You didn't show me this at
first."
"No, Senora, I was too tired. But it is all yours. I care not for
it, now zat I have ze papairs safe. Zey are for my father!"
"Do you really think some man was trying to get them?" asked Cora.
"Oh, yes, Senorita," was the serious answer.
"There was a man up on the stoop--he had the valise, Walter said,"
put in Belle. "He dropped it and ran."
"Who could he be?" asked Cora.
"An enemy!" fairly hissed the Spanish girl, with something of
dramatic intensity. "I tried to keep secret ze fact zat I was
working for my father's release. I will not tire you wiz telling you
all, but some enemies know I have papairs zat prove ze innocence of
Senor Ralcanto. Zis man--Pedro Valdez he call himself--has been
trying to get zem from me. He tried in New York, and he said he
would give me no rest until he had zem. He must have been following
me--no hard task since I have traveled a slow and weary way. Zen,
when he saw my valise--he must have thought it his chance."
"How dreadful!" murmured Bess. "To think that such things could
happen in Chelton!"
"And perhaps we are not at the end of them yet," said Cora, softly.
"The man got away, didn't he, Belle?"
"So Walter said. Oh, dear! I'm glad we're going to the West
Indies!"
"Oh, zat I were going wiz you!" exclaimed Inez, clasping her thin,
brown hands in an appealing gesture.
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