第72章

THE RETURN OF THE EXCELSIOR.

Amazed and disconcerted, Hurlstone, nevertheless, retained his presence of mind.

"There must be some mistake," he said coolly; "I am certainly not the person you seem to be expecting.""Were you not sent here by Winslow?" demanded Perkins.

"No.The person you are looking for is probably one I saw on the shore.He no doubt became alarmed at my approach, and has allowed me quite unwittingly to take his place in the boat."Perkins examined Hurlstone keenly for a moment, stepped to the door, gave a brief order, and returned.

"Then, if you did not intend the honor of this visit for me," he resumed, with a smile, "may I ask, my dear fellow, whom you expected to meet, and on what ship? There are not so many at Todos Santos, if my memory serves me right, as to create confusion.""I must decline to answer that question," said Hurlstone curtly.

The Senor smiled, with an accession of his old gentleness.

"My dear young friend," he said, "have you forgotten that on a far more important occasion to YOU, I showed no desire to pry into your secret?" Hurlstone made a movement of deprecation."Nor have Iany such desire now.But for the sake of our coming to an understanding as friends, let me answer the question for you.You are here, my dear fellow, as a messenger from the Mission of Todos Santos to the Ecclesiastical Commission from Guadalajara, whose ship touches here every three years.It is now due.You have mistaken this vessel for theirs."Hurlstone remained silent.

"It is no secret," continued Senor Perkins blandly; "nor shall Ipretend to conceal MY purpose here, which is on the invitation of certain distressed patriots of Todos Santos, to assist them in their deliverance from the effete tyranny of the Church and its Government.I have been fortunate enough to anticipate the arrival of your vessel, as you were fortunate enough to anticipate the arrival of my messenger.I am doubly fortunate, as it gives me the pleasure of your company this evening, and necessitates no further trouble than the return of the boat for the other gentleman--which has already gone.Doubtless you may know him.""I must warn you again, Senor Perkins," said Hurlstone sternly, "that I have no connection with any political party; nor have I any sympathy with your purpose against the constituted authorities.""I am willing to believe that you have no political affinities at all, my dear Mr.Hurlstone," returned Perkins, with unruffled composure, "and, consequently, we will not argue as to what is the constituted authority of Todos Santos.Perhaps to-morrow it may be on board THIS SHIP, and I may still have the pleasure of making you at home here!""Until then," said Hurlstone dryly, "at least you will allow me to repair my error by returning to the shore.""For the moment I hardly think it would be wise," replied Perkins gently."Allowing that you escaped the vigilance of my friends on the shore, whose suspicions you have aroused, and who might do you some injury, you would feel it your duty to inform those who sent you of the presence of my ship, and thus precipitate a collision between my friends and yours, which would be promotive of ill-feeling, and perhaps bloodshed.You know my peaceful disposition, Mr.Hurlstone; you can hardly expect me to countenance an act of folly that would be in violation of it.""In other words, having decoyed me here on board your ship, you intend to detain me," said Hurlstone insultingly.

"'Decoy,'" said Perkins, in gentle deprecation, "'decoy' is hardly the word I expected from a gentleman who has been so unfortunate as to take, unsolicited and of his own free will, another person's place in a boat.But," he continued, assuming an easy argumentative attitude, "let us look at it from your view-point.

Let us imagine that YOUR ship had anticipated mine, and that MYmessenger had unwittingly gone on board of HER.What do you think they would have done to him?""They would have hung him at the yard-arm, as he deserved," said Hurlstone unflinchingly.

"You are wrong," said Perkins gently."They would have given him the alternative of betraying his trust, and confessing everything--which he would probably have accepted.Pardon me!--this is no insinuation against you," he interrupted,--"but I regret to say that my experience with the effete Latin races of this continent has not inspired me with confidence in their loyalty to trust.Let me give you an instance," he continued, smiling: "the ship you are expecting is supposed to be an inviolable secret of the Church, but it is known to me--to my friends ashore--and even to you, my poor friend, a heretic! More than that, I am told that the Comandante, the Padre, and Alcalde are actually arranging to deport some of the American women by this vessel, which has been hitherto sacred to the emissaries of the Church alone.But you probably know this--it is doubtless part of your errand.I only mention it to convince you that I have certainly no need either to know your secrets, to hang you from the yard-arm if you refused to give them up, or to hold you as hostage for my messenger, who, as I have shown you, can take care of himself.I shall not ask you for that secret despatch you undoubtedly carry next your heart, because I don't want it.