"Well," said Payne, "if I talked Spanish, I could tell you more; but I
was taking my siesta one day in a dark wine-shop when two or three
hard-looking peons came in. They mayn't have seen me, because there were
some casks in the way, and anyhow, they'd reckon I couldn't understand
them. I didn't very well, but I heard your name and caught a word or two.
Their patron had given them some orders and one called him Don Ramon.
You were to be watched, because mirar came in; but I didn't get the
rest and they went out soon. I lay as if I was asleep, but I'd know the
crowd again." Payne got up as he concluded: "Anyway, you take my gun, and
keep in the main calles, where the lights are."
When he had gone Jake remarked: "I guess his advice is good and I'm
coming along."
"No," said Dick, smiling as he put the pistol in his pocket. "The trouble
is that if I took you down there I mightn't get you back. Besides, there
are some calculations I want you to make."
Lighting his pipe, he took his seat on the hand-car and knitted his brows
as two colored laborers drove him down the hill. Below, the lights of
Santa Brigida gleamed in a cluster against the dusky sea, and he knew
something of the intrigues that went on in the town. Commercial and
political jealousies were very keen, and citizens of all ranks fought and
schemed against their neighbors. The place was rank with plots, but it
was hard to see how he could be involved. Yet it certainly began to look
as if he had been stabbed by Oliva's order, and Oliva was now employed at
the Adexe coaling wharf.
This seemed to throw a light upon the matter. Something mysterious was
going on at Adexe, and perhaps he had been incautious and had shown his
suspicions; the Spaniards were subtle. The manager might have imagined he
knew more than he did; but if it was worth defending by the means Payne
had hinted at, the secret must be very important, and the plotters would
hesitate about betraying themselves by another attempt upon his life so
long as there was any possibility of failure. Besides, it was dangerous
to attack a foreigner, since if he were killed, the representative of his
country would demand an exhaustive inquiry.
While Dick pondered the matter the hand-car stopped and he alighted and
walked briskly to Santa Brigida, keeping in the middle of the road. When
he reached the town, he chose the wide, well-lighted streets but saw
nothing suspicious. After transacting his business he ventured, by way of
experiment, across a small dark square and returned to the main street by
a narrow lane, but although he kept a keen watch nothing indicated that
he was followed. Reaching the hand-car without being molested, he
determined to be cautious in future, though it was possible that Payne
had been deceived.