DRAWING THE NET CLOSER
"I hold, sir, that there has been no connection shown between the escape
of the woman prisoner and the presence of this dress in the cell of
these boys, and I therefore ask that the charge against them be
dismissed."
It was Consul Wyman who spoke, addressing General Serano who again sat
in judgment on Harry and Bert in the Hall of Justice. It was two days
after the discovery of the escape of Miss Juanita and following the dire
threat of the general to have the boys shot as spies if they did not
make a full and complete confession. There had been little sleep for
them after the night visit to their cell, and the next day no one had
visited them save the jailor with food. The following morning, however,
after their breakfast had been served, they had been summarily hauled
before the still fuming commander, heavy-eyed and pale, Harry wearing an
old Spanish uniform which the jailor had given to him.
Again they had been subjected to a severe cross-examination, and again
they had firmly refused to answer any question that in any way
endangered the safety of Captain Dynamite.
Mr. Wyman, who fully appreciated the serious position in which the boys
were placed, also showed the effects of loss of sleep. He was an able
man and beneath his little exterior conceit about his powers of
diplomacy, there beat an honest and fearless heart. He had come to the
conclusion that the existence of the secret passage was unknown to the
present authorities, and without this knowledge no case could be made
out, legally, against the boys. He also knew that the legal rights of
prisoners were not always considered by General Serano, and for this
reason he had determined, as a last resort, to fall back on his official
prerogatives and demand the release of the boys in the name of the
United States, or, failing in this, a hearing before a higher authority
in Havana.
"Admitting that your contention in regard to the presence of the dress
of the escaped prisoner in the room of the accused to be well taken, how
can you account for the fact that the pass which was given to them in
order that they might communicate with you was used by another?"
General Serano smiled grimly as he put this question to the consul. Mr.
Wyman staggered. He had forgotten the pass. For a moment he did not
reply, and then, pulling himself together, he said:
"We do not admit that fact, sir."
"Very well. Let the captain of the guard step forward."
A man with a sword clanking at his side stepped up and saluted.
"What was your duty night before last?" asked the general.
"I was in command of the picket line three miles outside of the city,"
replied the man.
"Did any one pass through the lines from the city while you were in
command?"
"Yes, sir."
"Who?"
"A boy."
"A boy--are you sure of that?"
"A person wearing boy's clothes, sir."
"Very well; why did you let the person wearing boy's clothes pass
through your lines?"
"He--the person wearing boy's clothes showed a pass from you, sir."
"At what hour was this?" continued General Serano, looking triumphantly
at the consul, who bit his lip and thought hard.
"About two hours after sundown."
"That will do. Now, Mr. Wyman, can you explain this for the benefit of
the prisoners?"
"All this does not prove that the pass presented by a boy to this
officer was the same pass that was given to the prisoners."
"I issued but one pass that day."
"There is nothing to show that that was the one."
"Captain of the guard, what date did the pass bear?"
"It was of even date."
"Now, Mr. Wyman."
The consul hesitated a moment and then stepped closer to the desk of
General Serano. Lifting his arm impressively, and looking the general
steadily in the eye, he said:
"I still hold, sir, that there is not a scintilla of legal evidence
against the prisoners. We might admit for the sake of argument, that the
dress found in their room was that of the escaped woman prisoner; we
might also admit, that the pass used by the boy in passing through the
lines last night was the one issued by you to the prisoners, but what
evidence is there to show that the one using the pass obtained it from
these prisoners, or that it was the escaped prisoner?"
"The evidence is absolutely circumstantial."
"That is just it. It is purely circumstantial; there is no direct
evidence connecting these boys in any way with the escape of the woman."
"Let me inform you, Mr. Wyman," said General Serano, scowling savagely,
"that I shall assume that the person who passed through the lines last
night was the prisoner and further," here he leaned toward the consul,
"I shall assume that the clothes she wore was the boy's missing suit."
