artridges. They report, officially, that you resisted arrest and did
your best to kill the members of the arresting party. This infamous
lie all becomes a matter of official record. Then what can the United
States Government do about it? And the governor, or other rascally
official, has triumphed over you, and the matter is closed. Though an
honest man, Halstead, you are officially a desperate character who
_had_ to be killed by the law's servants. It was such a fate that
Terrero was preparing for me, but I escaped his wicked designs."

"That must be a nice country!" murmured Hank Butts.

"Yet you say the President of Brazil is an honorable man?" asked
Halstead. "Can't he remove such a governor?"

"The President would, in a moment, if he could be supplied with
proofs," rejoined Powell Seaton, with emphasis. "Governor Terrero is a
wily, smooth scoundrel who is well served by men of his own choice
stamp. Terrero is wealthy, and backed by many other wealthy men who
have been growing rich in the diamond fields. In fact, though they are
wonderfully smooth about it, the Terrero gang are terrors to all
honest diamond men in that one part of Brazil."

"So, then," hinted Captain Tom, "you know where to find one of the
rich diamond mines of the world, but you don't dare go to it?"

"I'd dare," retorted Mr. Seaton, his eyes flashing. "But what would be
the use of daring? I am almost certain to be killed if I ever show my
face in Vahia while Terrero is alive. So, then, this is what I have
done: Since my return to this country I have been arranging, ever so
quietly, with moneyed men who have faith in me and in my honesty.
After much dickering we have arranged a syndicate that is backed by
millions of dollars, if need be. And we may need to spend a good deal
of money before we get through. We may even have to try to turn
Terrero's most trusted lieutenants against him. We won't, if we can
help it, but we may have to. The stake is a big one!

"Through turning this business over to the syndicate I am bound to
lose the greater portion of the fortune that might have been mine from
this great enterprise. Yet, even as it is, I stand to reap rich
returns if ever the syndicate can locate and secure the patent to the
diamond fields that I discovered.

"At this moment three members of our syndicate are in Rio Janeiro.
They are big, solid American men of moneyed affairs. As far as they
permit to be known, they are in Brazil only as a matt