Considerably alarmed at this prospect I decided to come to close grips with Sampayo at once. He might not be the only obstacle between Miralda and me, but the situation would certainly be much clearer the instant he was out of the way. I went off in search of him that afternoon, therefore, but learnt that he was in Oporto and would not return until the following day. On my way back I met the Visconte de Linto close to his house and he urged me to go in with them. He was eager to know something more about the concessions and his own prospects in regard to them. This proved to be a preface to a long account of his grievances against the Dictator. I was a very patient, sympathetic listener; and my patience was rewarded, for I succeeded in steering the talk round to the subject of Sampayo, about whom I wished to know the visconte’s real opinion. I appealed to his cupidity, therefore. “I should very much value your advice on a point concerning Major Sampayo,” I said in a confidence-inviting tone. “I am told that his influence with the Government is so great that his help alone would be enough to secure me all I want. Of course you’ll see my difficulty. I should be delighted to have my friends sharing in the good things; but those behind me naturally expect me to limit the number. Now, if he can do everything, of course he is just the man for their purpose.” His face fell. “He couldn’t do that, Mr. Donnington. Of course, he is a _wealthy_ man and all that, but----” and he shook his head. “Scarcely wealthy--in our sense of the word, visconte,” I replied airily. “Not wealthy compared with men who are prepared to put fifty or a hundred thousand pounds into a single scheme.” “Will your friends go that extent?” “If the concessions are such as I desire, I should be ready to do much more than that myself.” I spoke intentionally as if such a sum were a mere bagatelle. “You must be a very wealthy man, then, Mr. Donnington,” he exclaimed. I smiled blandly and shrugged my shoulders, and then became very earnest. “I could of course finance the whole thing myself; and if I could find some one here in Lisbon to co-operate with me honourably and straightforwardly--he must of course be a man of the highest honour--I might do so; and should of course leave all the negotiations here to him. Well, the question is then whether Major Sampayo is such a man. I place great reliance upon your opinion, as he is to marry your daughter.” His perplexity at this was almost comical. He saw that his own chance of plunder was in danger, and did not know how to save it without running down the man who was to marry Miralda. “You place me in a great difficulty, sir,” he said nervously.