"Tell the story in your own way," growled Herrick disliking the coolness of the man yet half admiring his nerve. "Well then," said Santiago placing a cigarette in his mouth and crossing his legs, "it is this way. Twenty years ago I met Colonel Carr. He was in the war between Chili and Peru, and a brave soldier he was. A brute also. There was nothing he would not do to get money. He had left his home a pauper, and he swore he would go back a millionaire. But when the war was at an end, he had not got the fortune he wanted. It was about that time that Frisco fell in with Carr." "And Frisco introduced himself as a cousin?" "Just that," said Santiago briskly. "They soon found out the relationship. Joyce--I am speaking of your father my friend," this in an aside to Robin, "Joyce came from San Francisco, so the Colonel one day being drunk, called him Frisco--the name stuck to him. After that they were what you English call pals, and hung round Lima trying to make money. I was in the army then and saw much of them. Frisco was as anxious as Carr to be rich. He said he had left a wife and son in California." "That was you Robin," put in Herrick much interested. "Yes. That was Robin," said Don Manuel with a sour glance at the little man whom he had not yet forgiven for his cowardly confession. "Well Señor, the two tried to make money and could not. Then they heard of the treasures buried by the Indians when Pizarro conquered Peru. They went off to Cuzco; afterwards up into the mountains. For some months they were gone. One day they came back to Lima to see me, ragged and poor. They had caught an Indian who knew of a large treasure in gold and jewels. He told them where it was hidden, and gave them a plan." "But I thought the Indians would not tell," said Herrick, who knew something of the country of which Santiago was speaking. "This one did," said the Mexican with a smile, "they tortured him with a red-hot gun barrel. Don't look so astonished Señor. Indians are not much above the beasts, and I told you Carr was a devil. They tortured him till he gave them the plan. Carr was afraid of losing it, so he made Frisco tattoo it on his breast, and then burnt the original plan." "Ah!" Herrick started to his feet, "I see now why Carr wanted his body watched for a year! At the end of that time the plan--' "Would not be recognisable," finished Santiago quietly. "Exactly so, Señor. Carr knew from the ciphers I sent him that I was in the country and would in some way try to get a sight of that plan. For that, he shut himself up in the tower, and"---- "Wait a bit," said Herrick, "he built that tower when he came home ten years ago. Your coming did not make him build it."