"Very well, then," said Mr. Wyman, calmly, "let us admit that the person
was the woman, and the clothes she wore were the boy's, do not all the
known facts point to a plot conceived and executed by those outside
rather than inside a prison cell? Those inside had absolutely no means
of communication; those outside had easy access to both cells. Unless
some method can be shown by which these prisoners could have
communicated with the prisoner in the next cell there can be no legal
construction of the present evidence that will connect either of the
boys with the escape of the woman. You know the strength of your locks
and the thickness of your jail walls. How could these two boys here have
contrived to release this woman through stone and iron? By way of the
barred windows, ten feet apart? Even if the exchange of clothing could
have been accomplished by this means, which I contend is impossible, who
liberated her, General Serano? There was only one means of escape and
that was through the door of her cell. If these boys, themselves,
confined by locks, walls, and bars, could have unlocked the door of her
prison-house, then they are possessed of supernatural powers that should
enable them to walk out of your jail themselves. No, General Serano,
unless you can establish the fact of physical communication between
these prisoners and the escaped woman they can in no way be held
responsible for her disappearance, and I ask that the unfounded charge
against them be dismissed."
Mr. Wyman bowed to the general and stepped back. He had made a good
fight and fired his last shot in the boys' behalf. General Serano,
impressed by the wisdom of his argument, was silent for a time, as if
thinking. Then he leaned forward to the consul and said in a low tone:
"There is one thing more, Mr. Wyman. After the discovery of the escape
of the woman prisoner her name was not spoken in your presence nor in
the presence of the other prisoners, and yet when I had left the cell
you referred to her by her given name. Will you tell me how this was?"
Mr. Wyman's face flushed, and he drew himself up defiantly, as he
replied:
"It is immaterial to this case how I came by that knowledge."
"It is material so far as it influences my decision."
Mr. Wyman bowed without speaking. Nothing could be gained by dwelling
upon this unfortunate occurrence. At this point an aged and decrepit man
was led into the room by two soldiers. He was so weak that he had to be
supported on either side. General Serano looked up and scowled at him as
an intruder, and turned to an aide for an explanation, when the smiling
interpreter glided to his side and whispered in his ear. He started back
in eager surprise, and then cast another glance of triumph at the consul
as he said:
"Bring him forward."
All eyes were now turned on the tottering old man as he was slowly led
to a chair which was placed in front of General Serano's desk.
"You have some information in regard to this case which you wish to
impart to me?" asked the general.
"What case?"
The old man's dim eyes turned in the direction of the speaker like those
of one who is almost blind. He seemed dazed and frightened.
"Well, never mind the case. Were you ever the warden of the jail here?"
"Oh, yes sir, but that was many, many years ago."
"Yes, I know," said the general, coaxingly, "but what do you know about
the jail?"
"Nothing much now, sir, not for many, many years."
"No, no, what do you know that no other man now living knows?"
"Much, sir, much, for they have all gone on before."
"Do you know any secret of the jail?"
"Secret? Oh, yes, a secret. No man knows but me, no man knows."
The old man shook his head stupidly, and rubbed his gnarled hands.
"What is the secret?" General Serano leaned forward to catch the answer.
"I have forgotten."
"No, no, you knew it ten minutes ago--think."
"No man knows--they've all gone before," muttered the old man.
Mr. Wyman uttered a sigh of relief. The old jailer evidently knew of the
existence of the secret passage, but his mind was so far gone that the
consul was hopeful that General Serano's examination might fail.
"Do you know of any secret passage?" asked the general in an insinuating
tone.
"Passage--who said passage," said the old man bristling up and looking
around the room with unseeing eyes. "There is no passage; it's a lie. No
one knows--no one knows but the old jailer."
The interpreter stepped up to the old man and whispered something in his
ear. The wrinkled face cracked into a hideous grin that showed his
almost toothless gums.
"Money," he chortled, "yes, give me money--gold." He reached out his
gnarled hands and grasped at the air. The interpreter at a sign from
General Serano, placed a peseta in one of his outstretched palms. He
felt it for a moment, and then held it close to his nearly sightless
eyes.
