“Oh ho, and is the fair Miralda one of you?” I laughed. “But I thought that subject was taboo?” “You know my secret and I can therefore talk freely to you.” “I would very much rather that you did not, if you please.” “I am under the deepest of all obligations to you, Mr. Donnington; you saved my life and I wish to be your friend. If you have any such feeling for Miralda as you have burlesqued, I owe it to you to let you understand things and be warned in time. It is not possible for a foreigner to know the undercurrents of life here at present.” “My dear lady, I am only trying to swim on the surface. I find myself to-night in the house of one of the staunchest supporters of the Government at a gathering intended to strengthen the position of the loyalist body--the National League of Portugal.” “I am one of the acknowledged leaders of that League.” I could not restrain a start of astonishment at this; and she noticed it, of course. “You are surprised. But many of those here are my friends--my political friends, I mean. It was my public connexion with the League which led me into the trouble last night. The men who threatened me knew of my position in it, but not of my sympathies with them--that of course is as close a secret as possible--and by a trick decoyed me to a house where I was seized and brought to where you found me. The intention was to kill me and then carry me into the streets to make it appear that I had been killed in the rioting. You will understand from this the dangerous forces that are at work. Some of those men suspect you of being a spy and you will be well advised not to prolong your stay in Lisbon. And your friendship with M. Volheno will not add to your safety.” “Cannot an Englishman come here without being taken for a spy?” “You know that one of your best English detectives has been employed by the Spanish Government to reorganize the detective force there. One story I have heard is that you yourself are an English detective engaged by M. Volheno to help in unearthing some of the conspiracies here, and that your desire to obtain some concessions in Africa is a mere blind.” “It would be difficult to go much further away about me, anyway.” “Yet those who seek concessions from a Government do not usually advertise the fact far and wide. You are a man of courage and resource: we have had proof of that. You have learnt some of our secrets and one of our haunts. You have some secret knowledge about Major Sampayo that threatens him; and you are more than clever enough to sustain the part of an Englishman of wealth and position.” “And do you mean that you yourself believe this preposterous story?” “No; but I should like to know the real reason for your coming here.” “And that Dr. Barosa, does he take me for a spy?” “No, we have already made inquiries about you from our friends in England. But, like myself, he wishes to know why you are here. You will do well to give me your confidence.”