"
"And I may state, your Excellency," said Henry Ware rising, "that while my
comrade, Paul Cotter, was a prisoner at Beaulieu, he was forced into a
ring and a professional swordsman was set upon him. That, Captain Alvarez
cannot deny. It was witnessed by too many people."
Bernardo Galvez gave Alvarez a surprised and stern look. The captain
winced, but it was only for a moment.
"Is this true, Don Francisco?" asked the Governor General gravely. "Did
you do this thing?"
Alvarez made a gesture as if It were true, but yet a trifle.
"I confess, Your Excellency," he said. "I had forgotten the circumstance,
but, since I am reminded of it, I will not deny. The thing seems much
worse in the telling than it was in the happening. The young man had shown
great skill with the sword--he had disarmed me in a little encounter; I
admit that, too--and we wished to test his agility and courage against a
master, who was instructed not to hurt him seriously under any
circumstances."
He spoke rapidly and lightly, almost convincingly. But Henry Ware
interrupted.
"His object," he said, "was to have Paul Cotter killed."
Bernardo Galvez looked from one to the other and back again. It was the
word of a stranger and a foreigner against that of a Spanish captain in
his service, a man of noble lineage, and with powerful friends at the
Court of Madrid.
Pages:
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296