"He knew that someone would come and try to kill him," said Don Manuel coolly, "but I am telling the end before the beginning. Let me go on. Well, Dr. Herrick, as I said, Colonel Carr had that plan tattooed on his breast. He would not show it to me, but wanted me to join in an expedition to get the treasure. I got the money and fitted out the expedition. We started off to Cuzco, then up the Apurimac and on the mountains. I told you something of this before Señor. On the way they betrayed me into the hands of some Indians, and went on themselves. I cursed my fate when I learned their treachery. I was held captive for two, three years. To revenge myself on Carr I told the Indians how he had found the treasure. They were furious, and sent out men to protect it. But Carr fought them and got away to the coast with a quantity of jewels, and gold. He went to the States, and afterwards came on to England where he settled down at 'The Pines.' But at Lima he was twice nearly assassinated, and knew that the Indians had appointed some of their more civilised countrymen to follow and kill him and to cut the plan of the hiding-place out of his flesh. He knew also that these appointed would follow him across the water to the ends of the earth. But he managed to give them the slip, and never thought that in an obscure country village he would be in danger. All the same he built the tower that he might keep himself safe while asleep." "And are you one of these emissaries?" asked Herrick. Santiago shook his head. "I might have been had I so chosen," said he, "but I wanted a share of the money myself, or at all events a plan of the hiding-place, that I might search for it." "How did you hear all this, when you were a captive?" "I did not--then. It was when I got back to Lima that I heard. I could not learn where Carr had gone. I did not know even if Carr was his real name. I hunted for him both in North and South America, but he had so cleverly concealed his trail that I could not trace him. Then I was ill for a long time after the privations I had suffered amongst the Indians. It was only within the last year that I discovered the whereabouts of Carr. I then came to England to frighten him. So I sent those cipher warnings. I wanted a share of the money' or the plan. Carr refused to give me either." "Ah! you saw him then?" "No! he wrote me a letter defying me to do my worst. Of course he thought that I was one of those appointed to kill him. That was why he lived in the Tower, and arranged that his body should be watched after his death. Dead or alive you see he was determined that I should get nothing." "You came down to Saxham to break into the vault?" suggested Herrick. "No, I should have done so, had I not hit upon this other plan--what you call the conspiracy. But I thought that through this little fool I might get the money. I deserve it more than Stephen Marsh."