“Oh, no,” he assured them; “the clerk didn’t know anything about that. You need have no apprehensions on that score. It was your own actions that day, señora, which caused me to believe that you were in sympathy with Cipriani’s venture. I was standing close beside you at the ship’s rail, and I couldn’t help observing how greatly you were agitated by what occurred on shore. And then, there was the note you sent me later. From these things I got the impression that Cipriani was working for you--that his revolution was started with the object of getting President Felix out of El Torro.” Doctor Bonsal glanced nervously toward the window, the shades of which were drawn. “Not so loud, señor, I beg of you,” he whispered. “If a mere hint of what you have just said should reach our enemies, we are done for. Tell me, have you expressed this theory of yours to anybody else?” “Certainly not,” the Camera Chap replied indignantly. “Pardon me, doctor, but your question is almost a reflection on my intelligence.” The señora uttered an audible sigh of relief. “We might have known that we could rely upon Mr. Hawley’s discretion,” she said. Then, addressing the Camera Chap: “No doubt you can surmise the reason for our great apprehension?” Hawley smiled. “I think I can. The government believes that Rodriguez’s revolution had nothing whatever to do with your cause. Isn’t that the idea?” The señora nodded. “We took every care to convey that impression,” she said sadly. “As Doctor Bonsal has said, if Portiforo had any suspicion of our noble friend’s real motive, the consequences would be fatal--as fatal as if you were to persist in your efforts to get into El Torro to photograph my husband.” “And that reminds me,” said Doctor Bonsal, with a smile, “we have wandered away from the subject we were discussing. I trust, Mr. Hawley, that you will find it convenient to sail on the _Panama_ to-morrow?” A look of distress came to the Camera Chap’s face. “I am sorry, but I’m afraid I cannot do that,” he said regretfully. “I would like to oblige you, señora, but you must appreciate my position. Even if I were willing to quit, I would not be free to consult my own wishes in the matter, or even yours. I am here under orders--orders that must be carried out before I can think of leaving Baracoa.” Señora Felix’s face became very stern. “Surely you and your president would not sacrifice a human life in order to gratify your selfish ambitions!” she exclaimed indignantly. “Selfish ambitions!” Hawley protested. “Oh, come now, señora; that’s scarcely a fair way of putting it.”