About a month after the search was abandoned Mr. Britton was one day
surprised by a call from the wife of Martinez. He had not seen her since
his one interview with her months before.
He was sitting in Mr. Underwood's office, looking over the books brought
in for his inspection, when she entered, alone and unannounced.
She seated herself in the chair indicated by Mr. Britton and proceeded
at once to the object of her visit.
"Señor, you told me when I last saw you that my secret would one day
come out. You were right; it has. It is my secret no longer and José
Martinez fears me no longer. You have been kind to me. You saved his
life once; you fed me when I was hungry and asked no return. I will show
you I do not forget. Señor, there is twenty-five thousand dollars reward
for that man. The officers will never find him; but I will take you to
him, the reward is then yours, and justice overtakes José Martinez, as
you said it would. Do you accept?"
"Do you know where he is?" Mr. Britton queried, somewhat surprised by
the woman's proposition.
"Yes, Señor; I have just come from there."
"He is in the Pocket, is he not?"
"Yes, Señor, but neither you nor your men could find the Pocket without
a guide. I know it well; I have lived there."
"What is your proposition?" Mr. Britton inquired, after a brief silence;
"how do you propose to do this?"
"I will start to-morrow for the Pocket. You come with me and bring the
dogs. I will take you to a cabin where you can stay over night while I
go on alone to the Pocket to see that all is right. I will leave you my
veil for a scent. The next morning you will set the dogs on my trail
and follow them till you come to a certain place I will tell you of.
From there you will see me; I will watch for you and give you the signal
that all is right. The dogs will bring you to the Pocket in half an
hour. The rest will be easy work, Señor, I promise you."
"But isn't the place constantly guarded?"
"Not now, Señor; the men have gone away on another expedition, but José
does not dare go out with them at present. Only one man is there beside
José; I know him well; he will be asleep when you come."
"I shall need men with me to help in bringing him back," said Mr.
Britton.
"Bring them, but I think he will give you little trouble, Señor."
As Mr. Britton cared nothing for the reward himself, he chose five men
to accompany him to whom he thought the money would be particularly
acceptable, and the following morning, with two blood-hounds, they
started forth in three separate detachments to attract as little
attention as possible. The first part of their journey was by rail, the
men taking the same train as the woman herself. On their arrival at the
little station which she had designated, conveyances, for which Mr.
Britton had privately wired a personal friend living in that vicinity,
were waiting to take them to their next stopping-place.