ade him nervous. He turned
away his head. But Don Luis continued his cross-examination.

"She was a fair woman, I believe? A Valencian?"

"Senor, si," said the man. "Fair and false, a Valencian."

Of Valencia they say, "_La carne es herba, la herba agua, el hombre
muger, la muger nada_."

"Her name," said Don Luis, "began with M."

"Senor, si. It was Manuela, the dancing girl--called La Valenciana, La
Fierita, and a dozen other things. But, pardon me the liberty, your
worship had been informed?"

"I knew something," said Don Luis, "and suspected something. I am much
obliged to you, my friends. Justice will be done. Good night to you."
He turned, touching the brim of his hat; but the man went after him.

"A thousand pardons, senor Don Luis, but we have our duty to the State."

"Eh!" said Don Luis sharply. "Well, then, you had best set to work
upon it."

"If your worship has any knowledge of the whereabouts of this woman----"

"I have none," said Don Luis. "If I had I would impart it, and when I
have it shall be yours. Go now with God."

He crossed the pathway of light, laid his hand on the shoulder of the
weeping Tormillo. "Come, I need you," he said. Tormillo crept after
him to his lodging, and the Guardias Civiles made themselves cigarettes.

The following day a miracle was reported in Valladolid. Don Luis
Ramonez was not in his place in the Cafe de la Luna. Sebastian the
goldsmith, Gomez the pert barber, Pepe the waiter, Micael the
water-seller of the Plaza Mayor knew nothing of his whereabouts. The
old priest of Las Angustias might have told if his lips had not been
sealed. But in the course of the next morning it was noised about that
his Worship had left the city for Madrid, accompanied by a servant.

CHAPTER XI

GIL PEREZ DE SEGOVIA

Before he left Valladolid Manvers had sold his horse for what he could
get, and had taken the _diligencia_ as far as Segovia. Not a restful
conveyance, the _diligencia_ of Spain: therefore, in that wonderful
city of towers, silence, and guarded windows, he stayed a full week, in
order, as he put it, that his bones might have time to set.

[Illustration: The towers of Segovia.]

There it was that he became the property of Gil Perez, who met him one
day on the doorstep of his hotel, saluted him with a flourish and said
in dashing English, "Good morning, Mister. I am the man for you. I
espeak English very good, Dutch, what you like. I show