possible for us to comply with that condition in its entirety, for the
best of all reasons, namely, that only a very small number of them still
remain in our hands."

"What, then, has become of the others?" demanded George, in a low, tense
voice, the significance of which caused a visible shudder to thrill
through his audience.

"I very deeply regret to say, most illustrious senor--and I beg you at
the outset to understand that no one here is in the very remotest degree
responsible for the deplorable fact which I have to state--that some of
them are--dead, while others have been condemned to the galleys and
are--I greatly fear--completely lost sight of by this time," replied the
alcalde, in great trepidation, which was fully shared by his twelve
companions.

For a few moments that seemed ages to the quaking Spaniards sitting
there, George remained silent, his burning gaze searching face after
face questioningly, and more than one present, knowing the nature of the
revelation that must now very soon come, seemed to already feel a rope
tightening about his neck.

At length, when the silence had become almost intolerable, George spoke
again, still with ominous calmness and quietness. Leaning forward
across the table, with his eyes steadfastly fixed upon those of the
alcalde, he said:

"Your reply, senor, sounds curiously significant, and impels me to
demand further information. Can you, by any chance, inform me how many
of those men are dead, what were their names, and what was the cause and
nature of their death?"

"No, senor, I cannot answer your question categorically at the present
moment," replied the alcalde. "All that I can tell you, now, is that
some of them died of the wounds which they received in the fight, some
died of disease, and the rest--perished--in the--Inquisition--or linger
still within its walls. But records, of course, exist from which it
will no doubt be possible to furnish you with all details."

"So," commented George, after another terrible silence, "some perished
in the Inquisition--or linger still within its walls. Can you tell me,
senor, how they chanced to get into the power of the Inquisition?"

"Certainly, senor," answered the alcalde, with alacrity, believing that
he saw his way to clear himself and his colleagues from blame. "Upon
their capture, they were naturally at first confined in prison by order
of the military authorities. From thence some of them--a few--were sent