at
once took heart and beamed with gratitude. In the look he gave her he
endeavored to convey his assurance of the devotion of a lifetime.

"Good-by," said Inez pleasantly.

"Good-by," said Roddy.

* * * * *

On coming to Porto Cabello Sam Caldwell had made his headquarters at
the home of the United States Consul, who owed his appointment to the
influence of Mr. Forrester, and who, in behalf of that gentleman, was
very justly suspected by Alvarez of "pernicious activity." On taking
his leave of Senora Rojas, which he did as soon as Roddy had been
shown the door, Caldwell hastened to the Consulate, and, as there
might be domiciliary visits to the houses of all the Vegaistas,
Colonel Ramon, seeking protection as a political refugee, accompanied
him.

The police had precipitated the departure of Vega from the city by
only a few hours. He had planned to leave it and to join his adherents
in the mountains that same afternoon, and it was only to learn the
result of the final appeal to Roddy that he had waited. As they
hastened through the back streets to the Consulate, Ramon said:

"It was not worth waiting for. Young Forrester told nothing. And why?
Because he knows nothing!"

"To me," growled Caldwell, "he makes a noise like a joker in the pack.
I don't mind telling you he's got me listening. He wouldn't have
thrown up his job and quarrelled with his father and Senora Rojas if
he wasn't pretty sure he was in right. Vega tells me, three weeks ago
Roddy went to Curacao to ask Madame Rojas to help him get her husband
out of prison. Instead, she turned him down _hard_. But did that phase
him? No! I believe he's still working--working at this moment on some
plan of his own to get Rojas free. Every night he goes out in his
launch with young De Peyster. Where do they go? They _say_ they go
fishing. Well, maybe! We can't follow them, for they douse the lights
and their motor is too fast for us. But, to me, it looks like a
rescue, for the only way they could rescue Rojas would be from the
harbor. If they have slipped him tools and he is cutting his way to
the water, some dark night they'll carry him off in that damned
launch. And then," he exclaimed angrily, "where would I be? That old
Rip Van Winkle has only got to show his face, and it would be all over
but the shouting. He'd lose us what we've staked on Vega, and he'd
make us carry out some of the terms of our concession that would cost
u