause all the assumption of surprise had disappeared. “You have only yourself to blame, Mr. Donnington,” she said, tone and manner both very earnest. She had as many moods as an actress has costumes and was able to change them much more quickly. “And that means--what, if you please?” “I am genuinely sorry for you. I knew from the first that your object here was Miralda; and you will remember that I warned you. You would not heed the warning. You set to work to win back Miralda; and had she been free, you would have succeeded. But she was not free; and when you took the mad step of driving Major Sampayo from the city you--well, you can understand what was sure to follow.” “On the contrary I do not understand, madame.” “You precipitated matters, of course. Miralda is Major Sampayo’s wife and is now with his friends.” CHAPTER XXVI IN SIGHT OF VICTORY Inez’ face as she said this was full of excellently simulated solicitude for me; but had she been aware of all I knew about Sampayo’s movements, she would certainly have chosen some other fairy tale with which to fool me. “I am afraid some one has been misleading you,” I said drily; “unless, of course, you were present at the wedding?” Her own instinct or my manner warned her that she had blundered. “I was--not present, Mr. Donnington.” She began the reply quickly, and the slight pause in the sentence came when she suddenly changed her mind; and the last words were spoken in a very different tone. “When is the marriage said to have occurred? I don’t wish to question you in the dark, and will tell you that I know precisely all Major Sampayo’s recent movements. Let me suggest, therefore, that it is quite useless to fence with my questions.” She fixed her eyes on me with a steady searching look. “Are you threatening me, Mr. Donnington?” “I am asking you to let me see Mademoiselle Dominguez at once, madame.” “I have told you she is with Major Sampayo’s friends.” “You are one of those friends. Mademoiselle Dominguez is here,” I said as positively as if I knew it for a fact. For a moment I thought she was going to give in; but her features set and she threw her head back with a toss of defiance. “You must have seen a yacht in the river for the last two days, the _Rampallo_. It is Major Sampayo’s; and Miralda joined him there last night.” “The _Rampallo_ belongs to Captain Gompez, and I passed last night on board her.”