It describes their position,
and advises General Canterac how he can best enter Lima and seize
Callao. It provides also a list of those who will join him, and
stipulates that the writer shall keep not only his own estates, but
shall be given those of which he has lately been deprived."

At this last revelation Don Felipe changed colour somewhat, and
withdrew his eyes from my face.

"This letter," said Sorillo, "came from your house; it is signed F. M.,
and I charge you with having written it. Can you deny that it is in
your handwriting?"

The prisoner seemed to have regained self-possession, for looking
steadily at Sorillo, he exclaimed, "A gentleman of Spain does not
answer the questions of a mountain robber."

Passing the letter to me, Sorillo said, "You know this man's
handwriting; perhaps you will satisfy yourself that he wrote this
letter?"

"No," said I coldly, thrusting the paper away; "I will be neither judge
nor witness in this case."

"Very well," answered the chief; "let the second prisoner be brought
forward." And two men immediately fetched Pardo Lurena from his hut.

He was still a young man, but looked old. His eyes were shifty and
cunning, his lips full and thick; he did not seem to be at all the kind
of man to play so daring a game. Don Felipe looked at him so
scornfully that he turned away his face in confusion. He gave his
answers clearly, however, and told the story from beginning to end
without a tremor.

It was as Sorillo had said. The fellow admitted being a Royalist spy
employed in carrying messages between General Canterac and Montilla.
The Don, he declared, had procured him the pass signed by Riva-Aguero,
and had given him the letter now in the guerilla chief's possession.

Don Felipe never once interrupted him either by word or gesture; to
look at him, one would have thought he was merely a spectator, with no
interest in the matter one way or another. But when at last the tale
ended, and Sorillo called upon him to speak, his attitude changed.

"Do your murders your own way," he cried defiantly. "If the farce
pleases you, play it. What has it to do with me? When I am accused of
crime by the government of my country, I will answer."

"Don Felipe is right, Sorillo," I interrupted. "If he has done wrong,
let him be brought before a proper tribunal. Whether he be innocent or
guilty, if you kill him you commit murder. You and your followers have
no right to punish him."