“Here is good news,” he said, turning to the señora. “This is from my good friend Doctor Picard. He tells me that an operation has just been performed on General Replife, and the bullet removed. It had lodged in the chest, narrowly missing the heart. Doctor Picard says that the minister of war’s condition is still very grave, but there is no immediate cause for alarm. It will be several weeks before he will be out of danger, but he has a fighting chance of pulling through.” “Thank God,” the woman murmured fervently. “There is hope now--unless that which we dread has already happened,” she added, with a shudder. “Of course it hasn’t!” declared Doctor Bonsal reassuringly. “You can depend upon it that Portiforo wouldn’t dare take extreme measures until he was quite sure that Replife wasn’t going to get well and call him to account. He will await the result of the minister of war’s injuries. And, in the meantime, our dearest hopes may be realized. Doctor Picard tells us that even though Replife’s injuries prove fatal, he may linger for several weeks--and within that time much may happen,” he added significantly. He turned eagerly to the Camera Chap. “I trust, sir, that if anything was lacking before to convince you of the necessity of giving up your venture, this will remove your last doubt. We have, now, new reason to hope that the life of our beloved president will be spared for some days. Portiforo will not take any desperate step unless he is spurred on to do so by the fear that his secret has leaked out. We can truly say that our fate lies in your hands, and we throw ourselves upon your generosity.” “And upon your sense of honor as well,” the señora supplemented quickly. “You gave us your promise, Mr. Hawley, that if we could assure you that we had a plan more promising than yours, you would leave Baracoa immediately.” “But I am not sure that your plan is more promising than mine,” Hawley replied, with a smile. “Don’t think that I’m trying to evade you, but I must remind you that your friend Rodriguez has tried his revolution once and failed. What guarantee have we that he will succeed this time? And even if he does make good with his revolution, how is he going to get President Felix out of El Torro? I don’t see why there wouldn’t be just the same objection to his plan as to mine. The revolutionists may capture the fortress, but----” He paused significantly. The señora was about to make a reply when there came a startling interruption. Pedro, the aged servitor, who had departed from the room after delivering Doctor Picard’s note, now came rushing in, without going through the formality of knocking. He was in a state of great excitement. His eyes were rolling, and his face was almost white. “Master,” he gasped, “the house is surrounded by soldiers. There are two of them knocking at the front door now.”