she wished to keep it even from her mother, but that you thought
it your duty to tell me. Why?" she demanded. "Why?"

Vega, his eyes flaming, in a rage of mortification and wounded vanity
threw out his arms.

"My dear lady!" he cried, "it was because I hoped! I still hope," he
protested. "Inez has been poisoned by this man!" He pointed with a
shaking finger at Roddy. "He has filled her mind with tales against
me." He turned to Inez. "Is it not true?" he challenged.

Inez regarded him coldly, disdainfully.

"No, it is not true," she said. "It is the last thing he would do.
Because, until this moment, Mr. Forrester thought that what you told
him was a fact." She raised her voice. "And he is incapable of
speaking ill of a man--" she hesitated, and then, smiling slightly as
though in enjoyment of the mischief she were making, added, "he knew
was his unsuccessful rival."

Furious, with a triumphant exclamation, Vega turned to Senora Rojas.

"You hear!" he cried. "My rival!"

Inez moved quickly toward Roddy. Placing herself at his side, she
faced the others.

Her eyes were wide with excitement, with fear at what she was about
to do. As though begging permission, she raised them to Roddy and,
timidly stretching out her hand, touched his arm. "Mother," she said,
"I am going to marry Mr. Forrester!"

VIII

The silence that greeted the announcement of Inez, was broken in a
startling fashion. Before her mother could recover from her amazement
one of the windows to the garden was thrown open, and a man burst
through it and sprang toward Vega. He was disheveled, breathless; from
a wound in his forehead a line of blood ran down his cheek. His
appearance was so alarming that all of those who, the instant before,
had been staring in astonishment at Inez now turned to the intruder.
They recognized him as the personal servant of Vega. Without
considering the presence of the others, the valet spoke as he crossed
the room.

"The police are in your house," he panted. "They have searched it;
taken the papers. They tried to stop me." He drew his hand across his
face and showed it streaked with blood. "But I escaped by the harbor.
The boat is at the wharf. You have not a moment!" His eyes wandered
toward Pulido and Ramon, and he exclaimed delightedly, "You also!" he
cried; "there is still time!"

General Pulido ran to the window.

"There is still time!" he echoed. "By the boat we can reach Quinta
Tortola at the appoi