Adventure stories; British -- Spain -- Fiction; Love stories; Spain -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction
"How, I do not know; but it was done when Colonel Livenza was here
to-day, closeted with his Excellency. They were, as perhaps you know,
senor, closely associated together." There was a furtive, half eager,
half alarmed, and wholly cunning look on Rubio’s face, which sent the
thought flashing upon me that he could say a good deal of Quesada’s
private matters if he pleased.
"I know much more than you think, Senor Rubio. These two were close
friends, you say; did they part to-day on friendly terms?"
"I was not here, senor," was the guarded reply.
But I could read the facts without his help. Livenza had come to demand
an explanation, and intended, no doubt, to wreak his revenge on the
spot. There had been a quarrel, and probably some kind of tussle, in
which this window had been broken. Livenza had for some reason
abstained from shooting Quesada there and then; but he had been quick to
see that if he left and went round to the back of the house, he could
fire at his victim through the broken window, and kill him without
anyone suspecting the act. I got some confirmation of this theory by
questioning the servant, who had seen his master after Livenza had left
the house, and had noticed that he was unusually excited and angry.
There was the fact that no sound of a pistol shot had been heard; but
the room had double doors and a heavy portiere curtain, and this might
well account for such a thing. I was, at any rate, satisfied with my
theory, and while I was with Rubio, Mayhew arrived with the official
papers placing the police services at my disposal. I showed them to
him, and they increased his apprehension.
"I shall do all I can to help you, senor," he assured me, nervously.
"You will find it safer," said I, significantly. "Have any of Senor
Quesada’s papers been removed?"
"None," he answered, with a slight start.
"Well, then my friend Mr. Mayhew here, of the British Embassy, will
remain and see that everything is sealed. And now tell me, do you
suspect anyone of this murder?"
"It is the work of the cursed Carlists, of course. His Excellency’s life
was more than once attempted by them."
"Put that idea out of your head. This was a private crime, and we have
to bring it home to the murderer. Where is Senorita Castelar?" I put
the question abruptly, and looked at him fixedly. He started very
uneasily.
"She could not do it."
"I am perfectly aware of that, but I must know at once where she is.
Understand, your future will depend upon your answering me frankly. You
know quite well where she is, for you have been Senor Quesada’s
instrument in all that business. When you arrested her at the station
yesterday, where did you take her, and to what place did you remove her
afterwards?"
"She was taken to the prison of San Antonio, and afterwards removed by
his Excellency’s orders—I don’t know where."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account