.

"I want very much to meet them--her," corrected Roddy. "I am going to
set her husband free!"

For a moment, as though considering whether he were not confronted by
a madman, the Consul regarded Roddy with an expression of concern.
Then, in the deprecatory tone of one who believes he has not heard
aright, he asked, "You are going to do--_what_?"

"I am going to help General Rojas to escape," Roddy went on
briskly--"myself and another fellow. But we are afraid he won't trust
himself to us, so I am over here to get credentials from his wife.
But, you see, I have first got to get credentials to her. So I came to
ask you if you'd sort of vouch for me, tell her who I am--and all
that."

The Consul was staring at him so strangely that Roddy believed he had
not made himself fully understood.

"You know what I mean," he explained. "Credentials, something he will
know came from her--a ring or a piece of paper saying, 'These are
friends. Go with them.' Or a lock of her hair, or--or--you know,"
urged Roddy in embarrassment--"credentials."

"Are you jesting?" asked the older man coldly.

Roddy felt genuinely uncomfortable. He was conscious he was blushing.
"Certainly not," he protested. "It is serious enough, isn't it?"

The voice of the Consul dropped to a whisper.

"Who sent you here?" he demanded. Without waiting for an answer he
suddenly rose. Moving with surprising lightness to the door, he jerked
it open. But if by this manoeuvre he expected to precipitate the spy
into the room, he was disappointed, for the outer office was empty.
The Consul crossed it quickly to the window. He saw the spy
disappearing into a neighboring wine-shop.

When Captain Codman again entered the inner office he did not return
to his seat, but, after closing the door, as though to shut Roddy from
the only means of escape, he stood with his back against it. He was
very much excited.

"Mr. Forrester," he began angrily, "I don't know who is back of you,
and," he cried violently, "I don't _mean_ to know. I have been
American Consul in these Central American countries for fifteen years,
and I have never mixed myself up with what doesn't concern me. I
represent the United States government. I don't represent anything
else. I am not down here to assist any corporation, no matter how
rich, any junta, any revolutionary party----"

"Here! Wait!" cried Roddy anxiously. "You don't understand! I am not a
revolution. There is only me and Peter."