the glass.

"Tastes bitter; too much resin in the wine, or perhaps it's imagination."
He lifted the glass but stopped and threw the rest of the liquor on the
pavement. "Reckon I've had enough. About the meanest drink I've struck.
Give me a cigar. The taste stops in my mouth."

Kit gave him a cigar, but after a few minutes he threw it away.

"I don't feel much better and think I'll go to my room. You might come
along; the stairs are steep."

He got up awkwardly and leaned upon the table, breathing rather hard
while big drops of sweat started from his forehead. "This confounded
ague grips me tight. Don't know when I've felt so shaky. Better give me
your arm."

They started, and keeping in the shadow, reached the outside stairs
without exciting much curiosity, but Kit felt disturbed. Adam went up
slowly, stopping now and then, and stumbled across the balcony at the
top. Bright moonlight shone into the bare room, where a small lamp
burned, and Kit saw that Adam's face was wet.

"Leave me alone," he said. "You can come back by and by and see how I'm
getting on."

Kit did not want to go, but gave way when Adam insisted. He met the
president soon afterwards.

"Where is Don Adam?" the latter asked.

Kit told him and added that his uncle had seemed to get worse after
drinking some wine.

"Ah," said Alvarez thoughtfully. "Fresh lime-juice is better when one is
feverish. Did he drink anything else?"

"No," said Kit. "The waiter wanted to bring some anisado, but he insisted
on the wine."

Alvarez took him to the table where the refreshments were served and
clapped his hands. A waiter came up, but Kit said, "That is not the boy."

"Where are your companions?" the president asked.

"One is washing the glasses, senor. I do not know where the other
has gone."

Alvarez opened a door and Kit saw a man putting small _copitas_
into a pail.

"It was another fellow who brought the wine," he said, and Alvarez
beckoned the waiter.

"Call the mayor-domo."

A man dressed in plain black clothes came in, and Alvarez asked: "How
many of these fellows did you send to serve the wine?"

"Two, senor. It was enough."

"Three came. It will be your business to find the third," said the
president sternly and turned to Kit. "What was the fellow like?"

Kit described the waiter and Alvarez said to the mayor-domo, "You will be
held accountable if the man has got away. Send Doctor Martin to the
bottom of the stairs."

The mayor-