"No, no, you can't fool the old jailer," he whined. "That's silver.
Gold, give me gold. The secret's worth it. 'Sh. You can go at night.
Just touch the spring and slowly--slowly the stone will roll back. And
then the rack. Ha, ha, the rack--that makes 'em talk."
Mr. Wyman shuddered when he thought of the scenes of horror the old
jailer might have witnessed.
"Here is gold; will you show us the passage, now?"
"Yes, come."
The man started to his feet, and the interpreter, taking the place of
one of the soldiers, guided his steps toward the door. General Serano
rose from his seat and followed.
"Mr. Wyman, will you accompany us? The old man's mysterious secret
passage may interest you."
"The old man is imbecile. His evidence is valueless."
"But his secret passage cannot be imbecile too."
"He is dreaming."
"Let us see. Bring the prisoners." He motioned to an officer, who
detailed two men to accompany the boys. Harry and Bert were ignorant of
what had been going on, all having spoken in Spanish, and as they
followed the old man to the jail, Mr. Wyman explained to them briefly
what had taken place. Harry's first thought was of the girl.
"Then Miss Juanita has gotten away safely," he said with satisfaction.
"Yes," replied Mr. Wyman, "I think there is no doubt she is all right,
but think of the price."
"We haven't paid it yet, Mr. Wyman."
When they reached the jail the old man was led directly into the boys'
cell. He was weary from his exertion, and sank into a chair and his head
fell on his breast. In a moment he was fast asleep. The interpreter, who
seemed to be general factotum to Serano, shook him roughly by the
shoulder.
"Come, come, you have your gold, now show us the passage."
The man roused himself and looked stupidly around the room. By chance
his eyes rested upon the big slab in the wall, but he could not see it.
Still he raised his bony finger either by intuition or luck, and pointed
directly at it.
"It is there," he said, and his head dropped again.
Mr. Wyman shuddered. The scene was a gruesome one, and the possibility
that the man might disclose the passage was so imminent that his nerves
were at their greatest tension. All hope of clearing the boys of the
charge of being Cuban spies it seemed would be lost if the old man's
mind should clear sufficiently for him to indicate the secret spring.
"Yes, yes, it is there, old man, but where is the spring?"
Again he raised his head and looked blankly at the wall, and then once
more his head drooped.
"I cannot remember," he murmured. Mr. Wyman drew a long breath. It was
at least another respite. There was a sound of clanking chains in the
jail corridor. The old man trembled and raised his head feebly.
"What's that?" he whispered. "Chains?"
Again the sound was heard.
"Yes, yes, they're coming. Quick, we'll chain him down--chain him hand
and foot. Quick--open the passage."
He struggled to his feet and tottered to the wall. For a moment he
groped in blindness, while the boys held their breath and then, with a
low chuckle he placed his finger unerringly on the little diamond-shaped
stone. The creaking and grinding noise began, and the stone slowly
revolved before the astonished eyes of General Serano. When the passage
was fully open the general stepped to the wall and inspected it
curiously. Then he turned to Mr. Wyman and said:
"The case against the accused is complete. You may inform them that the
sentence imposed will be carried out unless they make a full confession
before sundown to-night."
"And I, General Serano, knowing that they are innocent of any connection
with the cause of the insurgents, warn you in the name of their
Government that you will commit an outrage for which you must pay
dearly. I shall communicate with General Weyler at once."
Serano shrugged his shoulders.
"General Weyler has the utmost confidence in my judgment."
"Will you suspend sentence until I can communicate with my Government?"
"No. Your Government has nothing to do with the matter. All that can be
settled afterward."
"One last request, General Serano--give me forty-eight hours to
communicate with General Weyler."
"Oh, as it will be the same in the end, you may have the forty-eight
hours."
He turned to the jailer, who had watched the opening of the wall in
wonder. "Take the prisoners to another cell where they cannot find a
secret passage."
As the boys were being led from the cell they passed the interpreter,
who smiled genially at them. Harry could scarcely refrain from showing
him how much he despised him.